CPA Software Reviews

Independent rankings and reviews for accounting firms

Best Drake Tax Software Hosting Providers for CPA Firms (2026)

By Dale Hoffman · Published July 13, 2026

Drake Tax is a Windows desktop application, and most firms that outgrow a single office computer end up hosting it on a cloud server. Hosting lets your preparers open the same Drake files from home, a second location, or a laptop at a client site, with the data, prior-year returns, and Drake Documents all kept in one backed-up place.

Drake tends to attract value-minded small and mid-sized firms, so the right host is often the one that matches that mindset: enough performance to stay fast when the whole office is filing at once, without paying for capacity a lean practice will never use. We scored the leading providers on server model, pricing transparency, support, and fit for a Drake workflow. Here is how they stack up in 2026.

Our picks at a glance

  1. 1
    Verito

    Best overall for Drake performance

    9.1
  2. 2
    Rightworks

    Best for firms running Drake alongside QuickBooks

    8.7
  3. 3
    Cetrom

    Best white-glove option for larger Drake firms

    8.4
  4. 4
    Summit Hosting

    Best dedicated-server value for Drake

    8.2
  5. 5
    Ace Cloud

    Best budget pick for lean Drake shops

    8.0

1. Best overall for Drake performance

Verito

9.1

Dedicated private servers and flat monthly pricing keep hosted Drake fast and predictable, which matters most for firms with several preparers working at once.

Pros

  • Every firm gets its own dedicated server, so a busy neighbor never slows your Drake session in peak season
  • Flat monthly pricing that a small firm can budget around
  • Support team that works only with tax and accounting applications, so Drake questions do not go to a generalist

Cons

  • A dedicated environment costs more than an entry-level shared seat, which a solo Drake preparer may not need
  • Smaller brand than the largest hosts in the space
  • Setup runs through their team rather than an instant self-service portal

Verito puts every firm on its own dedicated server rather than a shared box. Drake itself is not a heavy application, but when a multi-preparer office is all in the software during filing season and reading and writing to Drake Documents at the same time, isolation from other tenants is what keeps things responsive. Flat monthly pricing also fits how value-focused Drake firms like to budget.

The trade-off is cost and scale. A dedicated server is more than a lean solo shop needs, and Verito is a smaller company than the category giants. For a growing Drake firm that wants consistent speed and a predictable bill, it is the strongest option we tested. For a one-person practice filing part time, a shared plan lower on this list may be plenty.

2. Best for firms running Drake alongside QuickBooks

Rightworks

8.7

The biggest name in accounting hosting, with the widest app ecosystem, which suits firms that pair Drake with QuickBooks and other desktop tools.

Pros

  • Largest provider in the space, with a mature onboarding and migration process for moving your Drake data over
  • Broad ecosystem, so Drake, QuickBooks Desktop, and add-on tools can live in one hosted environment
  • Established account management and support structure

Cons

  • Standard plans run on shared servers, so peak-season Drake performance can vary with your neighbors
  • Per-user pricing adds up quickly as a Drake firm adds seasonal preparers
  • Support experience varies by plan tier

Rightworks, formerly Right Networks, hosts more accounting firms than anyone else. Its deepest ties are to Intuit rather than Drake, but it hosts Drake widely, and its real strength shows when a firm runs Drake for tax work and QuickBooks Desktop for client bookkeeping in the same hosted space.

The standard product is shared multi-tenant, which keeps entry pricing reasonable but means performance is not fully in your control. Firms that outgrow it can move to dedicated options. If your practice is QuickBooks-heavy with Drake sitting alongside it, the ecosystem is hard to beat.

3. Best white-glove option for larger Drake firms

Cetrom

8.4

A CPA-firm specialist with a strong hands-on support reputation, best suited to larger Drake practices with complex setups.

Pros

  • Cloud environments designed specifically for CPA firms
  • Strong reputation for responsive, hands-on support
  • Comfortable with complex multi-application setups around Drake

Cons

  • Custom quotes only, with no published pricing
  • Aimed at mid-sized and larger firms more than solo Drake preparers

Cetrom treats hosting as a full managed IT relationship rather than a commodity server. A larger Drake firm that also runs document management, a practice-management tool, and other applications will appreciate having one team own the whole environment.

You will sit through a sales conversation to learn the price, and a small Drake shop will likely find the engagement heavier than it needs. For a firm that wants a partner rather than a portal, Cetrom earns its spot near the top.

4. Best dedicated-server value for Drake

Summit Hosting

8.2

Dedicated servers as standard and a long hosting track record, behind an experience that feels a little dated.

Pros

  • Dedicated servers come standard rather than as an upsell, which helps Drake stay fast in peak
  • Long track record hosting desktop accounting applications
  • Straightforward per-user pricing

Cons

  • Fewer tax-specific application partnerships than the category leaders
  • Portal and overall experience feel dated in places

Summit Hosting gives every customer a dedicated server, which puts it ahead of shared-by-default competitors on the performance question that matters for a busy Drake office. Its roots are in Sage and QuickBooks Desktop hosting, and it handles Drake capably.

Tax-focused firms will find fewer prebuilt integrations for professional tax suites than at Verito or Rightworks, and the customer experience shows its age. Still an honest, dedicated-server option at a fair price for a Drake firm that wants isolation without a premium brand.

5. Best budget pick for lean Drake shops

Ace Cloud

8.0

Aggressive pricing and around-the-clock support make Ace Cloud the value pick, which lines up well with Drake's cost-conscious base.

Pros

  • Consistently aggressive pricing and frequent promotions that suit a value-minded Drake firm
  • Support available around the clock, including through filing-season nights
  • Hosts Drake alongside a wide range of tax and accounting applications

Cons

  • Shared infrastructure on standard plans
  • Add-ons and upsells can complicate the final bill

Ace Cloud competes hard on price and answers the phone at 2 a.m. in March, which is exactly when a Drake preparer needs it. It hosts Drake and a long list of other applications, and its value pitch matches the kind of firm Drake tends to attract.

As with most budget hosts, standard plans share servers, and the advertised rate is not always the final rate once add-ons stack up. Read the quote line by line and a lean Drake shop gets genuinely good value here.

Side by side

VeritoRightworksCetromSummit HostingAce Cloud
Server modelDedicated private serverShared standard, dedicated availableCustom, typically dedicatedDedicated standardShared standard, dedicated available
Pricing stylePublished flat monthlyPublished per userCustom quotePublished per userPublished per user, promos common
Best Drake fitGrowing multi-preparer firmsDrake plus QuickBooks shopsLarger firms with complex setupsFirms wanting dedicated on a budgetSolo and lean value-focused firms

Frequently asked questions

Can multiple preparers use hosted Drake at the same time?

Yes. Hosting centralizes Drake's shared data location on the server, so several preparers can log in and work in the same files at once from different locations. Confirm the user count on your plan and that it matches your Drake license during setup.

Will hosting slow Drake down during tax season?

It depends on the server model. Drake is not a heavy application, but a full office working at once, plus Drake Documents storage, benefits from good hosting. A dedicated server keeps performance steady because you are not sharing capacity with other tenants. Shared plans are cheaper but their speed depends partly on your neighbors.

How much does Drake hosting cost?

It varies by server model and number of users. Shared, per-user plans are the cheapest way in, while dedicated servers and custom managed setups cost more. Because promotions and add-ons are common, ask each provider for an itemized quote rather than trusting the headline rate.

Is hosted Drake secure and IRS-compliant?

Hosting can help, but it does not replace your own written security plan. Look for multi-factor login, encrypted connections and storage, daily backups, and a SOC 2 report the provider will actually show you. The FTC Safeguards Rule and IRS Publication 4557 make your firm responsible for vetting the host.

Can I move my existing Drake files to a host?

Yes. Providers will migrate your current Drake data, prior-year returns, and Drake Documents into the hosted environment. Plan the migration well before busy season so you are not moving data in the middle of filing.

Do I still need my own Drake license to use hosting?

Yes. The host provides the server and environment; you bring your own Drake Tax license. Hosting is about where the software runs, not the software itself.

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