Drake Tax vs Etax
Drake Tax
drakesoftware.comEtax
etax.com.auSide by side
| Figure | Drake Tax | Etax |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $25/mo | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 2 |
| Spec score · Income Tax software | 8.4 (#9) | 7.0 (#21) |
| Spec score · Tax Software | 7.9 (#73) | 6.7 (#130) |
| Founded | 1977 | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Franklin, North Carolina, United States | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
Plans
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
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.