You have freelance income, a side business that became your main income, or an LLC you operate solo. Tax season opens and you’re staring at two browser tabs — TurboTax and H&R Block — trying to match your situation to the right product tier. Pick wrong and you either overpay for features you don’t use or file an incomplete return because the software couldn’t handle your Schedule C.
Here’s the direct answer before the details: TurboTax Deluxe does not support self-employment income at all. If you have a 1099-NEC or sole proprietorship, it’s the wrong product regardless of how the comparison sounds. H&R Block Premium does cover Schedule C — which already makes it the correct choice between these two specific tiers. But the more useful comparison is one level up from both.
What These Two Products Actually Cover
TurboTax Deluxe and H&R Block Premium are not equivalent tiers. They sit at different price points, cover different tax situations, and target different filers. The table below shows where each actually applies for someone with self-employment income.
| Feature | TurboTax Deluxe ($69 + $64/state) | H&R Block Premium ($85 + $37/state) |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule C (self-employment income) | No | Yes |
| Home office deduction | No | Yes |
| Business asset depreciation | No | Yes |
| Rental income (Schedule E) | No | Yes |
| Investment income (Schedule D) | Yes | Yes |
| Mortgage interest, charitable deductions | Yes | Yes |
| Quarterly estimated tax calculator | No | Limited |
| In-person support option | No | Yes (9,000+ offices) |
TurboTax Deluxe is designed for W-2 employees who itemize. It handles mortgage interest, charitable contributions, student loan interest, and brokerage-reported investment gains. It does not touch Schedule C. Attempting to file self-employment income through TurboTax Deluxe will either block you mid-filing or force a paid upgrade before you can submit.
H&R Block Premium is a genuine mid-tier product that handles self-employment income, rental properties, and small business deductions. At $85 federal and $37 per state, it’s the lower-cost option here — and the only one of these two that a sole proprietor can actually use to file a complete return.
The Tier Problem Most Small Business Owners Run Into
The search phrase “TurboTax Deluxe vs. H&R Block Premium” is common precisely because the naming makes the comparison seem apples-to-apples. It isn’t. And buying TurboTax Deluxe when you need Schedule C support is a mistake that surfaces at the worst possible moment — usually after you’ve entered an hour of financial data and the software tells you to upgrade.
What small business owners typically need from TurboTax is TurboTax Premium (formerly called Self-Employed), which runs $129 federal plus $64 per state for tax year 2026. That tier covers:
- Schedule C income and deductions for sole proprietors
- Home office deduction under both the actual expense and simplified methods
- Vehicle mileage tracking and depreciation
- Section 179 expensing and MACRS depreciation for equipment
- Quarterly estimated tax payment calculations
- 1099-NEC income from multiple clients
- Self-employment tax calculation and the SE tax deduction
H&R Block’s equivalent is H&R Block Self-Employed at $115 federal plus $37 per state. It covers the same Schedule C territory at a lower federal price and a dramatically cheaper state add-on.
For a filer who lives in one state and uses one state return, H&R Block Self-Employed costs $152 all-in. TurboTax Premium for the same filer costs $193. That $41 gap grows fast if you file in multiple states — two-state filers pay $189 with H&R Block versus $257 with TurboTax. The realistic product comparison for small business owners is between those two, not between TurboTax Deluxe and H&R Block Premium.
Where H&R Block Has a Genuine Structural Advantage
Three things consistently separate H&R Block from TurboTax in ways that matter beyond price.
Physical Office Access
H&R Block operates approximately 9,000 retail tax offices across the United States. If you receive an IRS notice, need to amend a prior-year return, or hit a situation the software can’t resolve — a sale of business assets, a multi-year depreciation correction — you can walk into an office and have a credentialed tax professional review your return. That option exists within the H&R Block ecosystem without switching providers mid-situation.
TurboTax offers live CPA access, but only as a paid add-on (TurboTax Live) that pushes the price considerably higher than base software. H&R Block’s in-person fallback is structural, not an upsell.
State Filing Costs
H&R Block charges $37 per state across all paid tiers. TurboTax charges $64. For anyone who moved mid-year, works across state lines, or lives in a state with complex residency rules, that $27 difference per state return is real money. Two-state filers save $54 annually on state fees alone with H&R Block — which covers more than half the federal price difference between products.
Where TurboTax Premium Justifies Its Premium
TurboTax’s guided interview for complex returns is consistently smoother, especially when income types interact — W-2 salary alongside freelance income alongside stock sales. The deduction finder at TurboTax Premium level is more thorough. And TurboTax integrates directly with QuickBooks Self-Employed, which typically eliminates manual income and expense entry for filers who track their books through that platform. H&R Block has no equivalent QuickBooks import.
When to Skip Both Products Entirely
You Have an S-Corp or Multi-Member LLC
Consumer tax software — TurboTax, H&R Block, all of it — is built for personal returns. S-corps file Form 1120-S. Partnerships file Form 1065. Neither of those business-entity returns is handled by TurboTax Deluxe, H&R Block Premium, or even the self-employed tiers of either product. If your business files its own return separately from your personal taxes, you need either TurboTax Business (desktop software, approximately $190) or a professional preparer.
Your AGI Is Under $84,000
The IRS Free File program covers adjusted gross income under $84,000 for tax year 2026. Several Free File Alliance providers — including FreeTaxUSA and TaxAct Free — support Schedule C and self-employment income at no charge. Paying $115 to $193 for software when a free, IRS-sanctioned option covers your full return is worth examining before you reach for a credit card.
You Had a Complicated Business Event
First year of significant asset purchases requiring Section 179 decisions, a business vehicle traded mid-year, or any IRS correspondence from a prior filing — these situations warrant professional review. Software handles routine filings well. It handles edge cases inconsistently, and the cost of an error compounds across future years when depreciation schedules carry forward incorrectly.
The Call
Between TurboTax Deluxe and H&R Block Premium specifically: H&R Block Premium is the only viable choice for any small business owner. TurboTax Deluxe doesn’t file Schedule C, which disqualifies it entirely for self-employed filers.
But the smarter decision is choosing between H&R Block Self-Employed ($115 + $37/state) and TurboTax Premium ($129 + $64/state). H&R Block wins on total cost — especially for multi-state filers — and its in-person office network is a real differentiator if your tax situation gets complicated mid-year. TurboTax Premium wins on interview quality and QuickBooks integration for filers who already live inside that ecosystem.
The single most important thing to check before buying any tax software: confirm the product tier you’re purchasing actually includes Schedule C — because TurboTax Deluxe doesn’t, and learning that after an hour of data entry costs more time than the upgrade saves money.
Disclaimer: The information on this page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Rates, terms, and eligibility requirements are subject to change. Always compare multiple lenders and consult a licensed financial advisor before borrowing.
