Compare · Keeper
Keeper alternative that finds deductions and files for you
Keeper built its reputation on finding deductions, scanning bank and card transactions to surface write-offs for freelancers and 1099 workers throughout the year. That expense-tracking and deduction-finding focus is genuinely useful, and many people credit it with catching costs they would have missed. The reasons people look for a Keeper alternative usually center on filing itself: the tax return often bolts on to the deduction tracker or is handed to a human preparer, which can mean another fee, another handoff, and less of a single, self-serve flow from documents to a finished return.
TaxFile brings deduction finding and filing together. You upload your documents or chat, and the AI reads your W-2s, 1099s, and Schedule C details, proactively surfaces the deductions and credits you qualify for, runs an automated error check, and prepares a complete, review-ready return. You review and approve before it is e-filed through an authorized IRS e-file provider, with no handoff to a separate preparer. TaxFile is self-prepared tax software, not personalized tax advice, refunds are never guaranteed, and your data is encrypted and never sold.
Read docs · find deductions · check errors · you review
Filing status
Form 1099-NEC
Nonemployee compensation
Pre-loaded sample. TaxFile reads it the same way it reads your real documents.
This is sample data so you can see exactly how TaxFile reads a document. Your real W-2s, 1099s and receipts stay encrypted and are never sold.
Prepare a preview to watch TaxFile read your income, scan 200+ deductions and credits, run the error check, and assemble a review-ready return.
Estimated federal refund
Estimate, not your final returnin deductions and credits found ·
Deductions and credits we found
Preview only. Review every figure before filing.
Live preview · estimate only · no signup needed
Estimate only · not tax advice · you review before filing · authorized IRS e-file
The short answer
TaxFile is a Keeper alternative for filers who want deduction finding and filing in one self-serve flow at a lower price. Keeper pairs a year-round deduction tracker that scans your bank and card transactions with two filing plans, Standard at $199 and Premium at $399, both including federal and state e-file and a return reviewed and signed by a tax professional, and both covering situations TaxFile does not, including investors, property managers, expats, amended returns and prior years going back five. TaxFile costs $89 for a self-employed return plus $19 per state, prepares W-2, 1099, Schedule C and Schedule SE returns for the current year only, and has no human review step.
Last updated August 2026
Keeper is a strong deduction finder that often bolts filing on or hands it to a human preparer. TaxFile combines deduction finding with a complete return you review and approve, all in one self-serve flow.
Side by side
Keeper vs TaxFile, honestly
A fair look at what each does well. Both are capable tools. Here is where they differ.
| What matters | TaxFile | Keeper |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Finds deductions and prepares the full return in one flow | Tracks expenses and finds deductions year-round |
| Filing the return | Prepares a complete review-ready return you approve | Filing often added on or handled by a human preparer |
| Finding deductions | Reads your documents and proactively surfaces qualifying deductions | Scans transactions to surface potential write-offs |
| Self-employed and 1099 | Reads 1099s, builds Schedule C, and suggests write-offs | Strong focus on 1099 and freelancer write-offs |
| Error check | Automated error check before you approve | Review support as part of its filing service |
| E-filing | Federal and state e-file through an authorized IRS e-file provider, no handoff | Filing through its service or a connected preparer |
Comparison reflects general, publicly understood positioning. Capabilities change, so check each product for the latest.
Why teams pick TaxFile
One place to prepare, check and file your return
Deductions and filing together
Instead of tracking write-offs in one place and filing in another, TaxFile surfaces your deductions and prepares the complete return in a single self-serve flow you review and approve.
No handoff to a preparer
The AI prepares a review-ready return and you e-file it through an authorized IRS e-file provider yourself, so there is no separate preparer fee or extra handoff in the way.
Built for 1099 and Schedule C
TaxFile reads your 1099 income and expenses, builds Schedule C, and proactively flags the write-offs and credits you may qualify for. It is software, not personalized advice.
Keeper vs TaxFile: price, scope and who reviews the return
The gap between these two is wider than it looks, in both directions. Keeper costs more and covers more. TaxFile costs less and stays inside a narrower lane.
| TaxFile | Keeper | |
|---|---|---|
| Self-employed return, one state | $89 plus $19 state, so $108 | Standard plan at $199, federal and state included |
| Higher tier | $199 business, plus $19 per state | Premium at $399 |
| Who checks the return | Automated error check, then you review and approve | Reviewed and signed by a tax professional |
| Year-round expense tracking | No. You bring the figures at filing time | Yes. Connects to your accounts and flags write-offs as they happen |
| Prior year and amended returns | Not supported | Supported, including returns up to five years back |
| Investments, rental property, foreign income | Not supported | Supported |
Prices verified on Keeper's pricing page in August 2026. They change, so check before you buy.
Read that table as a decision rather than a scoreboard. If you want a human to sign off, if you have several years to catch up on, or if your return includes investments or rental property, Keeper does things TaxFile cannot do at any price, and the extra cost buys something real. If your return is 1099 income and business expenses for the current year and you want it prepared and e-filed for about half the price, that is the case for TaxFile.
The tracking difference is worth planning around. Keeper's value builds over a year of watching transactions; TaxFile works from the documents and figures you bring at filing time. If you have not tracked anything, how to track business expenses for taxes covers how to reconstruct a year from bank and card statements, and the 1099 deductions list covers what to look for. TaxFile is self-prepared tax software, not personalized tax advice, and no refund is guaranteed.
See how TaxFile handles your return
Upload your W-2s and 1099s or answer a few questions. TaxFile finds your deductions and prepares the return itself, no side-by-side guessing required.
Good questions
Keeper vs TaxFile, answered
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Not tax advice · you review before filing · e-file via an authorized IRS e-file provider