Sales tax automation software calculates the right tax at checkout, tracks where you owe it and, in most cases, files and pays it for you. If you sell online across state lines, you probably owe more than you think: since the 2018 Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, states can require out-of-state sellers to collect tax once they pass a sales threshold. Many states use $100,000 in sales and some also count transactions, but thresholds differ, so check each state you sell into.
My short answer: I would split the decision by how you sell. Stripe-only and a few states: Stripe Tax. A Shopify or marketplace seller who wants self-service: TaxJar, though its prices changed in 2026. Few states and you would rather pay per filing: Numeral or Kintsugi. A software company: Anrok. Complex or multi-entity business: Avalara.
Three Different Jobs: Calculation, Registration and Filing
Most confusion in this category comes from vendors selling three separate jobs under one name:
- Calculation: working out the correct rate at checkout.
- Registration: signing your business up with each state where you owe tax.
- Filing and remittance: submitting returns and paying the tax.
A tool can do the first and charge extra for the third. When I compare prices, I always ask which of these three jobs the quoted price actually covers.
Five Ways Vendors Charge
- Per state, per month (Avalara): cost grows with every state you add.
- By order volume, plus filing fees (TaxJar): a base fee, with filing priced on top.
- Per transaction (Stripe Tax): a percentage or a flat amount per sale.
- Per market (Anrok): a fee for each state or country where you collect.
- Per filing (Numeral, Kintsugi): no subscription, you pay when a return is filed.
The Tools
Avalara: the enterprise standard
Avalara is the most established name, with 1,400+ integrations and VAT products for international sales. Its published Core Compliance plan runs about $79 per state per month, or $799 a year, and its Streamlined Sales Tax plan about $69 per state per month, both limited to companies under $50 million in revenue. Registration is priced at roughly $349 to $403 per location, and one older analysis put the median contract near $18,600, with a range from about $4,400 to over $71,000. My take: the right choice when you have an ERP, several entities or international sales. Watch out for: per-state pricing adds up quickly, and everything above the published plans is a custom quote.
TaxJar (by Stripe): the self-service default, with a price warning
TaxJar suits smaller online sellers that want quick setup. Starter is listed at $39 a month, up from $19, and Professional at $99, with pricing that scales with order volume. Filing is not included: its AutoFile add-on rose from about $30 to $35 per filing to $50 to $55 in early 2026. One source says legacy month-to-month pricing ends on October 1, 2026. It is US-only, and some reviewers say support quality has slipped since Stripe acquired it in 2021. My take: still a sensible start for a US Shopify or marketplace seller, but price out your filings before you commit. Watch out for: sources differ on dates and amounts, so confirm the current rate card.
Stripe Tax: cheapest if you already live in Stripe
Stripe Tax Basic costs 0.5% per transaction on no-code Stripe integrations, or $0.50 per API call, and Tax Complete starts at $90 a month on a one-year contract, with filing handled through partners. My take: for a small, Stripe-only business with a handful of states, I would try it first, because it is the simplest to switch on. Watch out for: it only covers sales billed through Stripe, and a per-transaction percentage eventually costs more than a flat subscription.
Anrok: built for software companies
Anrok focuses on what is taxable for SaaS and digital products, which varies by state. Pricing is per market, with listings from $100 per market per month (and about $50 for an e-commerce starter), and a startup tier around $399 to $499 a month for companies under roughly $5 million in recurring revenue. Filing costs sit on top, according to one comparison. My take: if I sold software, this is where I would start, because the taxability rules are the hard part. Watch out for: it is priced for funded SaaS companies, not for a small online store.
Numeral and Kintsugi: pay per filing
Numeral charges about $75 per filing and $150 per registration with no subscription, plus free monitoring. Kintsugi has a free plan, with paid plans from about $75 per filing or registration and a premium tier by quote, and claims coverage across the US, Canada, the EU, the UK and 100+ countries. My take: for a seller in only a few states, paying per filing can beat any subscription. Watch out for: both are newer than Avalara and TaxJar, and most of the comparisons I found praising them are published by competitors.
| Tool | How it charges | Entry price (estimates) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalara | Per state, per month | ~$69-$79/state/month | Complex or multi-entity sellers |
| TaxJar | Order volume plus filing | $39-$99/month + ~$50-$55/filing | Small US online sellers |
| Stripe Tax | Per transaction | 0.5% per sale, or $90+/month | Stripe-native businesses |
| Anrok | Per market | ~$100/market/month, or ~$399+/month startup | SaaS companies |
| Numeral / Kintsugi | Per filing | ~$75 per filing | Few-state sellers |
Prices come from 2026 comparisons that disagree in places, so confirm every figure on the vendor’s own pricing page.
The Hidden Costs
The subscription is rarely the biggest line. Returns typically cost $25 to $54 each at the larger vendors, so one analysis calculates that filing monthly in all 45 taxing states would cost more than $27,000 a year in filing fees alone. Add registration fees for each state, exemption-certificate handling for wholesale customers and integration work with your store. Large enterprise engines such as Vertex are priced higher still, with median contracts above $60,000 in one analysis.
Three Sellers, Three Choices
- A Shopify store selling in about 15 states: I would compare TaxJar with a per-filing option, because filing fees will drive the bill. Our guide to Shopify apps covers the store side.
- A software company billing through Stripe: I would price Anrok against Stripe Tax and ask both how they treat software in each state where I have customers.
- A small seller in three states: I would start with a per-filing tool and free monitoring, and upgrade only when the number of states grows.
What I Would Check Before Paying
- Which of the three jobs does this price cover: calculation, registration or filing?
- Who files, and what happens if a return is late?
- Is there audit support if a state challenges my filings? Most of these tools do not include it.
- How does it connect to my books? See our guides to small business accounting software and accounting and billing software for e-commerce.
- What will the bill look like if I add five more states?
Related Guides
- Payroll taxes work differently from sales tax, so see our guide to HR and payroll software.
- If you invoice clients directly, see our guide to free invoicing software.
How I Researched This
I compared public pricing pages, documentation and a number of independent 2026 comparisons, and I noted every price where sources disagreed. I need to be clear about one limitation: many of the comparisons I found are written by sales tax vendors that compete with the tools they review, so I weighed their claims with caution and leaned on published prices wherever possible. I have not run these tools on a live store, so my opinions come from analysing pricing and positioning, not hands-on testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best sales tax software for small business?
It depends on how you sell. Stripe Tax suits Stripe-only sellers, TaxJar suits small US online sellers, and Numeral or Kintsugi suit sellers in only a few states.
Does sales tax software file returns for me?
Many do, but it is often a paid add-on or a separate charge per filing, so check whether filing is included in the price you were quoted.
What is economic nexus?
It is the connection to a state that requires you to collect sales tax, usually after you pass a sales or transaction threshold in that state. Thresholds vary, so check each state.
Is TaxJar still worth it after the price increase?
It can still be a fair option for a small US seller, but you should price the filings as well as the subscription, and compare it with per-filing alternatives.
My Verdict
My pick depends on where you start: Stripe Tax for a small Stripe-only business, TaxJar for a self-service US store after you have priced the filings, Anrok for software companies, Numeral or Kintsugi if you file in few states, and Avalara once your business is genuinely complex. Whatever you choose, ask what the price covers and add up the filing fees before you sign.
Pricing note: figures are estimates from independent 2026 comparisons and differ between sources. Confirm current pricing with each vendor.
Disclaimer: This guide is informational and not tax or legal advice. Consult a qualified tax professional about your obligations.
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