# Avalara AvaTax vs Drake Tax

| Attribute | Avalara AvaTax | Drake Tax |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 50.8 (55% (medium)) | 50.6 (55% (medium)) |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | A cloud-based platform that automatically calculates sales tax based on location and jurisdiction rules, then automates returns preparation, filing, and remittance across multiple states and countries. Handles billions of transactions annually with 99.99% uptime. | A professional tax return preparation platform that provides automated calculations, compliance checks, multi-state filing, and electronic filing capabilities. Includes practice management features and optional add-ons for document management, workflow tracking, e-signatures, and client communication. |
| features.capabilities | `{"pricing_model":"per_transaction_api_tier","deployment_model":"cross_border_saas_api","erp_netsuite_sap_integration":true,"eu_vat_cross_border_calculation":true,"us_sales_tax_address_validation":true,"digital_goods_software_tax_rules":true,"shopify_stripe_native_integration":true,"real_time_checkout_calculation_api":true,"automated_return_filing_and_payment":true,"economic_nexus_jurisdiction_tracking":true,"exemption_certificate_management_b2b":true,"fully_landed_cost_duty_and_tax_calculator":true,"harmonized_system_hs_code_ai_classification":true,"real_time_global_trade_content_regulatory_updates":true}` | `{"soc2_type_ii":true,"pricing_model":"flat_subscription","automated_return_filing_and_payment":true}` |
| integrations.count | 1,400 | 7 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Shopify"},{"name":"Salesforce Commerce Cloud"},{"name":"Magento"},{"name":"SAP Hybris Commerce"},{"name":"SAP C4C"},{"name":"SAP Hybris Marketing"},{"name":"Intershop"},{"name":"Drupal Commerce"},{"name":"Zuora"},{"name":"Spree"},{"name":"Solidus"},{"name":"iPaaS.com"},{"name":"QuickBooks"},{"name":"NetSuite"},{"name":"Salesforce"},{"name":"Stripe"}]` | `[{"name":"Drake Portals"},{"name":"Drake Workflow"},{"name":"Drake E-Sign"},{"name":"Drake Pay"},{"name":"Drake Accounting"},{"name":"Kotapay"},{"name":"Rightworks"}]` |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"quote","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Tax Calculation and Returns Compliance Package","summary":"Starting from $699; volume-based pricing","features":["Tax calculations","Returns and reporting","Multi-state compliance"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":699,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Core tax calculations, returns filing, and reporting across multiple jurisdictions","contactSales":true},{"free":false,"name":"Business Licenses","summary":"From $119","features":["License guidance"],"components":[{"kind":"one_time","amount":119,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"License identification and guidance service","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Sales Tax Registration","summary":"$403 per location","features":["Sales tax registration assistance"],"components":[{"kind":"one_time","amount":403,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Business registration assistance per location","contactSales":false}],"summary":"Core package starting at $699 with volume-based pricing; ancillary services $119–$403","currency":"USD","freeTier":false,"sourceUrl":"https://www.avalara.com/us/en/products/pricing.html","retrievedAt":"2026-08-25T21:43:34.904Z","startingPrice":{"amount":119,"currency":"USD"}}` | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Drake Tax Pro 250","summary":"250 returns included; additional individual returns $49.99 each, business returns $74.99 each","commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"additional individual return","amount":49.99,"period":"year","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"additional business return","amount":74.99,"period":"year","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Up to 250 total individual and business returns","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"returns":"250 combined individual/business"}},{"free":false,"name":"Drake Tax Pro Unlimited","summary":"Unlimited returns","commitment":"annual","description":"Unlimited individual and business returns","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"returns":"unlimited"}},{"free":false,"name":"Drake Tax 1040","summary":"Unlimited individual returns; business returns $74.99 each","commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"business return","amount":74.99,"period":"year","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Unlimited individual returns with pay-per-return business returns","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"business_returns":"pay-per-return","individual_returns":"unlimited"}},{"free":false,"name":"Drake Tax Pay-Per-Return","summary":"10 individual returns included; $49.99 per additional individual return, $74.99 per business return","commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"additional individual return","amount":49.99,"period":"year","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"business return","amount":74.99,"period":"year","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Base price includes 10 individual returns; additional returns as needed","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"individual_returns":"10 included"}}],"addOns":[{"name":"Drake Portals"},{"name":"Drake Workflow"},{"name":"Drake E-Sign"},{"name":"Drake Pay"},{"name":"Drake Accounting"},{"name":"Secure cloud hosting (Rightworks)"}],"summary":"Annual subscription with multiple tiers: unlimited returns, 250 returns, unlimited 1040s, or pay-per-return model. Additional returns $49.99 (individual) or $74.99 (business) each. Optional add-ons available. Free trial available; no monthly billing.","currency":"USD","freeTier":false,"sourceUrl":"https://www.drakesoftware.com/pricing/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-24T10:20:11.965Z","startingPrice":{"unit":"additional individual return","amount":49.99,"period":"year","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["year"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | no | no |
| pricing.model | quote | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | high | mid |
| pricing.starting_price | `{"amount":119,"currency":"USD"}` | `{"amount":49.99,"currency":"USD"}` |
| pricing.transparent | no | yes |
| reliability.sla_pct | 99.99 | - |
| security.soc2 | - | yes |

## Capabilities (Tax Software)

| Capability | Avalara AvaTax | Drake Tax |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Capabilities** |  |  |
| Real time checkout calculation API | ✓ | - |
| Economic nexus jurisdiction tracking | ✓ | - |
| Automated return filing and payment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Exemption certificate management B2B | ✓ | - |
| US sales tax address validation | ✓ | - |
| EU vat cross border calculation | ✓ | - |
| Digital goods software tax rules | ✓ | - |
| ERP netsuite sap integration | ✓ | - |
| Shopify stripe native integration | ✓ | - |
| SOC2 type ii | - | ✓ |
| ISO 27001 | - | - |
| Pricing model | Per transaction API tier | Flat subscription |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T16:49:11.938Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*