Lacerte Tax

Paid#4 of 30 in Small Business Tax SoftwareTax SoftwareTax Preparation Software

Lacerte Tax: Deep tax coverage for high-volume firms, with a high annual license and per-return costs. Ranked #4 of 30 in Small Business Tax Software by our editors (8.7/10); pricing: Paid; best for high-volume firms needing deep tax coverage.

8.7/10★★★★☆Editor score

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Lacerte Tax8.7 Visit Lacerte Tax

At a glance

• Editor score
  8.7 / 10
• Pricing
  Paid
• Best for
  High-volume firms needing deep tax coverage
• Free plan
  No
• Founded
  1983 · Mountain View, California, United States
• Facts checked
  20 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • 25,000+ diagnostics and 7,200+ tax forms
  • Broad coverage for individual, business, fiduciary, and nonprofit returns
  • Imports, client portal tools, e-filing, and optional hosted access

• Where it doesn't

  • $813 annual starting license before applicable per-return charges
  • Windows desktop software with single-user access on the annual license
  • E-file availability varies by return and jurisdiction

Our verdict on Lacerte Tax

Lacerte Tax is professional tax preparation software for accounting firms handling complex individual, business, fiduciary, estate, gift, nonprofit, and benefit-plan returns. It runs on Windows desktop software, with optional hosted remote access, and supports federal and state preparation and filing. Its workflow includes amended returns, client document collection through Intuit Link, automated K-1 delivery, tax planning through Intuit Tax Advisor, digital signatures, knowledge-based authentication, and imports from financial institutions, QuickBooks, spreadsheets, and documents. The breadth makes it a fit for firms managing varied, high-volume tax work rather than occasional or narrowly focused filing.

The published pricing structure combines an annual license with return-based charges. The Pay-per-return annual license is $813 per year and includes single-user access, unlimited client tax advisory reports, digital signatures, and knowledge-based authentication. Individual returns cost $102 per return and cover Forms 1040 and 1040-NR, with one state included and e-file included where supported. Business, partnership, estate/trust, and exempt business returns cost $140 per return and cover Forms 1120, 1120-S, 1065, 1041, and 990, with one state included. Gift or estate tax returns cost $94 per return; additional federal-state individual and business returns cost $92 each. Return bundles and unlimited-return plans are also available, with all states included.

Coverage is the main reason to consider Lacerte Tax. The software lists 25,000+ diagnostics and 7,200+ tax forms, alongside consolidated corporate returns, eligible amended-return e-filing, encrypted portal access, and optional hosting with nightly backups. Integrations include QuickBooks Desktop Accountant, SmartVault, Financial Institution Download, Tax Scan and Import, Document Management System, Hosting, and Pay-by-Refund. The tradeoff is cost and deployment scope: the annual license starts at $813, per-return pricing can add substantially to operating costs, and the core software is Windows-based. High-volume firms with complex filings should consider it; smaller practices with straightforward returns should choose a simpler tool instead.

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Lacerte Tax pricing

All 8 Lacerte Tax plans and prices →

Lacerte Tax fact sheet

Lacerte Tax integrations

Lacerte Tax lists 8 integrations on its own site.

• QuickBooks Desktop Accountant
• SmartVault
• Intuit Link
• Financial Institution Download
• Tax Scan and Import
• Document Management System
• Hosting
• Pay-by-Refund

See all Lacerte Tax integrations →

Alternatives to Lacerte Tax

• TurboTaxA broad guided filing option with strong income support, but paid tiers and state add-ons raise cost.9.3
• H&R Block OnlineA guided tax service with free simple returns, broader paid tiers, and web and mobile access.9.1
• TaxActA broad tax filing option for self-employed filers, with state filing charged separately.8.8

See all Lacerte Tax alternatives →

Lacerte Tax vs the competition

• Lacerte Tax vs TurboTax
• Lacerte Tax vs H&R Block Online
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Featured on iTechGuides

Lacerte Tax is listed in our Small Business Tax Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update