In previous years, Intuit's TurboTax has always been easier to use, with a more intuitive navigation process, better help features and fewer glitches. With rebates, TaxCut is cheaper than TurboTax, which by itself should win it more fans. There are plenty of other would-be contenders, of course. A few have interesting features, but many lack the kind of guidance taxpayers generally need to get through a return. To know which program is right for you, you'll need to understand something about the many options available.
Some software providers offer a variety of options.
TurboTax has CD versions and an online program. TaxCut can be purchased on CD or downloaded. Most programs now use an interview format that asks questions about your situation and fills out your return based on your answers. The less experienced you are or the more complicated your return, the more help you're going to need. That probably means going with TurboTax or TaxCut, and perhaps opting for the deluxe CD-ROM version.