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Instead
San Francisco, California, United States
What it is
Instead is a web-based AI agent for tax research, planning, preparation, filing and defense. It lists support for individual 1040, C corporation 1120, S corporation 1120-S, partnership 1065, and trust and estate 1041 returns. Users choose which workflows to run, and the agent uses credits only when a task is initiated; the estimated credit use appears beforehand. Users can review the agent's work before filing. Google Drive, OneDrive and Box are listed as live integrations with two-way sync, version tracking and automatic folder mapping. Instead says it is IRS-approved and supports e-filing in 48 or more state jurisdictions, along with local filing. Federal and state e-file and prior-year import are listed. The free Instead Platform plan is free and includes unlimited users, entities, e-file and print file, multi-entity support, collaborators and viewers. Instead Agent is billed per credit, with pricing depending on volume and usage; purchased credits remain valid for 12 months. A free trial is listed. The product is presented for CPA firms, tax preparers, corporate tax teams, family offices, businesses and high net worth individuals.
For and against
For
- Users choose when to run workflows.
- Credit estimates appear before a workflow starts.
- Supports multiple business and individual return types.
- Google Drive, OneDrive and Box are live integrations.
- Free platform plan includes unlimited users and entities.
Against
- Agent pricing depends on credit volume and usage.
- Purchased credits expire after 12 months.
The verdict
Instead pairs tax workflows with user-controlled task initiation and a review step before filing. Its platform plan is free, while Agent work is billed by credit.
Who it suits
Instead is presented for tax professionals and organizations, including CPA firms, tax preparers and corporate tax teams, as well as family offices, businesses and high net worth individuals.
Plans and prices
Instead Platform
Unlimited users · Unlimited entities · Unlimited e-file and print file · Multi-entity support
Read 15 Oct 2026 · instead.com
Instead Agent
Tax research · Document extraction · Memos, plans and deliverables · Workflows and return preparation
Read 15 Oct 2026 · instead.com
On the record
- Agent control
- Users choose which workflows to run, and the agent consumes credits only when they initiate a task.instead.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- AI agent
- Each client receives a dedicated agent that keeps context across entities, workflows and firm operations.instead.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- API availability
- An independent API audit found no public API, developer portal, documented endpoints, sandbox, authentication method or client libraries; api.instead.com returned 404 when checked in September 2026.supergood.ai · read 15 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The product is presented for CPA firms, tax preparers, corporate tax teams, family offices, businesses, and high net worth individuals.instead.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Company profile
- LinkedIn lists Instead as a privately held software-development company founded in 2023, headquartered in San Francisco and employing 51–200 people.linkedin.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Corvee relationship
- Instead states that Corvee is now part of the Instead family, with existing Corvee accounts, data, workflows and pricing retained.instead.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Credit estimate
- The pricing FAQ says the credit estimate is shown before a workflow runs.instead.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Credit validity
- Purchased credits remain valid for 12 months from the purchase date.instead.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Document extraction
- Users can upload returns, statements and transcripts for automated reading, extraction and document-referenced insights.instead.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- E-filing
- Instead says it is IRS-approved and supports filing in 48 or more state jurisdictions, with local filing supported.instead.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- E-filing coverage
- Instead states that it is IRS approved and supports electronic filing across more than 48 state jurisdictions.instead.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Integration connection methods
- Services can be connected through OAuth or API keys, with webhook notifications and automatic folder mapping.instead.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Integration roadmap
- The roadmap lists Dropbox, TaxDome, Karbon, Canopy, Xero, QuickBooks Online, Bloomberg Tax, Plaid and SmartVault.instead.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Google Drive, OneDrive, and Box are listed as live integrations with two-way sync, version tracking, and automatic folder mapping.instead.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- License and self-hosting
- Instead's terms prohibit copying, modifying, reverse engineering or creating derivative works of its services and technology, indicating proprietary hosted software rather than open-source or self-hosted code.instead.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: delivery and refunds
- A Trustpilot reviewer said a prepaid contract for 125 returns produced only 17 and that a refund for the undelivered returns was refused.trustpilot.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: migration and budgeting
- Agent Finder cautioned that unpublished credit pricing complicates forecasting and that migrating existing client files requires significant effort.agent-finder.co · read 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: pricing transparency
- Trustpilot reviewers said the free messaging was misleading because filing required paid AI credits, and one reviewer said a demo quoted a $25,000 annual package.trustpilot.com · read 15 Oct 2026
