Tax47 vs TurboTax: File Your Tax Return
TurboTax: File Your Tax Return by Intuit prepares and files federal and state returns. See how it compares with Tax47 on price, tax experts, and privacy.
Disclosure: Tax47 is our app. This comparison is written honestly, including the places where TurboTax is the better fit. Ratings and pricing are from the US App Store as of September 2026.
Quick answer
TurboTax: File Your Tax Return by Intuit Inc. prepares and files federal and state tax returns on iPhone, iPad, and Android, and it has been on the App Store since 2014. The catch is that its Free Edition covers simple Form 1040 returns only, and the store page lists no prices for anything beyond it.
Tax47, listed on the App Store as “Tax Calculator USA - Tax47”, estimates your federal tax, refund, or amount owed before you file. It does not file a return. It is free to download, with a Pro subscription.
These apps do two different jobs. If you are ready to file, or want a tax expert to do it for you, TurboTax. If you want to check your refund, withholding, or self-employment tax during the year, Tax47. You can also use both: estimate during the year, then file in the spring.
Side-by-side
| Feature | Tax47 | TurboTax: File Your Tax Return |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iOS + Android | iOS + Android |
| US App Store rating | 4.88 (16 ratings) | 4.79 (938,000 ratings) |
| Last updated | August 2026 | September 2026 |
| Free-tier limits | Not stated | Free Edition: simple Form 1040 returns and limited credits only |
| Paid plans | Pro is $4.99 a week or billed yearly, and the App Store lists annual Pro entries from $1.99 to $29.99. 7-day free trial. | Expert Assist and Expert Full Service, plus a paid early refund. Filing prices are not listed on the store page, and there are no App Store in-app purchases. |
| Files your tax return | No, it estimates before you file | Yes, federal and state |
| Refund or amount-owed estimate | Yes | Yes, while preparing a return; no standalone estimator is stated |
| State taxes | Not stated | Yes, state returns |
| Imports tax documents | Not stated | Yes, by photo, upload, or import from your employer or financial institution |
| Tax expert help | Not stated | Yes, on demand; unlimited with Expert Assist or Expert Full Service |
| Saved what-if scenarios | Yes, compare a raise, a new job, or a withholding change | Not stated |
| Self-employment tax | Yes, with quarterly payment estimates | Not stated |
| One Big Beautiful Bill comparison | Yes, your taxes before and after the law | Not stated |
| Multiple jobs / profiles | Not stated | Not stated |
| Export | Not stated | Not stated |
| Languages | 1 (English) | 2 (English and Spanish) |
| Ads | App Store: none declared; Google Play: Contains ads | Contains advertising, per its App Store age rating; Google Play does not flag ads |
| Account required | No | Not stated; some reviewers mention signing in |
| Data stays on device | Yes, keeps your data on the device, with no account | No, your return follows you across devices |
| Privacy label | Data Used to Track You: Identifiers | Data Used to Track You: Contact Info, Identifiers, Usage Data |
Where TurboTax: File Your Tax Return wins
It files your return, and a simple one can cost $0. TurboTax Free Edition is listed as “$0 federal returns + $0 state returns = $0 to file” for simple Form 1040 returns with limited credits. As of September 2026, the listing also says “Missed the extension deadline? You can still file your taxes.” Tax47 stops at the estimate, so you still need a way to file.
A tax expert can help, or do it for you. The listing offers “one of our thousands of tax experts on-demand”, with unlimited access included in Expert Assist and Expert Full Service. You can also hand off your taxes to a local expert: “Your expert prepares your return from start to finish”, and the real-time progress updates are available on iOS only. Tax47’s listing does not mention expert help.
It pulls in your tax forms. You can snap a photo, upload your documents, or import forms directly from your employer or financial institution, and the app fills in your details. You can also pick up where you left off on any device. Tax47’s listing does not mention importing documents.
State returns, Spanish, and a long track record. State returns are part of the app. You can switch between English and Spanish, and bilingual experts are available. It has been on the App Store since 2014 and has 4.79 stars from 938,000 US ratings. On Google Play, it’s 3.9 stars from 322K reviews. Tax47’s listing describes federal tax only and is in English.
Where Tax47 wins
It is built for the months before you file. The TurboTax listing is about preparing and filing a return. It names no standalone estimator or what-if tool. Tax47 lets you save multiple calculations and compare how a raise, a new job, or a withholding change would affect your refund. It also checks whether your paychecks withheld enough and shows your effective tax rate.
Self-employment tax and quarterly estimates. The TurboTax listing never mentions self-employment, 1099 income, or Schedule C. Tax47 has a self-employment tax calculator for Social Security, Medicare, and the additional Medicare tax, with quarterly payment estimates and the deductible portion. It also compares your taxes before and after the One Big Beautiful Bill (P.L. 119-21), including the tips, overtime, and car loan interest deductions.
No account, and less data linked to you. TurboTax’s privacy label declares Financial Info, Contact Info, and Sensitive Info as linked to you. It also lists Contact Info, Identifiers, and Usage Data as used to track you. Tax47 needs no account and runs its calculations on the device. Its label reads “Data Used to Track You: Identifiers” and has no Data Linked to You section.
Pricing
- Tax47 is free to download. Pro is $4.99 a week or billed yearly, and the App Store lists annual Pro entries from $1.99 to $29.99. 7-day free trial.
- TurboTax: File Your Tax Return is free to download. TurboTax Free Edition is “available for those filing simple Form 1040 returns and limited credits only (no forms or schedules except for the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and student loan interest, and Schedule 1-A)”, and the listing adds: “Offer may change or end at any time without notice.” Expert Assist, Expert Full Service, and the early refund “for a fee” are separate. Filing prices are not listed on the store page, and the App Store lists no in-app purchases.
Reviewers say a filing they expected to be free ended in a charge or an upgrade. That fits the listing’s limit to simple Form 1040 returns.
The two are not priced for the same job. A year of Tax47 Pro falls within the listed annual entries of $1.99 to $29.99. TurboTax costs $0 only if your return qualifies for Free Edition, and anything more is priced off the store page.
Which one should you pick?
Pick TurboTax: File Your Tax Return if you are ready to file, want federal and state returns in one app, want to import your forms instead of typing them, or want help from a tax expert, up to having one prepare your return.
Pick Tax47 if you want to estimate your refund or amount owed during the year, compare scenarios like a raise or a withholding change, or work out self-employment tax and quarterly payments, all without an account.
For the other apps we looked at, see our roundup of US tax apps. And if you want a quick number before you file, our free tax refund estimator and W-4 withholding calculator run in the browser with no download.
Frequently asked questions
Does TurboTax: File Your Tax Return file my taxes, and does Tax47?
TurboTax: File Your Tax Return prepares and files federal and state returns from your phone. Tax47 does not file a return. It estimates your federal tax, refund, or amount owed before you file, so you can use Tax47 during the year and a filing app in the spring.
Is TurboTax: File Your Tax Return free?
The download is free, and TurboTax Free Edition lists $0 federal and $0 state returns for simple Form 1040 returns and limited credits only. The listing says the offer may change or end at any time without notice. Expert Assist, Expert Full Service, and the early refund option are separate, and the store page lists no prices for them. Tax47 is free to download. Pro is $4.99 a week or billed yearly, and the App Store lists annual Pro entries from $1.99 to $29.99, with a 7-day free trial.
Can I get help from a tax expert in TurboTax: File Your Tax Return or Tax47?
TurboTax: File Your Tax Return connects you with tax experts on demand, and its listing says unlimited expert access is included with Expert Assist and Expert Full Service. You can also hand off your taxes to a local expert who prepares your return from start to finish, and bilingual experts are available. Tax47's listing does not mention expert help.
Does TurboTax: File Your Tax Return or Tax47 handle self-employment tax?
Tax47 has a self-employment tax calculator that covers Social Security, Medicare, and the additional Medicare tax, with quarterly payment estimates. The TurboTax: File Your Tax Return listing does not mention self-employment, 1099 income, or Schedule C.
Do I need an account for TurboTax: File Your Tax Return or Tax47?
The TurboTax: File Your Tax Return listing does not say, but it lets you pick up your return on any device, and its privacy label lists contact info linked to you. Tax47 needs no account and runs its calculations on the device.