CNBC Select has run more than a dozen tax software programs through their paces to find the best in a variety of categories.

Even though the tax agency's free pilot program is no longer available, there are other free tax filing options this season.

We compared the top free tax software options to help the do-it-yourself tax filers find the cheapest option in 2026.

If you're a student, you may have to use several different software programs for various purposes. Apps for taking notes during class, programs to edit photos for an assignment or word processors to ...