CrossLink vs Drake Tax
CrossLink
crosslinktax.com
Drake Tax
drakesoftware.comSide by side
| Figure | CrossLink | Drake Tax |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $25/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 3 | 6 |
| Spec score · Small Business Tax Software | 8.1 (#9) | 8.4 (#5) |
| Spec score · Income Tax software | 8.0 (#14) | 8.4 (#9) |
| Spec score · Tax Preparation Software | 8.0 (#22) | 8.4 (#13) |
| Spec score · Tax Software | 7.5 (#105) | 7.9 (#73) |
| Founded | 1989 | 1977 |
| Purpose | CrossLink provides professional tax software for tax preparers, from individual preparers to multi-office firms. | Drake Tax is professional tax preparation software designed to streamline tax preparers’ workflows. |
| Support | CrossLink lists technical support and personalized onboarding with its products, and says its support is available in English and Spanish. | Drake says all packages include free, unlimited U.S.-based support by phone, email, or live chat, plus training resources. |
Plans
CrossLink
- CrossLink BusinessPriced on request
- CrossLink 1040Priced on request
- CrossLink Franchise or Service BureauPriced on request
Drake Tax
- Drake Tax Online$299.99 a year
- Pay-Per-Return$379.99 a year
- Drake Tax 1040 Unlimited — Single User$1,895 a year
- Drake Tax 1040 150 — Single User$2,075 a year
- Drake Tax Pro 250 — Single User$2,375 a year
- Drake Tax Pro Unlimited — Single User$3,145 a year
In their own words
CrossLink
CrossLink is professional tax software for preparers, from individual practices to multi-office firms. CrossLink 1040 is designed for individual returns, while CrossLink Business supports corporate and business returns and requires an active CrossLink 1040 license. The product lists federal and state e-file, unlimited federal and state returns, 4,300 federal and state forms and schedules, and hundreds of return verifications. Agent Intelligence can extract information from uploaded IDs and specified tax forms into returns, and provides guidance for forms being prepared in over 12 languages. TaxPass supports client document sharing through a mobile experience, and Remote Signature enables remote signing. TextLink Plus supports unlimited texts linked to each client's return. Integrations include Zapier, PayJunction, bank products, TheTaxBook WebLibrary, and accounting or bookkeeping tools. CrossLink lists technical support and personalized onboarding; support is available in English and Spanish, but does not provide legal or tax advice. CrossLink 1040 costs what you agree with the maker, and CrossLink Business costs what you agree with the maker. A free trial is available.
Drake Tax
Drake Tax is professional tax preparation software for preparers handling federal and state income tax returns. All states are included without additional state modules. Drake says the software runs hundreds of return diagnostics and validation rules. It can import electronic tax forms, bring in prior-year data with LookBack, trace calculations with LinkBacks, and compare scenarios in Drake Tax Planner. E-filing has no additional fees. Drake Tax Desktop is natively Windows-based, while Drake Tax Online allows users to prepare, review, and e-file returns in a browser without local installation; Drake identifies cloud hosting and Drake Tax Online as options for Mac users. A free trial download includes sample clients and practice returns for 1040 and business forms, with no trial duration stated. Packages include unlimited U.S.-based support by phone, email, or live chat, plus training resources. Listed plans include Drake Tax Online at $299.99 a year and Pay-Per-Return at $379.99 a year, both for tax year 2026. Other listed annual plans range from 1895.00 USD to 3145.00 USD for tax year 2026.