Instead pricing and alternatives
Paid plans for Instead start at $30 per credit, billed annually (Instead Agent plan). There's a free plan.
What does Instead do?
Instead is tax software with an AI agent for CPA firms. The agent reads uploaded source documents, populates returns, resolves diagnostics, builds workpapers, answers tax research questions with citations and drafts responses to IRS notices. Returns are e-filed to the IRS and 48 states after review. The platform is free; agent work uses paid credits.
What else should you know about Instead?
Instead is priced by usage. Instead says it serves accounting and bookkeeping. Instead doesn't state any security or compliance standard.
| Fact | As stated | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From $30 per credit, billed annually (Instead Agent plan). | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Pricing model | Usage-based | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Free plan | Yes | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Built for | Accounting and bookkeeping | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who is Instead for, and what's the catch?
If your firm relies on offshore prep staff or seasonal contractors, Instead is pitched as their replacement, and the platform itself is free for unlimited users and entities.
The catch: agent work starts at $30 per credit with an annual agreement required, so a busy season's cost is hard to know in advance. CPA Pilot has a monthly plan instead: CPA Pilot 20 is $29 a month, billed monthly, with a 7-day free trial.
What are the alternatives to Instead?
Other AI tax software to compare with Instead are CPA Pilot (from $29 per month), Bizora (from $29.99 per month) and Hive Tax AI (from $79 per month).
| Tool | Price as stated | Free plan or trial | Compliance it states | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPA PilotCPA Pilot · Vendor site | From $29 per month | Free trial (7 days) | Not stated | Oct 17, 2026 |
| BizoraBizora · Vendor site | From $29.99 per month | Not stated | Not stated | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Hive Tax AIHive Tax · Vendor site | From $79 per month | Free trial (5 days) | Not stated | Oct 17, 2026 |
| TaxPlanIQTaxPlanIQ · Vendor site | From $397 per month | Not stated | Not stated | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Drake SmartExtractDrake Software · Vendor site | From $299.99 per year | Not stated | Not stated | Oct 17, 2026 |