Avalara AvaTax vs MasterTax
Avalara AvaTax
avalara.comMasterTax
mastertax.comSide by side
| Figure | Avalara AvaTax | MasterTax |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $58.25/mo | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 9 | 1 |
| Spec score · Tax Compliance Software | 8.6 (#7) | 7.6 (#42) |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Filing support level | automated | automated |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington | The contact page lists MasterTax, LLC at 111 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ 85257. |
| Implementation | Every customer gets access to a sandbox before going live, and the page says Avi, Avalara's AI implementation assistant, guides configuration. | A dedicated implementation specialist helps with discovery, migration, configuration, and setup. |
| Integrations | Avalara states it has more than 1,400 signed partner integrations and names Shopify, NetSuite, QuickBooks, Sage, Microsoft Dynamics 365, SAP, Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Salesforce, and Oracle among them. | MasterTax says it integrates with most payroll systems and offers file import, file retrieval, and data extract APIs. |
| Intended users | The product page identifies small businesses, midmarket finance and accounting professionals, enterprise tax departments, developers, and partners as audiences. | The product serves small employers, large corporations, professional employer organizations, and payroll service providers. |
| Jurisdiction coverage | Core Compliance includes calculation across more than 12,000 U.S. tax jurisdictions. | The product provides built-in compliance for more than 11,000 U.S. payroll tax jurisdictions. |
| Purpose | AvaTax calculates tax in real time for sales and purchasing workflows across jurisdictions and tax types. | MasterTax is cloud-based payroll tax software that automates scheduling, payments, filing and reporting across multiple jurisdictions. |
| Reporting | The product page describes AI-driven reporting, natural-language search, dashboards, and audit-ready trails. | Reports can include payment detail, general ledger data, reconciliation and deposit recaps, filed returns and a client tax profile. |
| Return filing | Yes | Yes |
| Security | Avalara says its global AvaTax platform has achieved SOC 2 Type 2 compliance. | MasterTax describes its security as enterprise-grade and says customers keep control of their employee data. |
| Support | Avalara describes support plans with Standard, Priority, and Enterprise options; stated initial response SLAs are 24 hours, 8 hours, and 1 hour respectively, and Enterprise Support is available 24/7. | Post-launch support includes email and phone support, a ticketing system, and a client portal with 24-hour access to notes, articles, updates, and training materials. |
| Supported tax types | sales tax,consumer use tax,VAT,communications tax,occupancy and lodging tax,excise tax | Federal,state,and local payroll taxes |
Plans
Avalara AvaTax
- Core Compliance$79 a month
- Core Compliance + SST Services$69 a month
- CustomPriced on request
- Tax Calculation and Returns Compliance Package$699 a year
- Tax Calculation (AvaTax)Priced on request
- Core Compliance + SST Services Monthly$69 a month
- Core Compliance Monthly$79 a month
- Core Compliance + SST Services Annual$699 a year
- Core Compliance Annual$799 a year
In their own words
Avalara AvaTax
Avalara AvaTax calculates tax in real time for sales and purchasing workflows. It covers sales tax, consumer use tax, VAT, communications tax, occupancy and lodging tax, and excise tax, and supports automated return filing and tax registration. Address validation uses geospatial technology to match transactions to tax regions rather than relying on ZIP codes. AvaTax connects with ecommerce, ERP, accounting, sales, and purchasing systems, and its REST API supports calculation, document modification, and address validation. Product taxability codes, AI-assisted item classification, custom rules, exemption certificate management, and jurisdiction-specific tax research support tax decisions. Reporting includes dashboards, natural-language search, and audit-ready trails. The service is available through web and API, with integrations including Shopify, NetSuite, QuickBooks, SAP, and Salesforce. Core Compliance costs $79 per month; Core Compliance + SST Services costs $69 per month for qualifying sellers. Qualified sellers may receive state-funded services in up to 25 states. Pricing also varies by plan and transaction volume.
MasterTax
MasterTax is cloud-based payroll tax software from MasterTax in Tempe, Arizona. It schedules, pays, files, and reports federal, state, and local payroll taxes from one dashboard, with built-in compliance for more than 11,000 U.S. jurisdictions. Users can import payroll data, schedule payments, create original and amended returns, generate agency coupons and vouchers, manage notices, and produce customizable reports. Outputs are available in paper, e-file, and removable-media formats. MasterTax integrates with most payroll systems and offers APIs for file import, retrieval, and data extracts. Optional modules include Tax Locator, Wage Attachment, New Hire Reporting, Cash Care, and Bank Reconciliation. Implementation includes a dedicated specialist for discovery, migration, configuration, and setup. Support includes email, phone, ticketing, and a client portal with 24-hour access. Payroll service providers can use a nonproduction environment. Pricing is on request.