E-File.com Review 2023 – Easy Navigation, But Few Standout Features

E-file.com is a DIY tax filing software that should not be confused with eFile. They are totally separate companies with the same name but slightly different spelling. E-file has a hyphen in its website E-file.com, while eFile.com does not. It’s easy to get confused, so keep this in mind if you’re doing comparisons or decide to do a search on your own.

The intuitive guidance and clutter-free interface help filers finish their taxes quickly. Pricing is between mid-tier and premium, with most users paying around $40 to $60 for a federal and state return.

E-file.com easily handles most common tax situations, but real estate investors will find a complex experience. While it’s not a bad software package, we find it lags behind others when going head-to-head with other tax software.

Here’s a closer look at the main features and costs of E-file.com in 2023. Also, be sure to check out how it compares to other leading online tax prep companies in our annual review of the best tax software.

E-file.com – Is It Free?

E-file.com has a restrictive free federal filing option, but all users have to pay for state filing. The “Free” option only includes W-2 income and the Rebate Recovery Credit, and only residents of a few states with no required state income tax return would find a truly free experience.

All other credits and deductions (including the Child Tax Credit and HSA contributions) require upgrading to a paid product. Most people won’t qualify for free filing with E-file.com, so it’s useful to consider it a paid product. 

Most will pay $27.99 for Deluxe Plus or $49.99 for Premier Plus, and an additional $22.49 per state. (As of this writing, all plans are discounted by 25% on their site with the code 25OFF.)

What’s New In 2023?

The main changes for 2023 will likely focus on IRS tax code updates. However, as of this writing, E-file’s website still has details for last year’s tax season such as headlines about stimulus payments and the pandemic-related Child Tax Credit changes. 

With updated numbers for tax brackets, deductions, and credits, you’ll likely notice many changes across the board with your tax return.

Inside the E-file.com software, you won’t see many major changes from prior years.

Does E-file.com Make Tax Filing Easy In 2023?

E-file.com offers a generally good user experience for filers with simple tax returns. Claiming deductions and credits is fairly simple. Most web-savvy users will find relevant sections and enter information quickly. The clutter-free screens make filing intuitive.

However, filers with investments or self-employment income will likely find that E-file.com is less helpful. Our team couldn’t tell whether they entered information in the correct boxes or not. The depreciation  “wizards” (the feature that guides you through the setup) were also quite confusing as they never showed the amount of depreciation claimed.

Stock and crypto traders must manually enter their trades through long, detailed screens instead of uploading spreadsheets or importing 1099 forms.

E-file.com Notable Features

These are some of the features that set E-file.com apart from mid-priced alternatives.

Guided And Self-Guided Navigation Options

Users can opt for guided or self-guided navigation when using E-file.com. Filers who feel comfortable in a specific section can opt for self-guided navigation in that section while following a guided wizard when unsure how to proceed. Then they can resume a guided option (including questions and answers) for the Deductions or Credits sections.

Supports Multi-State Filing

Filers who earned income in multiple states can file in multiple states. E-file.com charges users on a per-state basis, so this isn’t a particularly great deal.

E-file.com Notable Drawbacks

E-file.com’s notable drawbacks make it less than the ideal product for most filers. These are some of the drawbacks that potential users should understand.

Free Tier Requires Paying For State Filing

E-file.com’s free tier is incredibly restrictive. Filers with children, investments, HSA contributions, unemployment income, student loan interest deductions, and any other major tax situation have to upgrade. 

But worse than that, the Free tier isn’t free. Filers must pay $22.49, including the 25% discount, to file their state return.

No Section Summaries

Many tax programs show section summaries to help filers see their numbers. These help filers determine whether they may have missed a source of income or an important deduction. E-file.com does not have these summaries, which makes filing more difficult, especially for filers with investments.

Confusing Wizards

E-file.com has a few calculators that it calls wizards. The wizards, which can be used for calculating depletion, mileage deductions, or depreciation, were fairly confusing. They didn’t explain where a filer could find certain information and a few were too tax jargon-y and confusing.

Tech Support Requires Payment

Users who want to receive tech support must upgrade to E-file.com’s Deluxe tier. This is tech support only and doesn’t include tax questions.

E-file.com Plans And Pricing

E-file.com pushes a surprising number of people to the “Premium” plan. The Free edition is highly restrictive, as explained above.

The Deluxe tier only supports W-2 income and unemployment income, and a few deductions (including mortgage interest). It also supports the Child Tax Credit but is limited to people with less than $100,000 in income. 

Filers with a higher income, other forms of income, or other deductions or credits to claim, have to upgrade to premium.

How Does E-File Compare?

We don’t anticipate filers ever finding a particular reason to use E-file.com over one of these less expensive alternatives.

Is E-file.com.com Safe And Secure?

E-file.com uses data encryption and multi-factor authentication to keep user information safe. This ensures that the site meets IRS standards. Remember to use a unique password on this and all other sites to keep cybercriminals away from your private information.

E-file.com has never reported major data breaches, so it seems likely that the company upholds high standards for data security. However, no company can guarantee 100% data security. Users should carefully evaluate any tax software provider before opting to use the software.

How Do I Contact The E-file.com Support Team?

This is one area where E-file.com falls short. As mentioned previously, unless you upgrade to at least the “Deluxe” edition, you won’t even get access to basic phone and online support. And regardless of your plan, you won’t have the option to reach out to tax pros for advice.

Despite the lack of support, most customers on TrustPilot report positive experiences, and the company has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). 

This is likely because E-file tends to attract filers who are comfortable with handling their tax returns on their own. 

But if you’re looking for some hand-holding along the way, E-file won’t be the right tax software for you.

Is E-file.com Worth It?

While E-file.com has an excellent user interface, the product only works well for filers with relatively straightforward returns. If you fall in this category, you’ll likely be able to find another lower-cost alternative tax software service that works equally well.

But if you have a somewhat complex return, you’ll probably want to opt for a more robust alternative. 

For 2023, we recommend that most filers skip E-file.com. Instead, choose the best tax software for your situation.

E-file.com FAQs

Here are the answers to a few of the most common questions that filers ask about E-file.com:

Can E-file.com help me file my crypto investments?

E-file.com supports crypto trades, but it requires filling out a detailed form for each trade throughout the year. Most traders won’t want to spend the time needed to do this. This year, a better alternative is TurboTax Premier.

Can E-file.com help me with state filing in multiple states?

Yes, E-file.com supports multi-state filing. Users must pay $22.49 per state after a 25% discount with coupon code 25OFF.

Does E-file.com offer refund advance loans?

No, E-file.com does not offer refund advance loans in 2023.

E-File Features