Comparison · updated monthly
FreeTaxUSA is one of the cheapest ways to file a US-domestic return. Its expat coverage stops short of PFICs and the FBAR.
FreeTaxUSA is a genuinely low-cost US filing product — free federal and a low flat fee for state — and it's a fair pick for simple domestic returns. It will handle Form 1116 and Form 2555 at a basic level, but it has no PFIC (Form 8621) support and no FBAR workflow. Atamatax is built specifically for the self-serve expat case.
Who FreeTaxUSA is for
FreeTaxUSA fits budget-minded US-domiciled filers, and even simple expats who only need a basic FEIE or Foreign Tax Credit and have no foreign funds. Once you hold PFICs or need to file the FBAR, it runs out of road.
Side-by-side
Price
- Atamatax
- Expat-focused; flat $299 / $499 / $799 per return.
- FreeTaxUSA Winner
- Free federal, low flat state fee — very cheap.
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (Form 2555)
- Atamatax
- Built into the expat flow.
- FreeTaxUSA
- Supported, but minimally.
Foreign Tax Credit (Form 1116)
- Atamatax Winner
- Built-in, with the FEIE-vs-FTC decision guided.
- FreeTaxUSA
- Supported, but minimal — no expat guidance.
Form 8621 (PFIC)
- Atamatax Winner
- Built-in; up to 25 per return.
- FreeTaxUSA
- Not supported.
FBAR (FinCEN Form 114)
- Atamatax Winner
- Generated in the same flow.
- FreeTaxUSA
- No FBAR workflow.
FATCA (Form 8938)
- Atamatax Winner
- Covered in the expat baseline.
- FreeTaxUSA
- Limited; not an expat focus.
Treaty positions (Form 8833)
- Atamatax Winner
- Dedicated FR / UK / DE / CA / AU desks.
- FreeTaxUSA
- Not an expat-treaty product.
Integrated e-file
- Atamatax
- PDF package today; e-file Q3 2026 (EFIN pending).
- FreeTaxUSA Winner
- E-file federal and state.
State returns
- Atamatax
- Federal-only in v1.
- FreeTaxUSA Winner
- All states at a low flat fee.
The marked column indicates which product handles the feature more completely as of June 2026. We update this page when their offering changes — tell us if it's out of date.
Bottom line
If you're a US-domiciled filer — or a very simple expat with only a basic FEIE or FTC and no foreign funds — FreeTaxUSA is hard to beat on price. But once you hold PFICs (Form 8621) or need an FBAR, it doesn't carry the forms or the workflow. Atamatax is built for the expat case and keeps it self-serve.
Try it free
The draft is always free. You only pay when you finalise.
Start the wizard, see your real numbers, and decide from there.