MasterTax vs TaxBandits
MasterTax
mastertax.com
TaxBandits
taxbandits.comSide by side
| Figure | MasterTax | TaxBandits |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $16.58/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 11 |
| Spec score · Tax Compliance Software | 7.6 (#42) | 9.2 (#3) |
| Spec score · Payroll Tax Software | 7.8 (#14) | 8.8 (#3) |
| Company history | MasterTax says it was acquired by ADP in 2010 and continues to operate as a separate and independent company. | TaxBandits says it began as ExpressTaxFilings in 2012 and was rebranded and developed into TaxBandits in 2017. |
| Headquarters | The contact page lists MasterTax, LLC at 111 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ 85257. | Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States |
| Integrations | MasterTax says it integrates with most payroll systems and offers file import, file retrieval, and data extract APIs. | No-code connections are listed for Sage Intacct, Karbon, QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks, Zoho Books, VMS, CSV and Zapier. |
| Product | MasterTax is cloud-based payroll tax software that helps schedule, pay, and file payroll taxes from a single dashboard. | TaxBandits offers e-filing for payroll and employment forms, including 1099, W-2, 94x, ACA 1095, W-9, and BOI reports. |
| Security | MasterTax describes its security as enterprise-grade and says customers keep control of their employee data. | TaxBandits describes itself as SOC 2 certified and says it encrypts stored and transmitted client data. |
| Support | 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. | Support is offered through phone, email, 24/7 live chat, FAQs, videos and BanditAI; an API-specific developer email is provided. |
Plans
TaxBandits
- Basic$19 a month
- Plus$29 a month
- CoreFree
- 1099/W-2 federal filing$2.75, paid once
- Basic Payroll$19 a month
- Payroll Basic$19 a month
- Payroll Plus$29 a month
- Plus Payroll$29 a month
- Advanced$199 a year
- Elite$399 a year
In their own words
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.
TaxBandits
TaxBandits provides electronic filing for payroll and employment forms, including 1099, W-2, 94x, ACA 1095, W-9 and BOI reports. It is aimed at business owners, tax professionals and service providers, and supports federal and state tax filing. Users can upload form data in bulk with CSV templates or provide completed W-9 PDFs for AI extraction of recipient information. Validation includes IRS business-rule and schema checks, TIN matching and USPS address validation. Listed integrations include Sage Intacct, Karbon, QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho Books, FreshBooks, Zapier and an API. The API supports filing workflows for W-9, 1099, W-2 and TIN matching. TaxBandits says it is SOC 2 certified and encrypts stored and transmitted client data; accounts can enable authenticator-app two-factor authentication. Its Companion app for iOS and Android supports W-9/W-8 management, with unlimited collection free to use. Payroll plans start at $19 a month, with a 30-day trial listed. Annual W-2 and 1099 filings are excluded from payroll plans and cost extra; separate federal 1099 and W-2 filing is priced by volume, starting at $2.75 per form for the first 10 forms.