Drake Tax vs UpTax
Drake Tax
drakesoftware.comUpTax
uptax.aiSide by side
| Figure | Drake Tax | UpTax |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $25/mo | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 6 | 0 |
| Spec score · Small Business Tax Software | 8.4 (#5) | 7.2 (#21) |
| Coverage | The software supports federal and state income tax preparation, and all states are included without additional state modules. | UpTax states that it supports U.S. federal returns and filings across all 50 states. |
| Security | The pricing page lists multi-factor authentication, role-based access control, automatic session timeout, file backup, and encryption in transit and at rest among its security and backup features. | The site describes encryption in transit and at rest, least-privilege access, and a SOC 2 Type II control posture. |
| Support | Drake says all packages include free, unlimited U.S.-based support by phone, email, or live chat, plus training resources. | The company offers a demo with a review-workflow walkthrough, security Q&A, and a rollout plan sized to the firm's return volume. |
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.
UpTax
UpTax is web-based AI tax preparation software for U.S. CPA, EA, tax, and accounting firms, plus bookkeeping practices and family offices. It reads client documents, reconciles figures, and drafts review-ready returns. Supported forms are 1040, 1065, 1120, 1120S, 1041, and 990, with matching state filings across all 50 states. Firms can submit W-2s, 1099s, K-1s, brokerage statements, trial balances, and prior-year returns, including scans and photos. Return figures link to source documents, calculations, and reasoning; prior-year comparisons flag unexpected changes. Preparer, reviewer, and partner workflows record statuses, notes, and an audit trail. A licensed professional must approve every return, and the AI does not file independently. The homepage says approved returns are e-filed to the IRS and states, with acknowledgements tracked to acceptance. UpTax states that data is encrypted, firm data is isolated, and client data is not used to train shared models. The first two returns are free; paid pricing is available on request.