Tax preparation has never been easier for the do-it-yourself filer.

With plenty of choices, clear instructions, and tools that virtually hold the user’s hand through the process, today’s software takes much of the pain and suffering out of doing your taxes — except, of course, when it’s time to come up with the money to pay. It’s also better than ever at catching errors.

Still not sure you can handle it? Reluctant to spend money on a program that might not work for you? That’s OK. The major tax software makers offer online versions that let you try before you buy; you only pay if and when you file your taxes through the software. (Some, stopping short of filing, use the free service to organize financial information before heading to accountants.)

On the go? Mobile versions of the software make it possible to enter income, deductions, and other data with your smartphone, wherever you happen to be.

“You can get a little bit done while you are waiting for coffee or a bus,’’ said Tobie Stanger, a senior editor at Consumer ­Reports, which tested and ­reviewed tax software. “They are time-savers.’’

Approximately 40 percent of tax filers do it themselves, ­according to Consumer ­Reports. The most popular tax software remains TurboTax, made by Intuit Inc. of Mountain View, Calif. Last tax season — approximately January to April — TurboTax attracted nearly 105 million visitors to its online product, nearly triple the 40.7 million of its nearest competitor, the tax preparation firm H&R Block, Inc., according to comScore Inc., which tracks ­online audiences.

Kathy Yakal, a financial writer for the consumer technology publication PCMag.com, recently reviewed 2015 versions of TurboTax and H&R Block software, as well as offerings by TaxAct, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc., of Parsippany-Troy Hills, N.J.; and TaxSlayer LLC. of Evans, Ga. She said she found them all pretty good.

What makes them so easy to use is they walk the user through the return without ever displaying the IRS forms. The software wizards ask questions, and the users plug in the ­numbers when prompted. The differences, Yakal said, are in the guidance they provide and their user experience.

She rated TurboTax tops for tax year 2015 because of its ­consistent navigation, clear ­instructions, and excellent ­mobile version. In her ratings, TaxAct, H&R Block, Jackson-Hewitt, and TaxSlayer followed.

Consumer Reports’ Stanger compared TurboTax with H&R Block. She, too, preferred Turbo­Tax for its uncluttered ­design, clear explanations, and spare use of jargon.

On its website, TurboTax asks a half-dozen questions to steer you to one of four versions ranging in price from free to $79.99. The free version is for simple returns, those filing the 1040EZ or sometimes the 1040A.

If you own a home and want to maximize deductions and credits, TurboTax suggests the Deluxe version for $34.99 to file a federal tax return. It bumps you up to the $54.99 Premier if you sold stock or have rental property. The $79.99 Home and Business is for contractors and the self-employed.

H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt also charge $34.99 for their deluxe versions. For state taxes, TurboTax, H&R Block, and Jackson Hewitt charge an additional $36.99 per return, but procrastinators beware. Some prices rise the later you file in the tax season.

TaxAct’s similar product, called TaxAct Online Plus, charges $14.99 each for federal and state returns. “We really play the affordability card,’’ TaxAct spokeswoman Shaunna Morgan said. “That’s our shtick.’’

Another factor to consider: support. TurboTax offers free phone support from tax professionals ready to answer questions. Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block offer help via online chats. TaxSlayer and Jackson Hewitt answer e-mailed ­questions.

Security should also be ­uppermost in your mind. The IRS said it detected 19 million potentially bogus returns in 2015 aimed at stealing refunds.

Most programs use data ­encryption when returns are filed and multilevel authentication, requiring codes in addition to standard logins and passwords to prevent unauthorized access. Some like Turbo Tax offer unique features such as fingerprint ID to access the ­mobile version on Apple ­iPhones. Last year, TurboTax temporarily stopped processing state returns to increase system security after at least 18 states tied a rise in fraudulent returns to filings through the software.

If your identity is ripped off, TaxAct will do all the legwork to reestablish your good standing with IRS, file your real return, and get your refund.

Much of the identity theft last year involved state returns because bogus ones are less easily detected than federal, H&R Block senior product manager Eric Roebuck said. So H&R Block does not let you file state returns until after the federal return has been submitted.

“All the vendors talked about implementing stronger security this year,’’ Yakal said.

For those with incomes ­under $62,000 a year, the IRS and FreeFile Alliance, a nonprofit coalition of tax software companies, provide 13 free ­software products.

By John Dodge

Globe Correspondent

John Dodge can be reached at jdodge349@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @Thedodgeretort.