IRS vs Spruce
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
IRS
Access official IRS services on your mobile device. Check refund status, make payments, find tax preparation help, and receive tax tips and news. Stay connected with the IRS anytime, anywhere.
- Check refund status
- Make tax payments
- Find free tax preparation assistance
- Sign up for tax tips
- Follow IRS news
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Use the same secure sign-in you already use on IRS.gov to access your account anytime, anywhere from your mobile device. Sign in to your account on the app: - View account balance - Make payments - Check refund and amended return status - Access tax records - View notices and letters - Opt in to email notifications - Manage your profile - And more Use the app without signing in: Check your refund status, make a guest payment, find free tax preparation assistance, sign up for helpful tax tips, and follow the latest news from the IRS.
Spruce
Manage your daily finances and budget for future goals with this mobile banking app. It offers a spending account, a high-yield savings account, and tools to track spending and set savings goals. Build a better relationship with your money through easy-to-use financial management features.
- Spending account management
- High-yield savings account
- Financial goal setting
- Automated deposits
- Transaction categorization
- Credit score monitoring
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Spruce is a mobile banking app that offers easy-to-use financial tools to help you manage your money. Take care of your daily finances with a Spruce Spending account while budgeting for long-term goals with a Spruce Savings account. Whatever your financial goals, the Spruce digital banking app is here to help you build a better relationship with your money. Be sure to check out high-yield savings! Opt in to earn 3.50% APY* on your Spruce Savings account. Find convenience with your Spruce accounts where you can easily manage your finances, transfer money, and deposit checks in the app‡. You can also enjoy these Spruce account benefits: No sign-up fees No monthly fees No minimum balance requirements No credit check Set financial goals and save money the smart way! You don’t have to sacrifice what you love to save—set a Saving Goal in the Spruce app and use automated deposits to make it easier to reach your goal. Then, opt in to make your money work even harder for you with 3.50% APY*. Sit back and let Spruce categorize your transactions, then use Watchlist to keep an eye on categories that matter most. Watchlist helps you keep track of spending and lets you set monthly income goals to help you stay ahead. QUICK START TIPS 1. Download the Spruce mobile banking app. 2. Create a super secure password with at least 8 characters. 3. Sign up for your Spruce Spending and Savings accounts. 4. Explore the Spruce navigation menu: ---My Life. See a snapshot of your balances and recent transactions. ---Spending. Review your debit and deposit transactions. ---Move Money. Move money between accounts. ---Saving. Create Saving Goals, turn on Round Ups, and opt in to earn 3.50% APY*. ---Credit. Check your credit score and learn more about improving your credit. DISCLAIMERS Spruce fintech platform is built by H&R Block, which is not a bank. Spruce℠ Spending and Savings Accounts are established at, and debit card issued by, Pathward®, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard®. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated. * The Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of 1/23/2025. This rate is variable and can change without notice. Fees may reduce earnings. To start earning interest on your Spruce Savings Account, simply opt in through the Spruce app or at sprucemoney.com. ∞ Funds are insured by the FDIC on a pass-through basis, subject to applicable limitations, restrictions, and requirements for such FDIC pass-through insurance, when the funds are received in your account. FDIC insurance only protects when an FDIC-insured institution fails. Spruce and H&R Block are not banks or FDIC-insured institutions, but Pathward® N.A. is an FDIC-insured depository institution. ^ Spruce℠ ± Credit score is FICO® Score 8 based on Experian data. Your lender or insurer may use a different FICO Score than FICO Score 8, or another type of credit score altogether. FICO® is a trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation. This is a separate service from your Spruce bank accounts, provided by Pathward, N.A. ~ Courtesy Coverage only available for purchase transactions, ATM withdrawals, and over-the-counter withdrawals using your debit card. It is a discretionary courtesy, not an extension of credit. Requires opt in and $200 in qualifying deposits over prior 35-day period. Negative balances are limited to $20 and must be repaid within 30 days. See Spending Account Agreement for details. ≠ Early access depends on when payment is submitted. Funds are generally made available when payment instruction is received, which may be earlier than scheduled payment date. ≈ No fee to withdraw money at Allpoint® ATMs. $3 fee at other ATMs, plus any ATM operator fee. ‡ Mobile check deposit is available after you have deposited at least $200 in the past year and your accounts have been open for 30 days.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Spruce at every 3 weeks against IRS's every 3 months. Spruce also leads on review sentiment (34% vs 26%). IRS's advantage is chart position (#77 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for IRS against 4.5 for Spruce. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11K and 5.4K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 26% of IRS's written reviews are positive against 34% of Spruce's.
IRS ships an update every 3 months, Spruce every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | IRS | Spruce |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (11K ratings) — better | 4.5 (5.4K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 26.1% of reviews | 34.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 11K — better | 5.4K |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #77 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 308 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Internal Revenue Service | HRB Tax Group, Inc. |
Customer experience
IRS
Spruce
User reviews
IRS
From 11K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💰 Helps with tax payments
- 🔍 Provides refund status updates
- ⏱️ Convenient for checking tax info
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent errors and glitches
- 📱 Limited functionality compared to website
- 🔒 Security/authentication issues
- 🕰️ Slow/delayed updates
Spruce
From 5.4K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💡 Helpful savings tools
- 👍 Beautiful UI
- 🚀 Fast direct deposits
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- ⏱️ Slow check deposits
- 🔒 Security concerns
- 🤖 Poor customer service
- 💰 Unexpected fees
Bugs and requests
IRS
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login/authentication problems
- Incorrect refund information displayed
- Inability to check status after multiple attempts
- Lack of compatibility with older devices
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to view tax transcripts
- Improved payment scheduling options
- Notifications for refund status changes
- Expanded historical data access
Spruce
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login issues
- Syncing problems
- Disappearing funds
- Deactivated cards
Requested features
3 requests- Ability to transfer funds to external accounts
- Improved account management features
- Faster check clearing times
In-app purchases
IRS
No in-app purchases
Spruce
No in-app purchases









