Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Segments	Segments: The Company has three reportable segments: Search and Content, Tax Preparation, and E-Commerce. The Search and Content segment is the InfoSpace business, the Tax Preparation segment is the TaxACT business, and the E-Commerce segment is the Monoprice business. Unless the context indicates otherwise, the Company uses the term “Search and Content” to represent search and content services provided through the InfoSpace business, the term “Tax Preparation” to represent services and software sold through the TaxACT business, and the term “E-Commerce” to represent products sold through the Monoprice business (see “Note 9: Segment Information”).
Principles of consolidation	Principles of consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Use of estimates	Use of estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Estimates include those used for impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets, useful lives of other intangible assets, acquisition accounting, valuation of investments, revenue recognition, the estimated allowance for sales returns and doubtful accounts, the estimated allowance for obsolete, slow moving, and nonsalable inventory, internally developed software, contingent liabilities, stock option valuation, and valuation allowance for deferred tax assets. Actual amounts may differ from estimates.
Seasonality	Seasonality: Blucora’s Tax Preparation segment is highly seasonal, with the significant majority of its annual revenue earned in the first four months of the Company’s fiscal year. During the third and fourth quarters, the Tax Preparation segment typically reports losses because revenue from the segment is minimal while core operating expenses continue at relatively consistent levels. Revenue from the E-Commerce segment also is seasonal, with revenues historically being the lowest in the second quarter, a period that does not include consumer back-to-school or holiday-related spending.
Interim financial information	Interim financial information: The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company under the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for interim financial reporting. These consolidated financial statements are unaudited and, in management’s opinion, include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments and accruals, necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in Part II Item 8 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.
Short-term investments	Short-term investments: The Company principally invests its available cash in fixed income debt and marketable equity securities. Fixed income debt securities include investment-grade income securities, AAA-rated money market funds, and insured time deposits with commercial banks. Equity securities include common stock in a publicly-traded company. Such investments are included in “Cash and cash equivalents” and “Available-for-sale investments” on the consolidated balance sheets and reported at fair value with unrealized gains and losses included in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” on the consolidated balance sheets. Amounts reclassified out of comprehensive income into net income are determined on the basis of specific identification. The Company reviews its available-for-sale investments for impairment and classifies the impairment of any individual available-for-sale investment as either temporary or other-than-temporary. The differentiating factors between temporary and other-than-temporary impairments are primarily the length of the time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, and the intent and ability of the Company to retain its investment in the issuer for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in fair value. An impairment classified as temporary is recognized in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” on the consolidated balance sheets. An impairment classified as other-than-temporary is recognized in “Other loss, net” on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.
Inventories	Inventories: Inventories, consisting of merchandise available for sale in the E-Commerce business, are accounted for using the first-in-first-out (“FIFO”) method of accounting and are valued at the lower of cost or market and include the related inbound shipping and handling costs. Inventory quantities on hand are reviewed regularly, and allowances are maintained for obsolete, slow moving, and nonsalable inventory.
Business combinations and intangible assets including goodwill	Business combinations and intangible assets including goodwill: The Company accounts for business combinations using the acquisition method. The acquisition-date fair value of total consideration includes cash and contingent consideration. Since the Company is contractually obligated to pay contingent consideration upon the achievement of specified objectives, a contingent consideration liability is recorded at the acquisition date. The Company reviews its assumptions related to the fair value of the contingent consideration liability each reporting period and, if there are material changes, revalues the contingent consideration liability based on the revised assumptions, until such contingency is satisfied through payment upon the achievement of the specified objectives. The change in the fair value of the contingent consideration liability is recognized in “General and administrative” expense on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the period in which the fair value changes. Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the acquisition-date fair value of total consideration over the acquisition-date fair value of net assets, including the amount assigned to identifiable intangible assets, and is assigned to reporting units that are expected to benefit from the synergies of the business combination as of the acquisition date. Reporting units are consistent with reportable segments. Identifiable intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their useful lives on a straight-line basis. Acquisition-related costs, including advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other similar costs, are expensed in the periods in which the costs are incurred. The results of operations of acquired businesses are included in the consolidated financial statements from the acquisition date.
Fair value measurements	Fair value measurements: The Company measures its cash equivalents, available-for-sale investments, and contingent consideration liability at fair value. The Company considers the carrying values of accounts receivable, other receivables, inventories, prepaid expenses, other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses, and other current liabilities to approximate fair values primarily due to their short-term natures. Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Marketable equity securities are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy because the Company values its marketable equity securities using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities. Cash equivalents and debt securities are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy because the Company values its cash equivalents and debt securities utilizing market observable inputs. The contingent consideration liability is related to the Company's acquisition of SimpleTax and is classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy because the Company values the liability utilizing significant inputs not observable in the market. Specifically, the Company has determined the fair value of the contingent consideration liability based on a probability-weighted discounted cash flow analysis, which includes assumptions related to estimating revenues, the probability of payment, and the discount rate. The Company accounts for contingent consideration in accordance with applicable accounting guidance pertaining to business combinations, as disclosed in the accounting policy “Business combinations and intangible assets including goodwill.”
Foreign currency	Foreign currency: The financial position and operating results of the Company's foreign operations are consolidated using the local currency as the functional currency. Assets and liabilities recorded in local currencies are translated at the exchange rate on the balance sheet date, while revenues and expenses are translated at the average exchange rate for the applicable period. Translation adjustments resulting from this process are recorded in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” on the consolidated balance sheets. The gain or loss on foreign currency transactions, calculated as the difference between the historical exchange rate and the exchange rate at the applicable measurement date, are recorded in “Other loss, net” on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.
Recent accounting pronouncements	Recent accounting pronouncements: Changes to GAAP are established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) in the form of accounting standards updates (“ASUs”) to the FASB’s Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”). The Company considers the applicability and impact of all recent ASUs. ASUs not listed below were assessed and determined to be either not applicable or are expected to have minimal impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations. In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance codified in ASC 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” which amends the guidance in former ASC 605 “Revenue Recognition.” The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This will be achieved in a five-step process. Enhanced disclosures also will be required. This guidance is effective on a retrospective basis--either to each reporting period presented or with the cumulative effect of initially applying this guidance recognized at the date of initial application--for annual reporting periods, including interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods, beginning after December 15, 2017. Earlier application is permitted only as of annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. The Company currently is evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued two separate ASUs, both of which are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. Earlier adoption is permitted for both ASUs. One of these ASUs provides guidance about whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, in which case the software license element should be accounted for consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses; otherwise, the arrangement should be accounted for as a service contract. This guidance may be applied either prospectively or retrospectively. The other ASU provides guidance related to the balance sheet presentation of debt issuance costs, in which those debt issuance costs should be presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the recognized debt, unless the debt issuance costs relate to line-of-credit arrangements, in which case asset presentation of such debt issuance costs would still be permitted. This guidance must be applied retrospectively. The adoption of these ASUs are not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.