The ten Finest Tax Apps for Freelancers

Freelancing isn’t a distinct segment profession path anymore. It’s the brand new regular. Between 2020 and 2024, the freelance market within the U.S. grew by 90%, and by 2027, the variety of freelancers is anticipated to achieve 86.5 million. That’s greater than half the nation’s complete workforce.

With so many individuals ditching their 9-to-5s, fashionable freelancers are now not the stereotypical creatives and contractors. They’re full-fledged companies. Similar to any common occupation, freelancers should keep on high of tasks, like taxes.

Lacking a quarterly fee can result in the IRS coming knocking, slapping penalties and curiosity on your enterprise.

Much more minor points, like failing to trace your bills correctly, imply you’re leaving cash on the desk when it’s time to file.

Tax apps make these tasks simpler to handle. As a substitute of juggling spreadsheets, attempting to recollect each deduction, or maintaining an accountant on retainer, you get entry to purpose-built instruments.
Many embrace options like mileage monitoring, estimated tax calculations, and a receipt tracker for taxes that helps hold information organized year-round.

On this information, we overview the highest 10 tax apps for freelancers primarily based on options that matter: sensible integrations, person expertise, help choices, and instruments designed particularly for impartial work.

The ten Finest Tax Apps for Freelancers

Earlier than selecting a instrument, take into consideration how you’re employed. Do you want one thing light-weight that covers the fundamentals, or a extra sturdy system that handles receipts, deductions, and a number of earnings streams?

Every of the choices under is designed with freelancers in thoughts, however they provide completely different strengths relying on your workflow and tax necessities.

1. TurboTax Self-Employed

TurboTax Self-Employed is designed particularly for freelancers and impartial contractors. The Q&A-style setup takes you thru every step of the tax submitting course of by prompting you with inquiries to uncover related deductions and deal with blended earnings varieties with much less guesswork.

In the event you’re not sure how one thing works, the platform contains tutorial movies and assist articles that designate key tax subjects in plain language.

Key Options:

• Business-specific deductions: Identifies write-offs distinctive to varied freelance professions, resembling design, consulting, and even rideshare driving (Uber or Lyft).






• QuickBooks Self-Employed integration: Features a complimentary yr of QuickBooks Self-Employed for simple monitoring and mileage logging.






• 1099-NEC and 1099-Okay snap and autofill: Add tax varieties utilizing your cellphone’s digicam or gallery, which is useful for those who juggle a number of purchasers and don’t wish to spend hours typing in earnings particulars.






• Reside professional help: Presents entry to tax professionals for real-time help and overview.






• Audit evaluation: Gives a customized overview of your return to establish potential audit dangers.

Finest for: New freelancers or anybody simply beginning out who needs further steering and peace of thoughts when submitting.

2. H&R Block Self-Employment

H&R Block Self-Employed is an effective match for freelancers who need the flexibleness of submitting on-line, however with the choice to get actual assist after they want it. You possibly can work by way of the return by yourself, however for those who get caught, dwell chat and AI-driven prompts are in-built to reply questions as you go.

There’s additionally the choice handy issues off to a tax professional. This can be a useful fallback if issues get difficult otherwise you don’t wish to take care of tax complexities in any respect.

Key Options:

• Reside chat and AI Tax Help: Get real-time solutions whilst you’re submitting, with out digging by way of assist docs.






• Cell add: Take photographs of your 1099s and different tax varieties to import them immediately into your return.






• Constructed-in expense monitoring: Permits you to tag and arrange enterprise bills all year long, so that you don’t have to rush throughout tax season to recollect what counts as a write-off.






• Choice to improve to a tax professional: If issues get messy, you possibly can hand off your return to knowledgeable.

Finest for: Freelancers who wish to file solo however like figuring out professional assistance is only a click on away.

3. TaxSlayer Self-Employed

TaxSlayer Self-Employed is constructed for freelancers who know what they should file, like 1099 earnings, Schedule C bills, and estimates, and need a instrument that helps them do it rapidly. It presents guided help for all options, so that you don’t miss a single deductible declare.

Key Options:

• Guided 1099 and Schedule C help: Step-by-step help for reporting self-employment earnings and bills.






• Entry to tax professionals: Limitless cellphone, e-mail, and dwell chat help for tax-related questions.






• Quarterly tax fee reminders: Sends alerts so that you don’t miss IRS deadlines. That is particularly helpful for those who earn from a number of purchasers and have to plan forward for funds.






• Audit help: Help from licensed tax professionals in case of an IRS audit.

Finest for: Freelancers and impartial contractors looking for an reasonably priced, no-frills tax resolution with important help options.

4. TaxAct Self-Employed

TaxAct Self-Employed has turn into a preferred app for freelancers due to its easy interface and simple submitting course of. It gives step-by-step steering by way of earnings reporting and deductions. If you wish to dig deeper, you possibly can sift by way of the 300-term tax glossary.

Key Options:

• Deduction Maximizer: Helps you discover industry-specific deductions to scale back taxable earnings for what you do particularly.






• Self-Employment Tax Calculator: Estimates how a lot you’ll owe, so you possibly can plan for quarterly funds and keep away from surprises at tax time.






• Xpert Help: Gives on-demand entry to tax specialists for customized steering.






• Actual-time refund monitoring: Exhibits how your refund or steadiness due adjustments as you add earnings and deductions, so that you all the time know the place you stand.

Finest for: Freelancers with easy funds, like writers, consultants, or early-stage contractors, who need a easy, reasonably priced submitting instrument with out further add-ons.

SponsoredTurn into a sponsor

5. Money App Taxes

Money App Taxes gives a 100% free platform for submitting each federal and state tax returns (solely accessible within the U.S.). The app guides customers by way of the method, supporting numerous tax conditions, together with self-employment. Whereas it lacks dwell professional help, its easy interface is appropriate for these with comparatively easy tax wants.

Key Options:

• 100% free submitting: No charges for federal or state returns, no matter earnings sort or complexity.






• Helps numerous tax varieties: Handles 1099 earnings, investments, and cryptocurrency transactions.






• Cell-friendly: File taxes immediately out of your cellphone utilizing the Money App.






• Audit protection included: In the event you’re audited by the IRS, a consultant will allow you to reply to notices and navigate the method at no further price.

Finest for: Freelancers with easy tax conditions who want a very free, mobile-friendly submitting possibility.

6. QuickBooks Self-Employed

QuickBooks Self-Employed is constructed for freelancers who wish to keep tax-ready year-round, not simply in April. It connects to your financial institution and bank card accounts, and you’ll log highway mileage for bills. You additionally get a working estimate of what you’ll owe every quarter, making it simpler to funds and keep away from surprising costs.

Key Options:

• Automated transaction categorization: Join your financial institution and bank card accounts to import and categorize earnings and bills robotically.






• Mileage monitoring: Use the cellular app to robotically observe and categorize enterprise mileage utilizing your cellphone’s GPS.






• Actual-time tax estimation: Obtain estimates of your quarterly tax obligations primarily based in your earnings and bills.






• TurboTax integration and export options: Simply export your knowledge to TurboTax Self-Employed for quick submitting. This additionally helps facilitate large knowledge integration, which implies combining giant volumes of information from a number of sources. The export characteristic on QuickBooks is powerful sufficient to assist freelancers hold observe of information with rather more ease.

Finest for: Freelancers who drive for work and cost bills, like photographers, consultants, or rideshare drivers.

7. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is an accounting software program tailor-made for freelancers who handle a number of purchasers and tasks. Whereas it doesn’t deal with tax submitting immediately, it simplifies preparation by organizing invoices, bills, and billable hours all year long. FreshBooks makes it simpler handy off clear information to an accountant or put together for submitting your self.

Key Options:

• Invoicing and funds: Create skilled invoices, settle for on-line funds, and arrange recurring billing to receives a commission quicker.






• Expense monitoring: Routinely import bills out of your checking account and categorize them for tax time.






• Mileage monitoring: Use the cellular app to trace enterprise mileage for deductions.






• Monetary experiences: Generate revenue and loss statements, tax summaries, and different experiences to grasp your enterprise’s well being.

Finest for: Freelancers who deal with a number of tasks or purchasers and wish organized information to simplify tax prep. It’s additionally very best for those who want managing duties like fundamental accounting and e-mail monitoring inside a single platform.

8. Keeper Tax

Keeper Tax makes use of AI to scan your financial institution and bank card transactions. It additionally capabilities as a robust receipt tracker for taxes, organizing deductible bills robotically so that you don’t miss a factor.

SponsoredTurn into a sponsor

It’s constructed for freelancers who wish to observe write-offs with out doing it manually. You possibly can overview, categorize, or set guidelines for recurring bills. When tax season rolls round, Keeper may even file for you utilizing the deductions it’s already tracked.

Key Options:

• Automated expense monitoring: Join your accounts and let Keeper flag tax-deductible bills for overview.






• AI-powered deduction finder: Suggests write-offs primarily based in your spending habits and freelancer profile.






• Customized guidelines: Arrange recurring tags to automate how sure bills are categorized.






• Elective tax submitting: File immediately by way of Keeper, with all of your tracked deductions already included.

Finest for: Half-time freelancers and gig staff who want hands-off deduction monitoring with the choice to file by way of the identical app.

9. Bonsai Tax

Bonsai Tax presents self-employment software program to trace bills and estimate taxes. It connects to your monetary accounts, highlights deductible bills, and offers you a working estimate of what you owe. It doesn’t file taxes, however it organizes your funds so submitting turns into rather a lot simpler.

Key Options:

• Automated expense monitoring: Screens transactions and categorizes them in actual time.






• Deduction identification: Flags write-offs primarily based on freelancer-friendly classes.






• Tax fee forecasting: Estimates your quarterly obligations, serving to you put aside the correct quantity and keep away from shock IRS penalties.






• Easy experiences: Summarizes earnings and bills to prep for tax submitting.

Finest for: Unbiased professionals with a predictable workload who need clear deduction monitoring with out further options.

10. FlyFin

FlyFin pairs AI-powered deduction monitoring with CPA-filed tax returns for a full-service expertise for freelancers. The app scans your bills to establish potential write-offs and gives real-time tax estimates. When it’s time to file, you possibly can submit all paperwork by way of the app.

SponsoredTurn into a sponsor

Key Options:

• AI-driven deduction monitoring: Routinely analyzes bills to uncover eligible tax deductions.






• CPA-prepared tax submitting: An authorized CPA opinions your info and recordsdata your taxes in your behalf.






• Quarterly tax estimates: Calculates how a lot you’ll owe every quarter, so you possibly can put aside the correct quantity and keep away from shock IRS penalties.






• Audit safety: Consists of audit insurance coverage, with CPAs dealing with communication with the IRS if wanted.






• Limitless tax help: Entry to CPAs for questions and steering all year long.

Finest for: Tech-forward freelancers, like digital nomads, who wish to use the most recent AI and advertising instruments, like Brevo, to allow them to offload the time-consuming components of freelancing, particularly throughout tax season.

How To Select the Proper Tax App (and Receipt Tracker for Taxes)

The correct app is determined by your workflow, targets, and the way hands-on you wish to be. Listed below are some fast suggestions for selecting your app:

• Match the instrument to your work type: Gig staff and contractors, from graphic designers to rideshare drivers, usually profit from apps with mileage monitoring and automated expense categorization. Creators and consultants might want instruments with invoicing or time-tracking options.






• Determine for those who want built-in submitting: Some apps embrace tax submitting with CPA help, whereas others focus solely on organizing deductions. Select primarily based on whether or not you propose to file your self or need it dealt with for you.






• Search for a built-in receipt tracker for taxes: This may also help you keep organized all year long, particularly for those who handle plenty of enterprise purchases or work with bodily receipts (which are simple to lose).






• Keep on with your funds: Free apps work nicely for easy wants. In the event you want extra automation or hands-on help, a paid possibility might find yourself saving you cash.






• Examine for helpful integrations: Search for instruments that sync together with your financial institution, invoicing platforms, or accounting software program to chop down on handbook entry.






• Prioritize usability and help: A clear interface and entry to actual people (if wanted) could make tax season much less irritating.

Checking these containers will allow you to slim it down and keep away from switching apps mid-year.

Remaining Ideas

Tax apps can take a serious weight off your shoulders, saving time, maintaining your funds organized, and most significantly, guaranteeing your setup stays compliant. Whether or not you’re simply beginning out or deep into a contract profession, a bit construction (and expertise) goes a good distance.

Many of those instruments provide free trials, so don’t be afraid to check just a few and see what suits your setup.

For extra tips about constructing a sustainable freelance enterprise, try the newest articles on Millo or discover extra of our greatest instruments for freelancers and entrepreneurs.

Maintain the dialog going…

Over 10,000 of us are having every day conversations over in our free Fb group and we would like to see you there. Be part of us!