Croner-i Tax vs Instead

Croner-i Tax is an online tax guidance and research service for practitioners handling client questions about rates, reliefs, exemptions and allowances. Its Navigate Tax area contains more than 70 modules organized around individual and business tax situations. Research tools include a topic index, statute finder, mind maps and calculators. Interactive checklists, fact sheets, letters and forms support practical work. Coverage includes income tax, indirect taxes, legislation, treaties and case databases, with current law updates and AI research tools. The broader service adds material on financial reporting, company law, practice management, audit, UK GAAP and IFRS. A tax helpline provides access to experienced advisers. Croner-i eCPD supplies eight 15-minute modules each month across audit, accounting, tax, law and governance. Navigate Tax is web-based, with personalisation and sharing features, and a Chrome extension can show results beside Google results. Navigate-Lite offers free registration with selected tax tables, webinars, updates and a Q&A newsletter. Paid package pricing is available on request.

Instead is a web-based AI agent for tax research, planning, preparation, filing, and defense. It lists support for individual 1040, C corporation 1120, S corporation 1120-S, partnership 1065, and trust and estate 1041 returns. Users choose which workflows to run, and credits are consumed only when they start a task; the credit estimate is shown beforehand. Users can review the agent’s work before filing. Google Drive, OneDrive, and Box are live integrations with two-way sync, version tracking, and automatic folder mapping. Instead says it is IRS-approved and supports e-filing in 48 or more state jurisdictions, as well as local filing. Federal and state e-file and prior-year import are listed. The free Instead Platform plan is free and includes unlimited users, entities, e-file and print file, multi-entity support, and collaborators and viewers. Instead Agent is billed per credit, with pricing dependent on volume and usage; purchased credits are valid for 12 months. The service lists a free trial, US-based customer support, and 24/7 support, with email responses within 24 business hours.