The best Keeper Tax alternative for 1099 workers
Gig income records · 1099 tools · mileage tracking · tax set-aside
Kronos is an iOS money app for gig workers and freelancers. KronosPay LLC is a financial technology company, not a bank or lender. This guide is built from the negative reviews people leave about Keeper Tax — the exact phrasing they use when they start searching for a replacement. Quotes below are verbatim from public app-store and forum reviews.
Why people look for Keeper Tax alternatives
Keeper's 4.8★ average hides a concentrated block of 1–2★ reviews about one thing: money taken that people didn't expect to pay. The r/tax “Keeper Tax Clients Beware” thread collects the pattern:
- ““I cancelled my subscription (and got a confirmation!) and they still charged me for a yearly subscription without my consent. They will not refund me.”” — r/tax, Jan 2024
- ““They just charged me! I only did the trial. looks like they charged me 200 last year and this year.”” — r/tax, Jan 2024
- ““Keeper messed up my taxes and cost me thousands of dollars of errors… didn't include all of my forms.”” — App Store review, Jan 2025
- ““It doesn't import… my 1099 forms, stocks, crypto — most of them only partially imported, so I am stuck hand typing in everything.”” — r/tax, Jan 2024
Income records, mileage tracking, 1099 tools, and tax set-aside in one app.
Real alternatives to Keeper Tax
- Kronos: The organization layer Keeper users thought they were renting: income records, mileage and receipts, 1099 documents in one place, tax set-aside percentage — Apple-managed subscription, cancel in Settings.
- FreeTaxUSA: Cheap federal/state filing with self-employment support; you bring your own organized records.
- Cash App Taxes: Free filing, praised on Reddit for simple situations; multi-state and part-year returns are not supported.
- H&R Block software: Walks 1099 filers through schedules and forms; watch the mid-filing upsell charges.
- A local CPA: The most expensive and the most defensible if your situation is genuinely complex.
Side by side
| What matters | Keeper Tax | Kronos |
|---|---|---|
| Billing pattern | Recurring charge-after-cancel reports in reviews and on Reddit | Apple subscription; cancellation is handled by Apple, confirmation visible in Settings |
| What it does | Expense finding + tax filing | Records + organization + set-aside; not a filing service |
| Import failures | Reported for 1099s, crypto, brokers | You record income and documents in-app; nothing to silently half-import |
| Price | Annual plan charged upfront (user reports of ~$200 after trial) | Usable free tier; paid tiers listed in-app |
Who should stay with Keeper Tax
Stay with Keeper if your return is simple, the trial has already charged you and support resolves it, and their deduction finding has genuinely found more than it costs — some users do come out ahead.
Where Kronos fits
Kronos is the layer before filing: every gig deposit recorded, receipts and mileage attached, 1099s organized, and a set-aside percentage so the tax bill is never a surprise. File with whatever preparer you choose — arrive with records instead of hopes.
Gig income records · 1099 tools · mileage tracking · tax set-aside
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop Keeper from charging me?
Cancel in the App Store (Settings → your name → Subscriptions) — not just in the app — then request a refund via reportaproblem.apple.com citing the cancellation confirmation. Card-side: you can dispute the charge with your bank with the same evidence.
Is Keeper Tax a scam?
Keeper files real returns and many users are satisfied; the concentrated complaints are about surprise charges, missed forms, and support responsiveness. The BBB profile reflects the same pattern.
What's a cheaper Keeper alternative for 1099 taxes?
For filing: FreeTaxUSA or Cash App Taxes. For year-round records and set-aside: Kronos's free tier.
Does Keeper import 1099s and crypto?
Partially, per user reports — incomplete imports leave you hand-entering data anyway. Keep source documents regardless of the tool.
General educational information only; not financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. Competitor details and pricing change — verify on the official product page before deciding. No provider paid for inclusion.