Tool profile
OLT.com: cost, fit and limits
OLT.com is an online tax filing service made by On-Line Taxes, Inc. that lets individuals prepare and e-file federal and state income tax returns, with a free federal edition, a paid Premium Edition and an AI-powered import for W-2 and 1099 forms.
What to know first
OLT.com charges per return rather than per season of software. The Federal Free Edition costs $0 with caps on the free option, Premium Edition is $7.95 per federal return, and each additional state return is $9.95. The homepage advertises a new AI import: upload a PDF or phone photo of a W-2 or 1099 and the form fields are filled for review. It is an IRS authorized e-file provider.
OLT.com at a glance
| Maker | On-Line Taxes, Inc., United States |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | $0 (Federal Free Edition, caps apply) |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Tax Preparation Software in 2026, rank 2 of 10 |
| Website | olt.com |
Who OLT.com is best for
W-2 and 1099 earners with a stack of forms
The AI import reads PDFs or phone photos and fills in income, withholding and employer details, and the filer reviews the result before filing.
Filers who need Schedules C, D, E or SE
The homepage lists these schedules for self-employment, capital gains and rental income, so freelancers and small landlords are covered by the same editions.
People who prefer paying a few dollars per return
Premium at $7.95 and $9.95 per extra state make the cost of a two-state return easy to total before starting.
OLT.com plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Free Edition | $0 | One federal return. The homepage says caps apply to the free federal filing option but the text read does not itemize them. |
| Premium Edition | $7.95 per federal return, shown with $9.95 struck through | Adds phone support and live chat to the federal return, per the homepage, and is marked as a $2 saving. |
| Additional State Return | $9.95 each | Charged for every extra state return filed alongside the federal return. The homepage lists it as a separate line below the federal editions. |
Checked November 2026.
What OLT.com does
- AI-powered form import
- Upload a PDF or take a phone photo of W-2s and 1099s and AI enters income, withholding and employer details. The homepage says the user reviews before filing and that data never leaves OLT.
- IRS authorized e-file
- OLT.com is listed as an IRS Authorized E-File Provider, so returns go to the IRS electronically instead of by mail. The homepage places this badge next to the Federal Free Edition and Premium Edition descriptions.
- Schedule support
- Schedules C, D, E and SE are named for self-employment, capital gains and rental income, which covers common side-income situations. These cover freelancers, investors who sold shares and small landlords, though the homepage does not list every supported form.
- Prior-year data import
- A menu item lists prior year data import, which saves retyping names, addresses and dependents each season. Prior-year import appears in the site menu, and the text read does not say which other software it accepts.
- Knowledge base and email support
- A tax knowledge base lives at kb.olt.com and email customer support is listed; phone and live chat are tied to Premium. The knowledge base is a separate site from the main filing flow, so answers are searchable before you register.
How OLT.com handles your data
The OLT.com homepage says that with the AI import your data never leaves OLT. The pages checked state nothing about whether returns train AI models, how long data is retained, where it is hosted, or which security certifications apply, and the privacy policy was not opened because the guessed link failed. A buyer who uploads W-2s and 1099s should ask OLT for those answers in writing. The company footer gives On-Line Taxes, Inc. in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Where OLT.com falls short in practice
- Free tier has unspecified caps. The homepage says caps apply to the free federal option but the text read does not list them, so a filer with several income types must start a return to learn whether it stays free.
- State returns are charged separately. Each extra state return is $9.95, so a part-year resident or remote worker in two states pays more than the headline $7.95 Premium fee suggests.
- Thin published data terms. No retention period, hosting region or certification appears on the homepage, which matters for a service that reads tax forms with AI. A filer should ask OLT in writing how long uploaded images and PDFs are kept before using the import.
- No practice features. The pages describe single-filer editions with no multi-user plan, client portal or firm workflow. Anyone preparing returns for clients would have to use separate logins and has no firm tools or return counts.
Works with
Alternatives to OLT.com
OLT.com: common questions
How does OLT.com's AI import handle a W-2?
The homepage says you upload a PDF or take a phone photo of a W-2 or 1099, the AI fills in income, withholding and employer details, and you review the fields before filing. It also says the data never leaves OLT. The page gives no accuracy figure, so compare each box to the paper form.
Is OLT.com really free?
The Federal Free Edition is $0, but the homepage says caps apply to the free federal option and does not list them in the text we read. State returns cost $9.95 each in any case. Start the free edition to see whether your income types qualify before entering sensitive data.
What does OLT.com Premium add?
Premium Edition is $7.95 per federal return, shown with $9.95 struck through, and adds phone support and live chat according to the homepage. It does not include state returns, which stay at $9.95 each. Free filers get email support and the knowledge base only.
Can OLT.com file self-employment income?
Yes, the homepage names Schedules C, D, E and SE for self-employment, capital gains and rental income. It does not describe accounting features, so a freelancer must bring their own income and expense totals. Check the free edition's caps if the return involves several schedules.
Does OLT.com say how long it keeps my return?
Not on the homepage we read. The retention period, hosting region and model-training position were not stated there, and the privacy policy link we tried returned an error, so it was not opened. Ask the company for its privacy policy and keep a copy of your finished return yourself.