Instead
One AI agent that owns tax research, planning, preparation, filing, and defense
About Instead
Instead is an AI tax platform that pairs free professional tax software with a credit-based AI agent. The agent researches tax questions with citations, extracts data from tax documents, builds workpapers and tax plans, and prepares returns for individuals, corporations, S corporations, partnerships, and trusts. The platform is IRS-approved for e-file and supports 48+ state jurisdictions, targeting CPA firms, tax preparers, corporate tax teams, family offices, and businesses.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Core software is free with no seat, per-entity, or e-file fees, which undercuts per-user licenses of CCH Axcess, UltraTax, Lacerte, and Drake
- IRS-approved e-file for 1040, 1041, 1120, 1120-S, and 1065 plus 48+ state jurisdictions
- One agent covers research, document extraction, planning, preparation, and filing instead of several bolt-on point tools
- Research answers cite primary sources such as the IRC and Treasury Regulations, and the agent shows its reasoning
- Credit cost estimate is shown before you run a workflow, and nothing is filed without your review
Cons
- Credit pricing beyond the $30 starting point is set through sales, and the agent requires an annual agreement
- Some features, including action items and tax payment tracking, are still marked coming soon
- US-only; estate (706), gift (709), and exempt organization (990) returns are listed as planned rather than fully supported
- Young product with few independent user reviews on sites like Capterra and G2
Key Features
AI tax agent
A dedicated agent per client with full context across entities that handles research, planning, filing, resolution, and estimates, and shows its reasoning step by step.
Cited tax research
Answers tax questions using 1,500+ authoritative sources, citing the IRC, Treasury Regulations, revenue procedures, and IRS publications.
Document extraction
Reads uploaded W-2s, 1099s, K-1s, returns, statements, and transcripts and references the extracted data in its work.
Return preparation and e-file
Prepares 1040, 1120, 1120-S, 1065, and 1041 returns, resolves diagnostics, and e-files to the IRS and 48+ state jurisdictions with unlimited free e-file.
Tax plans, workpapers and memos
Generates tax plans, workpapers by entity, strategy memos, and styled reports with calculations from a single prompt.
Workflows
Automates repetitive work such as importing depreciation schedules, calculating MACRS, and generating multi-entity reports across documents and returns.
Multi-entity support
Links individuals, S corps, C corps, partnerships, and trusts so planning accounts for how the entities interact.
Fixed assets
Tracks fixed assets and depreciation as part of the return workflow.
Cloud drive integrations
Connects Google Drive and OneDrive with sync indicators next to each linked document.
Voice input
Speech-to-text lets you ask questions and review strategies with the agent by voice.
Pricing
- Unlimited users
- Unlimited entities
- Unlimited e-file and print file
- Multi-entity support
- Collaborators and viewers
- Starting price per credit, annual agreement required
- Tax research
- Document extraction
- Memos, plans, and deliverables
- Workflows and return preparation
- Tax resolution
- Volume discounts via sales; credits valid 12 months
Best For
CPA firm tax season capacity
Firms use the agent to prepare returns and workpapers so a small staff can handle hundreds of returns without offshore prep or seasonal contractors.
Tax preparer workflow
Preparers upload client documents, let the agent prepare the return and resolve diagnostics, then review and e-file.
Multi-entity tax planning
Family offices and business owners link individual, S corp, partnership, and trust entities to optimize the total tax picture.
Tax research and memos
Tax teams ask complex entity or state-specific questions and get cited answers and strategy memos.
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