Jackson Hewitt Online is the do-it-yourself version of the Jackson Hewitt tax preparation service. The company is probably best known for its locations in Walmart stores, but it also lets you do your taxes online. Jackson Hewitt Online Review 2026
The interface is a little clunky, and it’s not as easy as it could be to get answers to your tax questions while you’re working. Even though the prices are competitive, we recommend that most people skip Jackson Hewitt Online and use a premium software that is easier to use or a free one.
Read on for our full review of Jackson Hewitt Online, or see how it stacks
Jackson Hewitt Online – Can You File For Free?
Jackson Hewitt Online doesn’t offer a free tier or free version, regardless of income or other status. All households pay a flat $25 for federal and state filing.
One benefit for anyone who moved or worked and lived across state lines is that there’s no additional fee for additional states. The $25 price tag doesn’t change, even if you need to file in multiple states. Jackson Hewitt Online Review 2026
What’s New For 2026?
We didn’t notice any significant changes in the Jackson Hewitt tax app for the 2026 tax season, aside from the IRS’s tax filing changes, which include notable updates to tax brackets, credits, and deductions due to Trump’s tax law. Jackson Hewitt Online Review 2026
For us to recommend Jackson Hewitt, there would need to be major updates to its user interface and a better system to search for answers to your tax questions within the app.
Like H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt has physical locations across the country, so it would be nice to see an option to convert an online return to an in-person return, and enhanced audit support. But for now, Jackson Hewitt Online is DIY only.
However, you will get many upsells to go in person, with new client-exclusive offers. Also, if you want a tax refund advance with no fees, you must go in person. Jackson Hewitt Online Review 2026
Active investors, including stock and crypto traders, must manually enter trades in forms that fill the entire screen for each transaction. Repeating that screen even a few dozen times is a recipe for human error. If you’re an active trader with hundreds or thousands of trades in a year, that’s probably a deal breaker. Jackson Hewitt Online Review 2026
The software also makes it challenging to claim depreciation or depletion expenses, so landlords and self-employed business owners, including side hustlers, may struggle to complete their tax returns using Jackson Hewitt Online.
Jackson Hewitt Online Features
Jackson Hewitt Online doesn’t have many standout features. Still, these are some of the most noteworthy aspects of the product:
Interview Style Navigation
Jackson Hewitt Online allows users to opt between menu and interview-style navigation. The program’s interview questions are free of tax jargon and keep users focused on the parts of the software pertaining to them. Jackson Hewitt Online Review 2026
Filers who earned income in multiple states can file in all of them for one price. All filers pay $25, no matter how many state returns they file. Most companies charge around $20 to $50 per added state. These discounts can save you money if you work or live across state lines or go through an interstate move during the year.
Known Name in Tax Preparation
Even if the online experience isn’t the best on the web, Jackson Hewitt remains one of the most recognised tax preparation brands nationwide. Depending on your tax situation, you may prefer in-person tax prep at Walmart stores or the drop-off-and-go program, which works as its name suggests. Jackson Hewitt Online Review 2026
Jackson Hewitt Online Drawbacks
The drawbacks of Jackson Hewitt Online may make it unsuitable for several groups of tax filers.
Hard To Claim Depreciation And Depletion
Depreciation and depletion can be legitimate business expenses for landlords and some self-employed people. Jackson Hewitt Online supports these deductions, but figuring out how to claim them is too complex Jackson Hewitt Online Review 2026
Users must locate the depreciation worksheets and enter the fields that should be pre-calculated. The final depreciation and depletion values are never shown to users, so there’s no way to verify that the inputs are correct.
No Section Summaries
Jackson Hewitt Online does not have built-in section summaries. Filers must click into each income type, deduction, or credit to check the values. More robust software shows section summaries to help filers confirm they haven’t missed anything important. Jackson Hewitt Online Review 2026
Jackson Hewitt Online Pricing
Cost: It’s a $25 flat fee for all tax situations and states
Jackson Hewitt Online charges all users $25 for federal filing and $0 per state. Filers who have to file multiple state returns may decide that Jackson Hewitt Online offers a fair deal.
Jackson Hewitt’s 0% tax refund loans are also unavailable to online customers. You must pay for in-person filing to qualify for these loans. Jackson Hewitt Online Review 2026
How Does Jackson Hewitt Online Compare?
Jackson Hewitt Online appears to use a white-labelled version of Drake Tax Software. That’s the same software 1040.com uses, so both products are nearly identical.
We also compared Jackson Hewitt Online to Cash App Taxes and FreeTaxUSA. Among the competitors listed, Cash App Taxes offers the best overall user experience and is entirely free. Jackson Hewitt Online Review 2026
However, filers who need to file multiple state returns can’t use Cash App Taxes. Jackson Hewitt could be a good option if you need to file in multiple states at the lowest possible cost.
How Do I Get Support From Jackson Hewitt Online?
Jackson Hewitt Online has helpful “Tax Tips and Topics” on its primary website. Other resources include a tax document checklist and various tax calculators.