The Drake data folder sits on the server
Client returns, Drake Documents and setup files live in one shared Drake folder on fast SSD storage. Every preparer’s Drake points to it.
Drake Tax Hosting
Drake Tax Software Hosting
Drake Tax software hosting puts your licensed Drake Tax desktop program, its shared data folder and every tax year you still open on a managed cloud server. Preparers run the full Windows edition from a PC, a Mac or a Chromebook, with all the desktop-only tools the browser-based Drake Tax Online leaves out. TechFiscal handles the server, security, backups and each season’s install.
Get a Drake Hosting Quote- Full Drake desktop edition
- Every tax year installed
- Works on Mac and Chromebook
- MFA and encrypted sessions
How Drake hosting works
Drake’s Server Setup, Moved Into a Data Center
Drake supports two network models: a dedicated server that holds the Drake data, or peer-to-peer, where one workstation shares it. Hosting uses the dedicated-server model, and the server lives in a data center instead of your back office.
Preparers run Drake in a remote session
Drake itself runs on the server, next to its data. Each preparer sees their session on screen, so nothing slows down when ten people open returns at once.
Each tax year is its own install
Drake ships a separate program for every tax year. We keep the current season and the prior years you need side by side for amendments and carryovers.
Desktop or online?
What Is Drake Tax Software Hosting, and Why Not Drake Tax Online?
Drake Tax software hosting is a service that installs your licensed Drake Tax desktop software and its shared data folder on a remote cloud server and gives your preparers secure, multi-user access over the internet. It’s different from Drake Tax Online, Drake’s browser product, which doesn’t include several tools Drake desktop users rely on.
| Feature | Drake desktop on an office server | Drake desktop hosted by TechFiscal | Drake Tax Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax Planner | Yes | Yes | Not available |
| Drake Documents | Yes | Yes | Not available |
| Organizers and proformas | Yes | Yes | Not available |
| Refund Pay and signature pads | Yes | Refund Pay yes; pads may not pass through | Not available |
| GruntWorx integration | Yes | Yes | Needs the desktop integration |
| Runs on Mac or Chromebook | No, Windows only | Yes, through the session | Yes |
| Who runs the server | You | TechFiscal | Drake |
On the same server
Drake Products and Add-Ons We Host Together
Drake works best when the tools around it share the same server and the same client folders.
DrakeDrake TaxCurrent season and prior years, with your EF, bank product and ERO settings intact.
DrakeDrake DocumentsClient document storage that stays linked to returns on the server.
DrakeTax PlannerYear-round planning projections, which the online edition doesn’t include.
DrakeDrake PortalsSecure client file exchange tied to the same client records.
Add-onGruntWorxAutomated data entry and organizing, which depends on the desktop edition.
Add-onTheTaxBookResearch libraries open in the same session as the return.
AccountingQuickBooks DesktopClient books beside Drake, so numbers move without emailing files.View QuickBooks hosting ↗ProductivityMicrosoft 365 & PDF toolsExcel workpapers, Outlook and PDF editing in the same window.
Built to spec
Drake System Requirements, and How We Meet Them
Drake publishes new requirements every season. These are the current ones and how the hosted server handles each.
| Requirement | What Drake lists | How the hosted server meets it |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 or Windows Server 2019, 2022 or 2025; ARM not supported | A supported Windows Server on x64 hardware |
| Memory | 8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended per workstation | Server RAM sized to your concurrent preparers |
| Storage | SSD recommended; space grows with clients | SSD storage that we expand as you grow |
| Runtime components | .NET, .NET Desktop Runtime, WebView2 and Edge | Installed and kept updated by us |
| Network setup | Dedicated server or peer-to-peer | Dedicated-server model in a data center |
| Display | 1920 x 1080 or higher | Session scales to your monitor |
Who it’s for
Drake Offices That Get the Most From Hosting
Hosting fits best when two or more preparers use Drake at once, or anyone prepares or reviews away from the office.
Independent offices
Drake Tax Shops
Keep bank products, Refund Pay and every desktop workflow without a server to maintain between seasons.
Accounting firms
CPAs Running Drake
Drake beside QuickBooks and Excel workpapers, supported by our IT services for CPA firms.
Apple users
Preparers on Mac
Drake doesn’t run on Apple silicon, but a hosted session gives Mac users the full Windows program.
Seasonal teams
Offices That Staff Up
Add preparers in January on any device and remove them in May, with no client data left behind.
What’s included
What’s Included in Drake Hosting
Everything needed to run Drake the way Drake designed its server setup, without the server in your office.
01
Drake-Ready Server
A Windows Server on Drake’s supported list, with SSD storage for the data folder and RAM for your busiest week.
- Supported OS, x64 only
- Runtime components managed
- Sized for peak preparers
02
Data Folder and Year Migration
We move the Drake folder, returns, Drake Documents and settings, and install each year you still open.
- Prior-year installs
- Drake Documents moved
- EF and bank settings checked
03
Preparer Logins
A separate Windows login and Drake login for every preparer, so activity is traceable and nobody shares credentials.
- One login per preparer
- Admin and preparer roles
- Quick seasonal changes
04
MFA and Encryption
Every session uses MFA and encryption, with monitoring and endpoint protection on the server, documented for your WISP.
- MFA on every login
- Encrypted sessions and storage
- Threat monitoring
05
Drake Data Backups
The Drake folder is backed up nightly and copied off-site, and we can restore a single client’s return.
- Nightly snapshots
- Off-site copies
- Single-return restores
06
New Season Install
We download and install each new Drake tax year and its updates on the server before filing season opens.
- New year installed in Dec–Jan
- Updates applied for you
- E-file tested first
Moving Drake
How We Move Drake Tax to the Cloud
A typical Drake move takes a few days and happens outside filing season.
Inventory your Drake setup
We list your tax years, data folder location, preparer count, bank product setup and add-ons.
~30 min callBuild the Drake server
We build the server, install every Drake year you need and create preparer logins with MFA.
1–2 daysCopy and test the data folder
We copy the Drake folder, then test opening returns, printing 8879s, e-file, Drake Documents and GruntWorx.
Tested before go-liveSwitch preparers over
Each preparer gets a login guide for their device. The old server stays read-only until you’re comfortable.
Ongoing supportThe stakes
What Goes Wrong With Drake on an Office Network
These are the Drake problems we see most in small offices, and almost all of them show up in March.
Mapped Drive Drops Over VPN
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Each workstation reads the Drake data folder across the network. When a remote preparer’s VPN drops, Drake freezes or loses the connection to the data in the middle of a return.
Drake’s shared data folder modelThe Peer-to-Peer ‘Server’ Restarts
+
In many small offices one preparer’s PC shares the Drake folder. When that PC installs updates or crashes, everyone stops working.
Drake peer-to-peer setupPrior Years Stuck on an Old PC
+
Older Drake years end up on one aging machine. When it fails, amendments and client questions turn into a recovery project.
Separate install per tax yearClient Data on Laptops
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Preparers copy returns or PDFs to personal laptops to work from home, putting SSNs and bank details outside any control. The IRS reported nearly 300 tax-pro breaches in the first half of 2025.
IRS IR-2025-88What Hosting Changes
Hosting Drake removes each of those weak points:
- VPN mapped drive → Drake running next to its data
- Preparer PC as server → a managed server that doesn’t restart mid-day
- Prior years on an old PC → every year installed on one server
- Returns on laptops → client data that never leaves the data center
Before you sign
Questions to Ask a Drake Hosting Provider
Drake hosting ranges from cheap shared seats to dedicated servers. These questions show whether a provider knows Drake.
Drake knowledge
- Do you use Drake’s dedicated-server model? The data folder should live on the server, not on a workaround share.
- Which Drake years will you install? You’ll need prior years for amendments and carryovers.
- Who installs the new tax year? It should be on the server and tested before filing season.
- Who do we call when something breaks? Drake supports the program; the host should own everything else.
Your preparers
- Can our Mac users run Drake? They should be able to, through the hosted session.
- How do printing and scanning work? Ask them to show an 8879 printing at a local printer.
- How many preparers per server? Ask how RAM is sized against Drake’s requirements.
- How quickly can we add seasonal staff? Same-day account setup is reasonable.
Common questions
Drake Tax Software Hosting FAQs
What is Drake Tax software hosting?+
Drake Tax software hosting installs your licensed Drake Tax desktop program and its shared data folder on a secure cloud server, so preparers can work from anywhere. The provider manages the server, security, backups and updates, and you keep the full Windows edition and your prior years.
Does Drake Software support third-party hosting?+
Drake says it tests its software only with Rightworks, its recommended hosting service, and can’t provide support for other hosting services. With TechFiscal, Drake still supports the Drake program and your account, and we take full responsibility for the server, network, printing and access.
Can I use Drake Tax on a Mac?+
Not directly. Drake Tax runs only on Windows and doesn’t support ARM processors, which rules out running it natively on Apple silicon Macs. With hosting, you open the Windows session from your Mac and run the full Drake program on the server.
Is hosted Drake the same as Drake Tax Online?+
No. Drake Tax Online is Drake’s browser product, and Drake lists features it doesn’t include, such as Tax Planner, Drake Documents, organizers, proformas, Refund Pay and signature pads. Hosting keeps the full desktop edition.
Can I keep several years of Drake Tax?+
Yes. Drake installs each tax year as its own program, and we keep the current season and the prior years you need on the same server.
Can I e-file and offer bank products from hosted Drake?+
Yes. Drake transmits returns and bank product applications from the server the same way it does from an office PC. Your EFIN, ERO setup and EF status stay inside Drake.
Can I print 8879s from hosted Drake?+
Yes. Your local printer is redirected into the session, so 8879s and client copies print at your desk. Signature pads may not pass through a remote session, so most offices use Drake’s e-signature options.
How long does it take to move Drake to the cloud?+
Most Drake moves take a few days. We copy the data folder, install every year you need, test e-file, printing and Drake Documents, and switch preparers over outside filing season.
Keep reading
Related Tax Hosting Services & Guides
OverviewTax Software HostingEvery desktop tax program we host, how the service works and what to ask before you move.Learn more ↗Tax softwareLacerte Tax Software HostingLacerte and DMS sized to Intuit’s hosted requirements, with Fast Path seats planned for peak weeks.Learn more ↗QuickBooksQuickBooks HostingClient QuickBooks Desktop files on the same secure server as your tax software.Learn more ↗Free templateFree WISP Template for CPA FirmsAn IRS and FTC-aligned plan template with a checklist that shows what yours is missing.Learn more ↗
Get started today
Run Drake Tax From Any Device, Securely
Tell us how many preparers use Drake at peak, which years you keep and what connects to it. We’ll send a plan and a fixed quote, and have you moved before the new season opens.
Get a Drake Hosting Quote