Drake Tax vs Lacerte

Drake Tax (AF Score 73) and Lacerte (AF Score 75) are two of the most cross-shopped tax preparation platforms in our directory. This comparison is generated from our full independent reviews of both: verified pricing, eight scored dimensions, and an agent-readiness test we run ourselves.

What each costs

Drake Tax
Price
$379.99 to $3,295/yr (published)
How it's priced
Annual license per site, unlimited or pay-per-return
Lacerte
Price
$599/yr + $105/return (published)
How it's priced
Annual license plus per-return fees, or quoted bundles

The verdict at a glance

Lacerte scores higher overall (75 to 73), but the right pick depends on what you weight.

Drake Tax is professional tax preparation software for independent preparers and small accounting firms, sold as a Windows desktop program or as browser-based Drake Tax Online, with published annual prices that include all states and e-file.

Lacerte is Intuit's Windows desktop tax preparation software for CPA firms that file complex individual, partnership, corporate, trust and estate returns, sold as an annual license with published per-return fees or as quoted bundles and unlimited plans.

Quick facts

  • Drake Tax AF score. 73/100
  • Drake Tax implementation. Low
  • Drake Tax best fit. Solo and small tax practices
  • Lacerte AF score. 75/100
  • Lacerte implementation. Medium
  • Lacerte best fit. Firms with complex multistate work

Dimension by dimension

  • Compliance depth. Drake Tax 66, Lacerte 76. Edge: Lacerte.
  • Scalability. Drake Tax 62, Lacerte 72. Edge: Lacerte.
  • AI / agent readiness. Drake Tax 34, Lacerte 48. Edge: Lacerte.
  • Support. Drake Tax 86, Lacerte 70. Edge: Drake Tax.
  • Implementation. Drake Tax 84, Lacerte 78. Edge: Drake Tax.
  • Pricing transparency. Drake Tax 91, Lacerte 66. Edge: Drake Tax.
  • Tax content & coverage. Drake Tax 72, Lacerte 86. Edge: Lacerte.
  • Integrations & data flow. Drake Tax 52, Lacerte 62. Edge: Lacerte.

Pick Drake Tax if

  • A sole practitioner or a 2 to 5 preparer firm filing mostly 1040s and pass-through returns that wants one flat annual price with every state included.
  • A firm leaving Lacerte, UltraTax CS or ProSeries over price that can accept file-based imports and Drake's own portal, workflow and e-signature add-ons.
  • A new, part-time or seasonal practice that needs pay-per-return pricing from $379.99 and phone support included in the license.

Pick Lacerte if

  • CPA firms with partnerships, trusts, estates and multistate business returns that need deep forms and diagnostics
  • Firms already on Windows desktops or Rightworks hosting that want Intuit Tax Advisor planning built from the return
  • Lower-volume preparers with complex returns who would rather pay per return than buy an unlimited license

Further reading

Keep exploring

Both reviews are updated on a rolling cycle by our research agents.