Published 2026-10-04 · 13 min read

TaxBandits vs Track1099 for Landlords (2026): 1099 E-Filing for Rental Owners Compared

TaxBandits vs Track1099 for Landlords (2026): 1099 E-Filing for Rental Owners Compared

Practical Landlord is reader-supported. When you sign up for services through links on this site, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We're a TaxBandits affiliate — our tracking link is coming soon. Track1099 (Avalara) is covered as a plain reference; we have no affiliate relationship with Avalara.

General information only: this article is for educational purposes and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Pricing and IRS deadlines change — verify current pricing, form support, and filing deadlines on each provider's site and with the IRS before you file.

January is the month landlords remember they are also employers of record. If you paid a contractor — a handyman, plumber, painter, cleaner, or property manager — $600 or more during the year, you generally owe that contractor a Form 1099-NEC, and the IRS wants its copy too. Paper filing is still allowed for very small filers, but electronic filing is faster, gives you confirmation the IRS accepted the return, and handles recipient delivery and state copies in one workflow.

Two of the best-known 1099 e-filing services take different approaches to the same job. TaxBandits is a volume-friendly e-filing platform with a low starting per-form price, a broad form catalog, and add-ons for state filing and postal delivery. Track1099, now part of Avalara, is the veteran of the space — a tiered pay-as-you-go service (with an annual subscription option) that bundles e-delivery and e-corrections into its IRS e-filing price and leans on W-9 collection and accounting integrations. Here's the honest comparison, with pricing drawn from 2026 sources.

This guide compares TaxBandits and Track1099 head-to-head on 2026 pricing, supported forms, W-9 and TIN-matching tools, state filing, recipient delivery, corrections, integrations, and the right pick by landlord filing volume. For the wider field, see our best 1099 filing services for landlords roundup and our best landlord tax software guide.

The Quick Verdict

Choose TaxBandits if you file a small batch of forms and want the lowest entry price — published pricing starts around $2.75 per form for the first 10 forms (with its volume conditions), with domestic postal mailing at $1.50 per recipient copy. It's the pick for the landlord who sends five 1099-NECs to contractors every January and wants the job done cheaply.

Choose Track1099 (Avalara) if you value an all-in workflow — IRS e-filing starting at $3.10 per form for the first 15, with recipient e-delivery and e-corrections included in that price, W-9 collection tools to gather contractor information before filing season, and accounting integrations. It's the pick for the landlord whose filing includes state returns and who wants corrections handled without extra fees.

The one-line version: TaxBandits competes on entry price per form; Track1099 (Avalara) competes on bundled workflow. Small batch with no extras leans TaxBandits; filing plus states plus the possibility of corrections leans Track1099 — run the math for your exact form count before choosing.

Why This Comparison Matters for Landlords

Most landlords don't file hundreds of information returns. The typical landlord files a handful of 1099-NEC forms for maintenance contractors — the handyman who did $2,400 of turnover work, the landscaper on a $1,800 annual contract, the property manager who collected rent on your behalf. That profile changes the math: volume-tier discounts that reward 500-form filers barely matter to you, while the starting per-form price, state filing fees, and postal delivery costs matter a lot.

Three landlord-specific realities shape this comparison:

1. The $600 threshold. You generally must file Form 1099-NEC for anyone you paid $600 or more in nonemployee compensation. Keep a W-9 on file for every contractor before you pay them — both services offer W-9 collection tools for exactly this reason.

2. The January 31 deadline. 1099-NEC forms are generally due to recipients and the IRS by January 31. Miss it and IRS penalties start at $60 per form and climb from there, so the filing service's confirmation and correction workflow is part of what you're buying.

3. State copies. Many states require their own 1099 filing. If your rentals sit in a state with its own reporting requirement, the state-filing fee — not the federal per-form price — can decide which service is cheaper.

TaxBandits: The Volume-Friendly E-Filer

TaxBandits is an online e-filing platform for information returns with published pricing that starts at $2.75 per form for the first 10 forms when forms are submitted together or prepaid credits are purchased; qualifying volume reduces the per-form rate further. It covers federal and state filing, offers recipient distribution options including domestic postal mailing at $1.50 per recipient copy, and supports data import for filers who would rather upload a spreadsheet than type each form by hand.

What stands out for landlords:

• Low entry price. At roughly $2.75 per form for small batches, TaxBandits undercuts most competitors' starting rates — meaningful when you file five to ten forms.
• Recipient distribution options. Online access for recipients plus postal mailing at $1.50 per copy, so contractors without reliable email still get their forms.
• Data import. Bulk upload for filers who keep contractor payment records in a spreadsheet.
• State filing. Available as part of the workflow, with volume pricing that reduces per-form cost at scale.

The trade-off: TaxBandits prices its services à la carte — federal e-filing, state filing, and postal delivery are separate line items. That keeps the headline price low but means the true cost of a fully delivered filing is higher than the $2.75 starting figure. Price your exact batch — forms, states, and delivery method — before comparing.

Track1099 (Avalara): The Workflow Veteran

Track1099 is one of the longest-running names in online 1099 filing, and it now operates under the Avalara brand as Avalara 1099 & W-9. Its pay-as-you-go IRS e-filing is tiered by volume:

• First 15 forms: $3.10 per form
• Next 150 forms (16–165): $2.30 per form
• Next 335 forms (166–500): $1.30 per form
• 501 and above: $0.63 per form

Critically, that IRS e-filing price includes recipient e-delivery, e-corrections, and PDF/CSV downloads. State e-filing is $1.49 per form at any volume; recipient postal mail runs $1.84 per mailing (January through April), rising to $2.89 for late-January rush mailings and $3.68 with foreign postage. An annual subscription option also exists for year-round filers.

What stands out for landlords:

• E-delivery and corrections included. No add-on fee for sending forms electronically to recipients or for fixing a mistake after filing — corrections are a real cost on à-la-carte platforms.
• W-9 collection and TIN matching. Tools to collect W-9s from contractors and verify taxpayer identification numbers against IRS records before you file, which is where most landlord filing errors originate.
• Accounting integrations. Connects with accounting software so contractor payment data flows into the filing workflow.
• Form breadth. Supports 1099s, W-2, 1095, and 1042-S, useful if your rental operation also has employees.

The trade-off: the starting price is higher ($3.10 vs. $2.75), and state filing at $1.49 per form plus pricier postal delivery can erase the bundle advantage for landlords in states with their own 1099 requirements. Also note that Track1099's Avalara-era terms exclude certain web-sales affiliate arrangements — irrelevant to using the service, but worth knowing if you ever recommend it yourself.

The Pricing Math: What a Landlord Actually Pays

Headline per-form prices don't decide this comparison — the delivered cost of your January batch does. Here are two realistic landlord scenarios using 2026 published pricing, assuming federal e-filing plus recipient e-delivery:

Scenario 1: 5 contractor 1099-NECs, e-delivery, no state filing. TaxBandits: roughly $13.75 (5 × ~$2.75). Track1099: $15.50 (5 × $3.10, e-delivery included). TaxBandits wins by a couple of dollars — the à-la-carte model is cheapest when you need nothing beyond the basics.

Scenario 2: 12 forms, one state filing, two contractors needing postal copies. TaxBandits: ~$33.00 federal + state filing fees + 2 × $1.50 postal. Track1099: $37.20 federal (12 × $3.10) + 12 × $1.49 state + 2 × $1.84 postal. The gap narrows fast once states and paper copies enter — price your exact mix, because state filing is where Track1099's $1.49-per-form fee can flip the result either way.

The correction scenario. File with a wrong TIN and you'll discover the real differentiator: Track1099 includes e-corrections in its filing price. On an à-la-carte service, a corrected filing is another billable event. If your contractor records are messy (missing W-9s, contractors who changed entities mid-year), budget for at least one correction and factor that into the comparison.

Forms Supported: Does Your Filing Fit?

Both services cover the forms a landlord typically needs — 1099-NEC for contractors and 1099-MISC for rents and other payments — plus W-2 filing if you have employees. Track1099's published catalog includes 1099s, W-2, 1095, and 1042-S. TaxBandits supports federal and state filing across a broad form catalog with recipient distribution options.

The forms that trip landlords up are the edge cases: 1099-MISC for rent paid to a property owner through your management arrangement, 1099-INT if you paid significant interest, and corrected returns. Before committing, confirm your specific forms are supported on each provider's current form list — catalogs change, and this is the one area where an unsupported form costs you a second service.

W-9 Collection and TIN Matching: Where Errors Start

The most common landlord 1099 mistake isn't the filing — it's the data. Filing with a wrong or missing taxpayer identification number triggers IRS notices and penalties, and the January scramble for contractor W-9s is a rite of passage every new landlord should skip.

Track1099 makes this a headline feature: W-9 collection tools to request and store contractor W-9s, plus TIN matching against IRS records to catch bad numbers before filing. TaxBandits offers data import and its own verification workflows — but Track1099's W-9-first positioning is the more mature version of this toolset. Whichever service you choose, the operational lesson is the same: collect W-9s when you hire the contractor, not in January. No software feature beats that habit.

State Filing and Recipient Delivery

State requirements are the hidden variable. Some states participate in the IRS combined federal/state program; others want a direct filing. TaxBandits supports state filing within its workflow; Track1099 charges a flat $1.49 per form for state e-filing at any volume.

For recipient delivery, both offer electronic delivery and postal options. TaxBandits lists domestic postal mailing at $1.50 per recipient copy; Track1099's postal pricing is tiered by timing ($1.84 standard, $2.89 for the late-January rush window, $3.68 foreign). If most of your contractors accept email delivery, this is a non-issue. If your contractors skew toward paper — common with tradespeople — TaxBandits' flat $1.50 postal rate is the simpler number to budget.

Integrations and Workflow

Track1099's accounting integrations are the meaningful differentiator here: if your contractor payments already live in your accounting software, importing them into the filing workflow beats retyping. TaxBandits counters with bulk data import for spreadsheet-based records — which is how most small landlords actually track contractor payments.

Neither service requires a subscription for basic filing; both are pay-per-form at the entry level, with Track1099 also offering an annual subscription for high-volume or year-round filers. If you file once a year in January, ignore the subscription tiers entirely.

The Verdict by Landlord Type

The 1–4 unit landlord with 3–8 contractors. TaxBandits. Your filing is a once-a-year batch with no volume leverage, so the lowest starting price wins — and TaxBandits' ~$2.75 entry undercuts Track1099's $3.10. Collect W-9s up front and you may never need the correction tooling that justifies Track1099's premium.

The 10+ unit landlord or small management operation. A genuine toss-up — run the numbers. Once state filings and a dozen-plus forms enter the picture, Track1099's included e-delivery and e-corrections start paying for themselves. If your contractor roster turns over (new vendors every year, missing W-9s), Track1099's W-9 collection and TIN matching are worth the higher per-form price.

The landlord who also has W-2 employees. Track1099 (Avalara). The broader form catalog and accounting integrations matter more once payroll enters the picture, and the annual subscription option fits a year-round filing rhythm.

The landlord who files late every year. Track1099. You will need corrections eventually, and included e-corrections beat paying per correction on an à-la-carte platform. (Better: set a calendar reminder for January 10 to start the filing — the cheapest correction is the one you never file.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need to file 1099s for my rental contractors?

Generally yes, if you paid any contractor $600 or more in nonemployee compensation during the year — that threshold catches most plumbers, electricians, handymen, painters, landscapers, and cleaners a landlord hires. There are exceptions (payments to corporations are often exempt), but when in doubt, file. The penalties for not filing start at $60 per form and rise with how late you are.

What's the deadline for landlord 1099-NEC filing?

Form 1099-NEC is generally due to both recipients and the IRS by January 31. That single deadline — no separate recipient/IRS dates — is what makes January such a crunch. Start collecting W-9s in December and begin your filing in early January, not the last week.

Is TaxBandits or Track1099 cheaper for five forms?

At published 2026 pricing, TaxBandits is slightly cheaper for a small e-delivery-only batch (roughly $2.75 vs. $3.10 per form at the starting tiers). The gap closes or reverses once you add state filing, postal delivery, or corrections — price your exact batch on both sites before deciding.

Can I file 1099s myself for free with the IRS?

The IRS offers its IRIS (Information Returns Intake System) portal for direct electronic filing, and paper filing remains allowed for very small filers. Paid services exist because they handle W-9 collection, state filing, recipient delivery, and corrections in one workflow — if your filing is two forms and your records are clean, the free IRS route is legitimate. Most landlords value the confirmation and correction tooling enough to pay a few dollars per form.

What happens if I file a 1099 with the wrong contractor TIN?

You'll need to file a corrected return, and the original error can trigger an IRS notice plus penalties. This is the strongest argument for TIN matching before filing — Track1099 includes e-corrections in its filing price, while à-la-carte services typically charge for the corrected filing. Either way, verifying TINs before January 31 is cheaper than correcting after.

Do I need to file state 1099s too?

It depends on your state. Some states receive 1099 data through the IRS combined federal/state filing program; others require a separate direct filing. Both TaxBandits and Track1099 support state filing — check your state's current requirements on its revenue department site, because this changes more often than federal rules.

Which service is better if my contractors change every year?

Track1099, for its W-9 collection and TIN-matching tools. High contractor turnover is the profile that generates the most filing errors, and catching bad TINs before filing beats correcting them after. If your roster is stable and your W-9s are on file, either service handles the filing itself equally well.

Compare More Filing and Tax Tools

• Best 1099 filing services for landlords (2026) — the full field beyond these two
• Best landlord tax software (2026) — for the return itself, not just the information forms

The fine print: 1099 pricing in this article comes from 2026 published sources and changes — sometimes mid-season. Verify the current per-form price, state filing fees, postal rates, and supported forms on each provider's site before you file, and confirm filing deadlines with the IRS. This article is general information, not tax advice; a CPA who knows rental real estate is worth the fee if your situation has edge cases.