Drake Tax is professional tax preparation software for paid preparers and tax firms, with all states, federal and state e-file and support included in every package. For tax year 2026, regular prices run from $379.99 (Pay-Per-Return) to $3,295 (unlimited Drake Tax Pro), and Drake Tax Online starts at $299.99 plus per-return fees.
The bottom line
A practical choice for independent preparers and small firms; pick the package by return count.
6.8
Our score
6.8 / 10
Conversion Gems editorial verdict
$379.99/tax year desktop; $299.99 online + per-return
Features8/10
8 - 4,300+ forms, all states, federal and state e-file, diagnostics and Tax Planner, per Drake's pricing page.
Value6/10
6 - published prices with all states and support included, but $1,995 to $3,295 a year for tiered and unlimited packages.
Ease of use6/10
6 - desktop install on Windows and preparer-level training needed.
Ecosystem6/10
6 - Drake's own add-ons (Portals, Workflow, E-Sign, Accounting) plus GruntWorx and hosting; few outside integrations.
Support8/10
8 - phone, email and chat support included, plus a knowledge base, videos and webinars.
What it really is
Windows desktop and cloud tax preparation software for paid preparers, priced per tax year.
Our take
Drake Tax is built around predictable, published pricing: every package includes all states, e-file and support, and you size it by return volume. The math matters at the low end, where $49.99 and $74.99 per-return fees can push a Pay-Per-Return user past the cost of a 1040 package. The prices shown today are an early-purchase offer; budget on the regular price that applies from 1 December.
Why we rate it
Full federal and state coverage with e-file and support included, at published prices.
The catch
Windows-only desktop and per-return fees on the smaller packages.
Best for
Independent tax preparers
Small and mid-size tax firms
Preparers with mixed individual and business returns
Not good for
Individuals filing their own taxes
Mac-only offices unwilling to use hosting or the online version
Friction report
Time to value
Medium: install, set up the firm and learn the data entry before season.
Scale breakpoint
Tiered packages cap at 150 or 250 returns before extra fees.
Walled garden
Medium: Drake offers conversions in from competitors; leaving means converting data to a new package.
Drake Tax packages and pricing, tax year 2026
Package
Returns included
Users
Regular price
Early-purchase offer (before 1 Dec)
Drake Tax Pro
Unlimited individual and business
Multi-user
$3,295
$3,145
Drake Tax Pro
Unlimited individual and business
Single user
$2,845
$2,695
Drake Tax Pro 250
250 individual and business
Multi-user
$2,495
$2,375
Drake Tax 1040
Unlimited individual
Multi-user
$2,445
$2,325
Drake Tax 1040
Unlimited individual
Single user
$2,195
$2,075
Drake Tax 1040 150
150 individual
Multi-user
$1,995
$1,895
Pay-Per-Return
10 individual
Multi-user
$379.99
No offer shown
Drake Tax Online
Pay per return
First user
$299.99
No offer shown
From Drake Software's pricing page, checked 4 October 2026. Regular prices are the retail prices the page says take effect 1 December. Extra returns: $49.99 individual, $74.99 business. Drake Tax Online: $99 per additional user. Practice Essentials Bundle (Portals, Workflow, E-Sign) is listed at $599 instead of $1,000, or $849 instead of $1,425 for the Plus bundle.
Frequently Asked Questions
For tax year 2026, regular prices run from $379.99 for Pay-Per-Return (10 returns) to $3,295 for unlimited multi-user Drake Tax Pro. Drake Tax Online starts at $299.99 plus per-return fees. Until 1 December an early-purchase offer lowers most desktop packages by $100 to $150 (checked 4 October 2026).
On some packages. Pay-Per-Return and Drake Tax Online charge $49.99 per individual and $74.99 per business return beyond what is included; the 1040 packages charge $74.99 per business return. Unlimited Pro includes all returns (checked 4 October 2026).
Yes. Drake Tax is professional tax software from Drake Software, which says it has served tax professionals since 1977 and is used by more than 70,000 preparers. It is for paid preparers, not individuals filing their own returns.
Yes. Drake Software offers a free trial and a demo of Drake Tax; you register on its website to download the trial.
The desktop software is Windows-based. Mac users can use Drake Tax Online or a hosted version through Rightworks, which costs $114 per user a month.
Conversion Gems is a review site, not Drake Software. The Sign In link on drakesoftware.com goes to https://user.drakesoftware.com/. Desktop Drake Tax runs from the program installed on your PC.
Drake Tax alternatives
Other tax and accounting practice tools in our directory:
Lacerte: Intuit's professional tax software for firms with complex returns.
ATX: Desktop tax preparation software for small firms.
Financial Cents: Practice management and client workflow for accounting firms.
