Here’s What It’s Like to Use H&R Block’s DIY Tax Service (2026)

All the while, there is a virtual assistant chatbot if I need to ask questions or get help, which gives me more peace of mind. Plus, it’s built into the DIY service, which saves me a lot of money, rather than resorting to an option that involves an actual tax expert to look at things.

H&R Block asks a lot of questions about potential tax breaks, looks for savings that could come from, for example, cash and non-cash charitable donations, and H&R Block was able to find more tax breaks to maximize my refund.

Health questions

The biggest difference I noticed was in the section on health care, which was full of useful information about coverage and its impact on taxes. Most of the other tax services I tested did not include questions about health care, nor did they clearly explain this through their helpful FAQs.

I had to answer questions about family health insurance situations in 2025. H&R Block is very thorough in asking questions and providing information about what types of insurance qualify for tax benefits, and even whether Medicaid coverage for Covid-19 tests and services counts as health insurance. If health-related expenses play a prominent role in your personal finances, I would choose H&R Block’s tax service over competitors.

Pro tip: The early bird gets the worm, and the same goes for taxes. In general, the earlier you file, the better rate you will get for online filing services. Like H&R Block, most services have a tier system with different plans, and the same applies when you choose to file. The end of January is the cheapest time to apply, and early February is the second cheapest, with prices increasing the closer you get to the April 15 deadline. Every so often, H&R Block holds Presidents’ Day sales for a week or so, so if you’re planning on using this really affordable service, I’d keep an eye on sales during that period.

Overall, I found H&R Block’s online self-service to be very easy and smooth. The additional information helped me understand the process, and the file upload options saved me a lot of time. Plus, I loved having Al Tax Assist for extra help with questions, and Live Tax Pro support willing to take a second look at my forms.

Photo: Molly Higgins

Other services available

As mentioned earlier, there are many different filing options available, as well as expert support offered (if you sign up for this service) tailored to your unique tax situations to ensure you get the most money. If you have a more complicated tax situation (like I did last year), or are a new filer who’s a little unsure, you may want to consider using H&R Block Assisted.

With this service, you can complete the registration process in less than one hour. There are options to drop your taxes, or meet virtually or in person with a tax expert. H&R Block includes more than 60,000 tax professionals and 9,000 offices, with locations in every state, within 5 miles of most Americans.