Why this matters
TurboTax is several different products, and the split follows your tax form, not your business size. Buy the wrong edition and you either can't file at all — no personal edition handles Form 1120-S — or you overpay. Knowing your form (the previous step) makes this a five-minute decision.
What "done" looks like
- Your edition matches your form: Schedule C → TurboTax Premium (online) or Home & Business (desktop); 1065/1120-S/1120 → TurboTax Business (desktop)
- S corp and partnership owners budget for two products: the business return plus the personal return receiving the K-1
- You know TurboTax Business is Windows desktop software, not Mac or online DIY
How to do it
- Start from your form, not the marketing pages.
- Schedule C filers: pick TurboTax Premium (online) or Home & Business (desktop) — both handle self-employment income and deductions.
- 1065/1120-S/1120 filers: get TurboTax Business (desktop) for the business return, plus a personal edition for the 1040 that receives your K-1.
- Check your computer — TurboTax Business runs on Windows; Mac users need another plan.
- Compare expert-assisted tiers against a local CPA — for multi-owner returns, software isn't always cheaper.
Common mistakes
- Buying Premium expecting it to file an S corp return — no personal edition files 1120-S
- Forgetting the second purchase: the business return produces a K-1 your personal return still needs
- Overbuying "just in case" when a simple Schedule C fits a cheaper tier
Real-world examples
- Intuit's product pages draw the same line: TurboTax Premium covers Schedule C self-employment, while TurboTax Business (desktop) covers partnerships, S corps, C corps, and trusts (Forms 1065, 1120-S, 1120, 1041).
- TurboTax Business is not offered as a Mac or online do-it-yourself product — a documented limitation that surprises Mac-based founders every spring.
From a founder's point of view
Software editions are just the tax-form decision wearing a price tag. Decide the form first and the shelf sorts itself; decide by marketing copy and you'll discover the mismatch at the deadline.
Rule of thumb
Match the box to the form: Schedule C → a personal self-employed edition; anything numbered 1065 or 1120 → TurboTax Business plus your personal return.