Cash App Taxes Review: 100% Free DIY Filing in Limited Tax Situations

6.3/ 10
SCORE

Cash App Taxes

Buy at Cash App Taxes

Pros

• 100% free federal and state tax filing
• Easy-to-use interface
• Supports all major tax forms
• Easy to file for simple tax situations, like W-2 job and standard deduction

Cons

• Many forms require extensive manual inputting
• No access to tax pros
• Limited features
• Some complex tax situations aren’t supported

You probably know Cash App as a payment platform that offers some banking services, but you can also use Cash App to file your taxes for free. And by “file your taxes for free,” we actually mean 100% free. There are no paid versions, hidden costs or add-ons available to purchase.

That’s a far cry from the $290 that the average 1040 taxpayer pays out of pocket each year just to prepare and file taxes, according to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation. But when it comes to doing your taxes, the cheapest option may not always be the optimal choice.

The best tax software cuts down on the time and costs, allowing you to submit your return with confidence. After all, a tax mistake could lead to a higher tax bill, IRS penalties or a smaller refund. Let’s dive right into how Cash App Taxes works, who it’s best for, what we liked about the service and some common pain points.

Tax season is a headache-inducing time for everyone — including me, and I’m a certified financial planner and longtime financial writer and editor who’s been covering taxes for almost a decade.

To simplify tax season, we personally tested seven major tax filing services, including TurboTax, H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt and a few names you may not have heard of. We assessed each service looking at price, affordability, eligibility and use cases, online experience, ease of use, features and accessibility to tax professionals.

Cash App Taxes: Price and affordability (10/10)

To assess price and affordability, we considered whether a free version was available, as well as the pricing for paid tiers. We also looked at transparency — as in, does “free” really mean free? And how easy is it to figure out when you’ll pay more for a feature?

Cash App Taxes gets a perfect 10 from us on affordability given that it’s completely free with no hidden costs.

Tier structure comparison

Unlike virtually every competitor, Cash App Taxes doesn’t have different price tiers. It’s 100% free to file your federal and state returns. You can file for free even if you’re claiming tax deductions or credits, you have self-employment income or you sold stock or cryptocurrency.

However, Cash App Taxes doesn’t support every tax situation. Here are some instances where you’ll need to use a different service:

• You need to file multiple state returns, a part-year state return or a non-resident state return.
• You’re married filing separately and filing a state return in a community property state.
• You’re filing a return for a minor under age 18.
• You reside outside the US.
• You received a Schedule K-1 for income from an estate or trust.
• You’re filing Form 1040-NR, which is for nonresident aliens who work or have business income in the U.S.
• You’re claiming a foreign tax credit or reporting foreign earned income.
• You’re calculating an underpayment tax penalty.
• You’re filing a business tax return.

State filing fees

Cash App Taxes doesn’t charge you to file state tax returns, but you can’t file in more than one state. For example, if you live in a different state from the one you work in or you reside in more than one state, you may not be able to use the service. You’ll also need to file your federal taxes first using Cash App Taxes before you can submit your state return.

Hidden costs and upgrades

There really are no hidden costs or upgrades with this service. Cash App Taxes says it’s filed over 12 million returns “without charging anyone a penny to file their federal and state taxes.” That said, you’ll need to choose another tax service for complex situations or if you need human assistance.

Cash App Taxes: Use cases and eligibility (5/10)

Given that Cash App Taxes is a completely free service, it’s no surprise that there are some limitations. But for many users who understand the basics of tax filing, the tradeoff may be worth it.

Cash App Taxes does a fine job of letting users with simple tax returns file for free, but because of its limited support for more complex tax returns, it gets a 5/10.

Simple filers (Standard Deductions)

Though Cash App lets you itemize, its tax service is designed primarily for simple filers who take the standard deduction. In fact, it defaults to the standard deduction when you calculate your tax bill or refund.

It asks you basic questions, like “Do you have any dependents to claim?” and “Did you pay student loan interest in 2025?”, which was fine for me since I’ve always taken the standard deduction and rarely qualify for tax credits or deductions. But don’t expect it to dig deep for any unusual tax credits or deductions you could be missing.

Investment income (Schedule D)

Cash App Taxes lets you file Schedule D for investment income, but its capabilities are extremely limited. If you used Cash App to trade stock or crypto, it will generate a 1099-B for you and can automatically pull the data. But if you have 1099-Bs from other brokerages or platforms, you’re stuck manually inputting all that data.

If you’re a boring buy-and-hold investor like me who rarely places trades, that may not be a dealbreaker. But if you’re a high-frequency stock or crypto trader or you have complicated transactions, like if you sold shares in an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), the process is incredibly tedious and leaves huge room for errors.

Self-employment/small business income (Schedule C)

You can file Schedule C to report self-employment and small business income on Cash App, but you have to manually input just about everything. Since I’m self-employed and receive about a dozen 1099-NECs in a given year, that’s very much a dealbreaker for me. Importing all that information is incredibly time-consuming and puts me at risk of making an error.

You also have to manually add up all your business expenses and deduct them to calculate your net profit or loss. There’s some general guidance about things like the home office deduction, but nothing tailored to your situation. If you have a capital-heavy business (for example, you own a landscaping company or a photography studio) and need to calculate depreciation, I’d strongly suggest choosing a tax filing service with tools designed for small businesses and self-employment, like TurboTax or H&R Block.

Rental income (Schedule E)

If you have rental income and file with Cash App Taxes, expect to do lots of manual data entry and calculations. As with self-employment income, there’s no way to import the relevant tax documents and have it automatically pull the data. There’s minimal guidance about things like deducting basic expenses, like mortgage interest and property insurance.

But you’ll have to do all the heavy lifting for things like calculating depreciation and expenses. You’ll also need to have a good understanding of any tax credits and deductions you’re eligible for. Because owning rental property can come with some lucrative tax breaks, landlords and real estate investors might want to work with a CPA or choose a software with more advanced Schedule E offerings.

Cash App Taxes: Experience and ease of use (6/10)

Design and user interface also matter when you’re choosing tax filing software. Preparing your taxes is already a headache, so you want a program that’s easy to set up and navigate.

Cash App Taxes is easy to use for basic filing, but there are a few points of frustration with less-straightforward returns, so it gets a 6/10.

Onboarding and data input

Setting up Cash App Taxes is easy if you already use Cash App, but if you’ve never used the app, you’ll need to download it and enter your basic information before you can start preparing your return. (You’ll still need to download the app even if you’re using the desktop version to file.)

To get started, you can upload a PDF of last year’s tax returns and let the app pull your basic information. If you have a W-2, you can also snap a photo and the app will automatically populate the relevant fields. As we mentioned earlier, though, it won’t pull data from most other tax forms, like 1099-NECs or 1099-Bs from outside brokerages.

Interface and navigation

Cash App Taxes has a pretty straightforward interface that’s easy to navigate. It uses a Q&A flow to guide you through the basics of filing, like choosing the correct filing status and figuring out whether you qualify for common tax credits. However, navigating between sections can be a bit clunky; sometimes, you’ll need to restart a section if you want to go back or make a correction.

Mobile and desktop filing experience

Cash App is a mobile-first platform. So it’s not surprising that Cash App Taxes makes it easy to file your return from start to finish using your mobile device — though the desktop version functions very similarly to the mobile version. However, if you’re using the platform to file anything other than a simple tax return, you may want to use the desktop platform given the amount of manual work required for many forms.

Cash App Taxes: Features (4/10)

Cash App Taxes is somewhat light on features, but that’s expected for a platform that’s 100% free. Because it’s a no-frills, free service that only provides basic guidance, Cash App Taxes gets 4/10 for its features.

Final review/accuracy check

Cash App checks for missing fields and basic errors, but it doesn’t provide a full review (or have the option to upgrade to have a tax pro review your return) before you submit it. That makes it especially important to double-check your return, especially if you’re filing forms that require you to manually input data.

Error checking

Cash App Taxes highlights potential mistakes, like missing fields or calculation errors. But it’s far less robust than what you get with the bigger names in tax prep. The service has an accurate calculation guarantee that promises to reimburse you up to $1,000 in IRS or state penalties and interest due to a calculation error by Cash App Taxes. But if you made the error, the guarantee doesn’t apply — which is the norm for tax prep services.

Audit risk assessment

Cash App Taxes won’t assess your risk of an audit. It does, however, partner with a third-party company called Tax Protection Plus, LLC to offer free audit defense to customers.

Tax guidance and education

There’s very little in the way of tax guidance on Cash App. You can hover over little question marks in certain fields for contextual guidance to learn about things like deductions or whether you’re choosing the right filing status. There’s also a help center with basic FAQs, but don’t expect personalized guidance.

Maximum refund guarantee

Cash App Taxes offers a fairly weak maximum refund guarantee: If you receive a larger refund (or smaller tax bill) when you file an amended return with a different filing service using the same tax info as you used to file with Cash App, you’ll be refunded the difference in the refund or tax amount owed, up to $100, in gift cards.

Additional features

Cash App Taxes is pretty bare-bones, so you won’t find additional features like AI-assisted tax help or refund advances.

Cash App Taxes: Expert support or access to tax professionals (1/10)

Cash App Taxes doesn’t provide access to CPAs, enrolled agents (EAs) and other tax pros. There’s no option to upgrade to a paid tier for additional support. Cash App Taxes gets a 1/10 here because it doesn’t offer access to tax experts or professional guidance.

Review of live support options

Cash App Taxes isn’t designed for people with complicated tax situations or those who require help from a tax pro. You can access in-app customer support via chat 24/7 and by email. However, you’re only getting access to help with the app itself. If you have tax questions that can’t be answered through the general FAQ, you’re on your own.

Though access to pros is pretty much unheard of with free tax filing, it can be helpful to have the option to upgrade if necessary. Several competitors like FreeTaxUSA have transparent free filing, but let you switch to a paid tier if you need extra guidance.

Final verdict

Cash App Taxes is best for free filing and for those with simple tax situations. Though filing anything other than the most basic tax forms is cumbersome and there’s no professional support, we appreciate the fact that you’re never nagged about paying for add-ons or upgrading to a paid tier.

Cash App Taxes Score Breakdown

Methodology: How we test and evaluate tax software

We tested each platform on mobile and desktop using the same basic tax scenarios. Here’s what we considered for each of the five categories.

Price and affordability

We looked at each price tier and how it stacked up against competitors’ similar offerings. Availability of a free option was important, but we also considered the likelihood that a user could actually file for free without being forced to upgrade. We also looked at how transparent each service was with their pricing. Services lost points if they didn’t clearly disclose costs of add-ons upfront.

Eligibility and use cases

We tested each software using the same basic filing scenarios, including simple filing with a W-2 and the standard deduction, itemized returns, investment income, rental income and small-business/self-employment filings. We gave maximum points when a service could handle a broad range of filing situations without requiring extensive manual input or calculations.

Experience and ease of use

The best tax filing services make preparing your return as simple as possible. To evaluate experience and ease of use, we looked at the setup process (including whether you could simplify the setup process by importing last year’s tax return or uploading your W-2). We also considered whether the service makes filing easier with an easy-to-understand interview process. Each software lost points for things that make for a poor user experience, like a confusing navigation or requiring users to start over if they downgraded to a less-expensive tier.

Features

Many tax software programs have an array of tools to ensure your return is accurate and maximize your refund. We have top ratings in this category for services with robust error-checking tools, audit defense services, a maximum refund guarantee and an option to receive an advance on your refund.

Expert support and tax professional access

Pretty much every filing service lets you DIY your return, but sometimes you need professional guidance. We gave top points to services that offer access to a CPA, EA or other tax pros, as well as those that provide easy access to customer service and technical support.

Scoring approach

Each category received a score on a scale of 1 to 10. The overall score was an evenly weighted average of each category, based on performance relative to competitors and the needs of typical DIY filers, as well as those with common filing situations that require extra guidance or access to a tax professional.