That season is upon us. No, not winter. Worse. Tax season. April 15th is a daunting day for many of us, especially those of us who can’t afford (or don’t want to go to) a tax accountant. When you can’t/won’t opt to get your taxes done for you by a professional, the only option is doing your taxes yourself…or jail, but we highly discourage that option.

If you’re going to brave taxes alone this season, you’re probably looking for a tax prep website that is the following things: easy, quick and (most importantly) cheap. Here’s your go-to guide of the four cheapest tax prep software to get the most bang for your buck this year.

1. TaxAct

A small company founded in 1998, TaxAct definitely has one of the most inexpensive plan for tax payers looking to save. Users have given TaxAct mostly positive reviews about the ease of use (although some commented that they felt “bombarded” with information), and extremely positive reviews about their really fantastic help and support team.

Pricing: Basic Federal Filing – FREE; State Filing – $15; Deluxe (Federal and State filing, plus tax assistance) – $20

Perks: Price-lock guarantee, free 1040EZ and 1040A filers

2. TurboTax

Quite possibly the most well-known of tax prep software, TurboTax has reliable tax reports but has jacked up its prices year after year. TurboTax has by far the best reviews for usability and accurate tax summaries, though, so this could justify the rising prices.

Pricing: State and Federal – $37; Premier Package – $55; Premier Package + State Filing – $90

Perks: For a limited time, TurboTax is offering free services for 1040EZ and 1040A filers.

3. H&R Block

While H&R block has one of the cheapest plans, their $20 option only applies to a narrow selection of taxpayers, which is something to be wary of. Otherwise, people love H&R block for its lack of confusing jargon, fast processing and it’s ability to catch many errors throughout the filing process

Pricing: Basic Federal Filing – FREE; State Filing – Starts at $9.99; State and Federal – $20; Deluxe Version – $34.99

Perks: In-store locations with amazing support, easy-to-navigate interface.

4. Liberty Tax

With 4,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada, Liberty Tax offers great support and some nice perks. Compared to our other software option, however, they are a bit more expensive and do not have a free filing option.

Pricing: Per Tax Return – $191 (2014, net average fee)

Perks: TaxBrain and eSmart are affiliated products, free chat and technical support.

 

When considering your taxes this year, think about doing them on your own with the assistance of these helpful software systems! For more detailed information on these quick, cheap solutions check out this article on Bloomberg Business. You can also check out some excellent tax filing advice over at Consumer Affairs’ tax software guide!