H&R Block Review 2024: The Best Free Online Tax Filing Experience

The 2024 iteration of H&R Block’s online tax filing software has a great digital interface, robust support options and better free tax filing options than TurboTax.

H&R Block is again offering users four tiers for filing their returns in 2024 — Free Online, Deluxe, Premium and Self-Employed — in addition to in-person assistance at a local branch and online help from a Live Tax Pro.

Its simple interface makes H&R Block easy to use online. I particularly like that it flags any mistakes as you input your tax information. The tax service’s main shortcoming is that its interview-style platform doesn’t hold your hand in the same way that TurboTax’s software does. Its new AI Tax Assist chatbot is also not available to taxpayers who file their returns for free. 

For those reasons, H&R Block — which helped 20 million customers file tax returns last year — falls just short of the top spot on our list of best tax software list in 2024. But it’s worth considering if you want to pay a slightly lower price or can take advantage of its free filing tier.

Who should use H&R Block tax software?

If you want to save a few dollars by passing on TurboTax, H&R Block is a suitable option that will feel familiar.

Given recent news reports, some tax filers may also be put off by accusations from the Federal Trade Commission that TurboTax and its parent company Intuit scammed customers into paying more to file tax returns in the past.

You will forgo a slightly better user experience on TurboTax — but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better free option with as smooth of an experience as H&R Block. The Free Online edition covers students, adults with simple returns and allows a wider range of credits and tax forms. 

Taxpayers who’d like the option of making an in-person appointment with a tax preparation professional may also find value in using H&R Block. 

Like TurboTax, H&R Block charges customers per state tax return. So if you’re filing multiple state returns, you might want to look elsewhere. (Jackson Hewitt, for instance, offers unlimited state returns, plus your federal return for $25.)

What are H&R Block’s different products?

H&R Block offers four different online products — Free Online, Deluxe, Premium and Self-Employed — which currently range from $0 to $85. Prices may increase as we approach tax day on April 15. The best tier for you depends on the deductions and tax credits you want to claim and how much help you want.

Free basic audit support is offered with all H&R Block tax plans. But enhanced “Worry-Free Audit Support,” including IRS communication and in-person audit representation, will cost you $20. 

If you require personal assistance, H&R Block offers the option to have a tax pro review your return or to hand your taxes off to an expert for an additional fee — starting at $55 and $89, respectively. 

New this year is H&R Block’s AI Tax Assist — a chatbot tool that helps guide tax filers through the process by answering a list of frequently asked questions. This feature, however, is not available for customers using the Free Online tier.

Free Online: Best for students and most W-2 employees

The Free Online plan costs $0 for filing federal taxes and $0 per state. This plan works best for W-2 employees with simple tax returns, but it’s also great for students since it allows for both education tax credits and deductions for student loan interest, tuition and fees.

The free plan includes Schedule 1, which lets you report many more types of income including unemployment compensation, retirement income, gambling winnings, alimony and stock options. In short, it offers a wider range of free tax forms than TurboTax.

If you need expert help when filing your taxes, or at the very least want access to H&R Block’s new AI Tax Assist, it may be better to upgrade to the Deluxe plan. 

Deluxe: Best for dependents, itemizing deductions and HSA contributors

Deluxe features everything in Free Online but also includes itemized deductions and support for health savings accounts and mortgage interest payments. 

Not sure whether you should itemize this year? Check Schedule A to see if any expenses apply to you. For instance, you may have received a big property tax bill in 2023, paid medical expenses out of pocket or donated to charity. If the total of your allowable deductions is greater than the standard deduction, it could make sense to itemize. 

You can also file self-employment taxes using H&R Block’s Deluxe option. But you only get access to Schedule C in order to report different income streams. It appears you’ll need to upgrade to the Self-Employed tier to itemize business expenses.

H&R Block’s Deluxe plan currently costs $35 for a federal return and $37 per state filing. As with any H&R Block plan, you can add professional tax assistance from a Live Tax Pro to the Deluxe plan. 

Premium: Best for investors and landlords

The Premium tier adds several layers of tax services for those with more complicated tax situations. 

If you earned money from a rental property, have capital gains from the sale of investments or cryptocurrency, the Premium plan is for you. With H&R Block’s Premium tier, you can also report self-employment income, but not business expenses. 

H&R Block’s Premium tier could be a lucrative option for investors to save money compared to filing with TurboTax. TurboTax’s self-employed tier has been lumped together with its Premium filing option that starts at a promotional price of $89 for federal tax returns and $39 per state return. 

By comparison, H&R Block’s Premium tier costs $65 for a federal return and $37 per state return under current pricing. AI Tax Assist is also available with this tier.

Self-Employed: Best for gig workers, contractors and business owners

The Self-Employed plan is H&R Block’s most expensive, currently at $85 for a federal return and $37 per state. For that price, you get everything the service’s cheaper tiers offer and more. 

The Self-Employed plan works best for freelancers, small business owners and gig workers. If you had a side job or revenue stream in 2023, you’ll likely have to select this advanced tax preparation plan.

H&R Block DIY products, compared

How does H&R Block work?

If you’ve used TurboTax in the past, H&R Block’s user interface won’t require too much of a learning curve. It doesn’t hold your hand like its main competitor, but it features a similar interview-style model where you answer questions to determine things like your filing status and the right tax plan for you.

Given my tax situation this year, I may qualify for H&R Block’s Free Online Tier — thanks to the wide array of tax forms H&R Block includes in its free filing option. I do not qualify for TurboTax’s Free Edition. 

Since I have no dependents, I’m able to stay in H&R Block’s free tier. H&R Block upgrades you to its Deluxe tier, while TurboTax includes dependents in its Free Edition. So it’s best to compare your specific situation between the two tax filing services to find the best fit for you.

H&R Block’s online platform is easy to use, even without assistance from a Live Tax Pro or its new AI Tax Assist chatbot. I’m a big fan of how H&R Block allows me to jump around different tabs and plug in tax information in the order I choose. 

Help screens are easily accessible too. They pop up on a side panel on the right hand side of the screen. I’d prefer help screens in the middle of the page, as to not shift my eyes so much. But I understand why H&R Block handles it this way — if you leave the help screen open, it auto generates answers to questions you might have as you go through the process. Some people might find this particularly helpful.

My main gripe with the help screen is that there’s often a lot of info to sift through for even simple questions. A brief FAQ-style format with the option to dig in further could be better. 

If you’re paying for H&R Block’s Deluxe, Premium or Self-Employed tiers, it’s worth noting that its AI Tax Assist chatbot is a delight to use — but it has some snags.

Like the free help resource tool, AI Tax Assist pops up on the right hand side of the screen and has predetermined questions you can ask. But you can also ask it whatever you like as well as follow up questions.

During testing, we also realized that you can type in simple search terms, such as “rental income” or “1099-NEC” without receiving an error message. 

But if you ask it anything too specific, it may tell you that it cannot answer your question. This happened when I asked the AI tool, “How many 1099-NEC forms can I file?”

However, when I asked the same question the next day, I received a more scripted answer that told me I could file as many 1099-NEC forms as necessary to account for freelance income.

In one case, when asked if I may receive a 1099-K form this year, the chatbot provided outdated information.

The IRS recently announced it would delay implementing the new 1099-K tax reporting requirement for 2023 tax returns, which wasn’t noted by the AI filing assistant. Instead, it gave me outdated information and told me I might get a 1099-K if I earned over $600 in 2023. The IRS has confirmed 2023 will be treated as a transition year, so you should only receive a 1099-K if you earned more than $20,000 via payment apps, or had more than 200 transactions.

Be cautious and double-check the answers the AI Tax Assist chatbot gives you with your own research or by consulting a tax professional.

In addition to filing your taxes online, H&R Block offers two different mobile apps that allow you to file returns: MyBlock and H&R Block Tax Prep. Tax Prep focuses mainly on filing your tax return, while the MyBlock app includes a variety of additional features like video chat with tax professionals and in-person appointment planning. You can switch back and forth between web and mobile as much as you like.

Is H&R Block’s tax pro help worth the cost?

It depends on how comfortable you are doing your taxes on your own and how complicated your taxes are. But most taxpayers with common tax situations won’t need personalized assistance.

H&R Block’s do-it-yourself tax options make it relatively easy for you to navigate the tax-filing process, though not quite as easy as TurboTax. Its free online resources will answer most questions that will pop up. Plus, H&R Block’s Deluxe, Premium and Self-Employed tiers, you will be equipped with the company’s new AI tax assistant and live expert help via chat. Unless you have a particularly complicated or confusing tax situation this year, turning over your documents to H&R Block’s tax pro service is likely unnecessary.

Here’s how much it costs to turn your taxes over to an H&R Block tax pro:

If you do want professional help and have a complicated tax situation, we recommend comparing the costs of other CPAs to find the best fit. 

Other notable features H&R Block offers

H&R Block offers multiple free tax tools for anyone visiting its site, including a tax calculator to estimate the size of your refund, a “where’s my refund?” tool to track the status of your return and a tax prep checklist to review before you start the tax filing process. 

You can choose to receive your tax refund from H&R Block in a few different ways:

• Direct deposit.
• Paper check in the mail from the IRS.
• Transfer to a Spruce mobile bank account from H&R Block.
• Transfer to the prepaid debit card Emerald Card.

The Emerald Card is a Mastercard-branded prepaid debit card issued by Pathward, N.A., and offered by H&R Block. It works much like any debit card at retailers and ATMs, and funds are protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Mastercard’s “Zero Liability” policy. You can manage the card on the MyBlock mobile app. Just be sure to read the Cardholder Agreement on H&R Block and review the fees before signing up.

H&R Block also offers a Refund Advance feature, but only for customers who schedule in-person appointments. You can receive up to $3,500 at 0% APR on the day you file your return, up until Feb. 29. The catch? You can only receive the loan on an Emerald Card or deposited into a Spruce account, not via check or direct deposit.

You’ll still need to be approved by the lender, Pathward, N.A., but your loan is automatically paid by your refund when it arrives.

You can also use your expected tax refund to pay for your H&R Block tax preparation fees using a feature called Refund Transfer, but there’s an additional fee of $39 for a federal return. Assisted tax prep clients will not pay a fee for state refund transfers.

Is H&R Block right for me?

H&R Block 2024 tax software remains a top contender in the battle for best tax preparation software though its user experience is not as clean or direct as TurboTax. The four tiers of service cover every common tax situation, and the Free Online plan could be a great fit for many students with student loan interest deductions and W-2 filers with simple returns.

The optional AI Tax Assist service is a welcomed addition to H&R Block’s platform, as it guides paying customers through the tax filing process with relative ease. 

H&R Block overall includes many valuable services for taxpayers, including two mobile apps, tax calculators and multiple options for receiving tax refunds.