Comparison · updated monthly
Expatfile is solid for the simple expat. If you hold PFICs, you'll pay for their top tier — or for us.
Expatfile is a self-serve US expat tax tool with strong UX for the FEIE / FTC baseline. It works well if your only complication is the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. Form 8621 (PFIC) coverage requires their Unlimited tier.
Who Expatfile is for
Expatfile fits W-2 employees abroad with no foreign brokerage, who need Form 2555 + Form 1116 and not much else. The simple flow is genuinely simple.
Side-by-side
| Feature | Atamatax | Expatfile |
|---|---|---|
| Federal return entry price | $299 flat (no PFICs) | ~$149 (paywalled, varies) |
| Form 8621 (PFIC) included | Every tier. Built-in classification + QEF/MtM/§1291. | Unlimited tier only. |
| §1291 interest-charge rates | Real IRS quarterly underpayment rates 2009 — current year. | Not surfaced publicly. |
| Foreign brokerage CSV import | Schwab/Fidelity/Vanguard/IBKR/Robinhood + generic CSV. | Manual entry; Plaid not advertised. |
| Treaty desks (FR/UK/DE/CA/AU) | Five dedicated desks with article citations + Form 8833. | General treaty handling, no per-country desk. |
| FBAR + Form 8938 in same flow | Yes — generated alongside the 1040 package. | Yes. |
| Streamlined Foreign Offshore (3 yrs + 6 yrs FBAR) | Single workflow at $799. | Add-on pricing varies. |
| Integrated e-file | PDF package today; e-file Q3 2026 (EFIN pending). | E-file available. |
| Refund policy | Full refund if we can't generate a complete filing. | Per their stated policy. |
Highlighted cell indicates which product handles the feature more completely as of May 2026. We update this page when their offering changes — tell us if it's out of date.
Bottom line
If you have zero foreign brokerage exposure, Expatfile is cheaper and lets you e-file today. If you hold any foreign mutual fund or ETF, the cost difference disappears at their Unlimited tier — and Atamatax includes PFIC handling at every tier with a more transparent §1291 calculation.
Sources
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