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2025 Tax Year · Canada

Best tax software in Canada

Most Canadians can file a complete, CRA-certified return for $0. We compared the seven names worth knowing — Wealthsimple Tax, TurboTax, H&R Block, UFile, GenuTax, CloudTax and StudioTax — on price, what the free tier actually covers, NETFILE certification, Quebec support and which devices they run on.

Compare all seven Estimate your refund first

Prices checked June 13, 2026 for the 2025 tax year. Tax-software pricing changes through the season — confirm the current price on each provider's site (every row links out).

Quick picks

The short answer

Best overall / best free Wealthsimple Tax Free to file — pay what you want, starting at $0 Best guided experience TurboTax Free for simple returns; DIY tiers about $30–$70; expert help extra Best DIY-with-office backup H&R Block Online Free DIY tier; paid tiers about $30–$70; optional expert review or in-office Best for families & Quebec UFile Free for students, newcomers and low income; otherwise family-based pricing from about $20.95 Best free desktop GenuTax Standard Completely free (optional donation), including all future-year updates Best cross-platform StudioTax A low one-time fee (confirm the current price on the provider site)

Side by side

Canadian tax software compared (2025 tax year)

The five names most people are choosing between, plus two worth knowing. Every product files through NETFILE (max 20 returns each). "Free?" describes what the no-cost path actually covers.

Software Pricing Free path NETFILE Platforms Best for
Wealthsimple Tax Best overall / best free Free to file — pay what you want, starting at $0 The Basic tier files a full personal return — including investments, capital gains, rental and self-employment (T2125) — for $0 if you choose to pay nothing. Yes — certified Web browser (no current mobile app) Most Canadians filing a personal return — including investors and the self-employed — who want a free, CRA-certified tool.
TurboTax Best guided experience Free for simple returns; DIY tiers about $30–$70; expert help extra The Free tier covers employment, pension, RRSP, child-care and EI income only — donations, medical, investments, capital gains, rental and self-employment all require a paid tier. Yes (provider-stated) Web, iOS and Android (a separate Windows desktop edition also exists) Filers who want a polished, hand-held experience and the option to escalate to an expert — and will pay a premium for it.
H&R Block Online Best DIY-with-office backup Free DIY tier; paid tiers about $30–$70; optional expert review or in-office The Free tier covers T4 employment income with standard deductions, tuition/student credits and RRSP; investments need Premier and self-employment needs the Self-Employed tier. Yes (provider-stated) Web (browser-based) Budget-minded filers who want free or low-cost DIY but value the fallback of an in-person office if the return gets hairy.
UFile Best for families & Quebec Free for students, newcomers and low income; otherwise family-based pricing from about $20.95 Free online for all post-secondary students, newcomers/first-time filers, and families with total income under $20,000 — plus simple single-slip returns. Yes (provider-stated) Web (any OS) and a Windows desktop app (no Mac/Linux app) Families, Quebec residents, students and newcomers who want certified low-cost filing — provided you do not need a Mac desktop app.
GenuTax Standard Best free desktop Completely free (optional donation), including all future-year updates Free for everyone, with no income limit — funded by optional donations. Yes — certified Windows desktop only (no Mac, web or mobile) Windows users who want a free, no-strings desktop tool for multiple or back-year returns with moderately complex income.
CloudTax Free / pay-what-you-want DIY; Plus tier about $39; optional live expert help Free DIY for simple returns, with a pay-what-you-want option down to $0. Yes (provider-stated) Web, iOS and Android Mobile-first filers who want a free, app-based return with the option to pay for live expert help.
StudioTax Best cross-platform A low one-time fee (confirm the current price on the provider site) No longer free for current tax years (only 2019-and-earlier versions were free). Yes — certified Windows, macOS, iOS and Android — the only cross-platform option here Mac and cross-device households that want one paid desktop/mobile licence covering several complex returns.

NETFILE certification is the CRA's, not ours. Where a vendor states 2025 certification on its own site we mark it "certified"; where we could only confirm the vendor's general statement we mark it "provider-stated". Quebec residents also file a separate TP-1 — see each card below.

The big five

The five most people choose between

Wealthsimple Tax

Wealthsimple (formerly SimpleTax)

4.7 /5

Best overall / best free

Free to file — pay what you want, starting at $0

  • Basic $0 Pay what you want · 2 returns
  • Plus $40 8 returns · adds audit protection + priority support
  • Pro $80 Adds a one-on-one tax-expert consult · not in Quebec/French
NETFILE
Yes — certified
Returns
Up to 20 (the CRA cap)
Platforms
Web browser (no current mobile app)
Quebec
Files the Quebec TP-1; the Pro expert consult is not offered in Quebec or in French
Expert help
Pro tier ($80) includes a one-on-one consultation with a tax expert (English only).

Strengths

  • Genuinely free for a normal personal return, even with investment or self-employment income
  • Auto-fill My Return pulls your slips straight from the CRA
  • Optimizer sweeps 400+ credits and deductions and suggests where to put RRSP/donations
  • Refunds can flow straight into a Wealthsimple account

Watch-outs

  • Personal T1 returns only — no corporate T2
  • Web-only; the old mobile filing app is gone
  • Pro expert help unavailable in Quebec / French

Best for: Most Canadians filing a personal return — including investors and the self-employed — who want a free, CRA-certified tool.

Visit Wealthsimple Tax Read our review

TurboTax

Intuit Canada

4.2 /5

Best guided experience

Free for simple returns; DIY tiers about $30–$70; expert help extra

  • Free $0 Simple returns only
  • Deluxe $30 Donations, medical, more deductions
  • Premier $50 Investments, capital gains, rental
  • Self-Employed $70 Freelance / small-business income
NETFILE
Yes (provider-stated)
Returns
Up to 20 per account
Platforms
Web, iOS and Android (a separate Windows desktop edition also exists)
Quebec
Files the Quebec TP-1; Full Service assisted filing is not offered in Quebec
Expert help
Assist & Review (an expert checks your return) runs about $70–$150/return; Full Service (an expert files for you) about $120–$315/return and is not available in Quebec.

Strengths

  • The most polished, guided DIY experience, with a clear upgrade path as your return gets complex
  • Two tiers of human help — a quick expert review or a full hand-off
  • Strong mobile apps alongside the web version
  • Audit support bundled into the assisted tiers

Watch-outs

  • The most expensive option once you leave the Free tier
  • Free tier is restrictive — any investment or self-employment income forces an upgrade
  • Full Service not available in Quebec

Best for: Filers who want a polished, hand-held experience and the option to escalate to an expert — and will pay a premium for it.

Visit TurboTax Read our review

H&R Block Online

H&R Block Canada

4.0 /5

Best DIY-with-office backup

Free DIY tier; paid tiers about $30–$70; optional expert review or in-office

  • Free $0 T4 income + common credits
  • Deluxe $29.99 More deductions and credits
  • Premier $49.99 Investments and rental income
  • Self-Employed $69.99 Self-employment income
NETFILE
Yes (provider-stated)
Returns
Up to 20 per account
Platforms
Web (browser-based)
Quebec
Files the Quebec TP-1; nationwide retail offices for in-person help
Expert help
Add Expert Help online from about $49.99, or hand it to an office in person from about $54.99 — the same retail tax preparers H&R Block is known for.

Strengths

  • Free tier is reasonably generous (students, RRSP, common credits)
  • Optional expert review or full in-office filing — the only major DIY tool backed by a retail office network
  • Auto-Fill My Return and mid-return tier upgrades
  • Maximum-refund and accuracy guarantees

Watch-outs

  • Investments and self-employment require the pricier tiers
  • Remote / drop-off expert pricing is quote-based, not posted
  • Online platform/OS support is not clearly stated

Best for: Budget-minded filers who want free or low-cost DIY but value the fallback of an in-person office if the return gets hairy.

Visit H&R Block Online Read our review

UFile

Thomson Reuters

4.0 /5

Best for families & Quebec

Free for students, newcomers and low income; otherwise family-based pricing from about $20.95

  • UFile ONLINE From $20.95 Head of family; spouse and dependants added at lower rates
  • UFile Premium About $32.95–$48.95 Single / family
  • UFile for Windows About $26.99–$42.99 UFile 4 (4 returns) / UFile 12 (12 returns)
NETFILE
Yes (provider-stated)
Returns
Online: head + spouse + dependants per voucher; Windows: up to 12
Platforms
Web (any OS) and a Windows desktop app (no Mac/Linux app)
Quebec
Full Quebec TP-1 support — one of the strongest options for Quebec residents

Strengths

  • Excellent free tiers for students, newcomers and low-income families
  • Family-based pricing — one purchase covers a couple plus dependants
  • Both cloud and Windows-desktop options
  • Long-standing, thorough Quebec coverage

Watch-outs

  • Desktop app is Windows-only
  • Per-dependant add-ons can creep up for larger families
  • Pricing presentation is dated and tier names overlap

Best for: Families, Quebec residents, students and newcomers who want certified low-cost filing — provided you do not need a Mac desktop app.

Visit UFile Read our review

GenuTax Standard

3.8 /5

Best free desktop

Completely free (optional donation), including all future-year updates

  • GenuTax Standard Free Donation-based · up to 20 returns
NETFILE
Yes — certified
Returns
Up to 20 per tax year
Platforms
Windows desktop only (no Mac, web or mobile)
Quebec
Files federal returns; confirm Quebec TP-1 needs on the provider site

Strengths

  • Genuinely free with no upsell, even for complex returns
  • Handles capital gains, rental and small-business income
  • Auto-Fill My Return and ReFILE supported
  • Can prepare back-year returns to 2003

Watch-outs

  • Windows-only desktop install
  • Dated interface
  • No published version/release transparency

Best for: Windows users who want a free, no-strings desktop tool for multiple or back-year returns with moderately complex income.

Visit GenuTax Standard Read our review

Also worth knowing

Two more, for specific needs

CloudTax

3.7 /5

Free / pay-what-you-want DIY; Plus tier about $39; optional live expert help

NETFILE
Yes (provider-stated)
Platforms
Web, iOS and Android

Best for: Mobile-first filers who want a free, app-based return with the option to pay for live expert help.

Visit CloudTax Pricing source

StudioTax

Best cross-platform

3.6 /5

A low one-time fee (confirm the current price on the provider site)

NETFILE
Yes — certified
Platforms
Windows, macOS, iOS and Android — the only cross-platform option here

Best for: Mac and cross-device households that want one paid desktop/mobile licence covering several complex returns.

Visit StudioTax Pricing source

How to choose

A 30-second decision guide

Torn between the big three? See the full Wealthsimple Tax vs TurboTax vs H&R Block head-to-head — or, if you are wondering whether to file at all yourself, DIY taxes vs hiring an accountant.

Simple T4 return, want it free?

Any free tier works. Wealthsimple Tax is the smoothest, and stays free even if your situation gets more complex later.

Investments or self-employment?

Wealthsimple Tax still files free. If you prefer hand-holding, TurboTax/H&R Block charge ~$50 (investments) to ~$70 (self-employed).

Want a human to check it?

TurboTax (Assist & Review / Full Service) or H&R Block (online expert or an in-person office) — note both limit assisted options in Quebec.

Quebec resident or a whole family?

UFile — deep TP-1 support and family-based pricing, with free tiers for students, newcomers and low income.

On a Mac, or want it on your phone?

StudioTax is the only Windows + Mac + iOS + Android option. CloudTax and TurboTax cover web + iOS/Android.

Free, offline, multiple returns?

GenuTax — free donation-ware on Windows, up to 20 returns, handles back-years to 2003.

Before you file, run the numbers:

Income tax & refund RRSP refund Capital gains Tax brackets by province

Common questions

Tax software FAQ

What is the best free tax software in Canada?
For a normal personal return, Wealthsimple Tax is the strongest free option — it is pay-what-you-want (you can file for $0) and still handles investment, capital-gains and self-employment income, which the "free" tiers of TurboTax and H&R Block do not. GenuTax is a fully free Windows desktop alternative funded by donations. The free tiers of TurboTax, H&R Block, UFile and CloudTax exist too, but each restricts you to a simple return.
Is free tax software safe and accepted by the CRA?
Yes. Every product on this page files through NETFILE, the CRA's secure electronic-filing service, and each must be certified by the CRA for the tax year. NETFILE caps any single product at 20 returns per year. Certification means the software has passed the CRA's testing — it does not depend on price, so a free certified tool is exactly as "accepted" as a paid one.
Which tax software is best if I have investments or am self-employed?
If you want to stay free, Wealthsimple Tax handles capital gains, dividends, rental and self-employment (the T2125) at no required cost. Among the paid tools, TurboTax and H&R Block push investment income to their Premier tier (about $50) and self-employment to a Self-Employed tier (about $70). Run the numbers first with our income tax calculator and capital gains calculator.
Can these file my Quebec (TP-1) return?
Quebec residents file a separate provincial return (the TP-1) on top of the federal one. UFile and Wealthsimple Tax both handle the TP-1 well; UFile has especially deep Quebec support. Watch the assisted tiers, though — TurboTax's Full Service and Wealthsimple's Pro expert consult are not offered in Quebec.
Do I need a Mac or mobile version?
Platform is a real differentiator. GenuTax and the UFile desktop app are Windows-only. StudioTax is the only tool here covering Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. Wealthsimple Tax, TurboTax, H&R Block, UFile Online and CloudTax all run in a web browser on any operating system, and TurboTax and CloudTax add iOS/Android apps.
Why do the prices here differ from what I see on the provider's site?
Tax-software pricing changes every season — tiers are often discounted early in the year and rise as the April deadline nears, and promos come and go. The prices on this page were checked on June 13, 2026 for the 2025 tax year and every product links out to its own pricing page. Always confirm the current price before you buy.

Prices and features verified June 13, 2026 at each provider's own site (linked per product). Editorial ratings reflect cost, breadth, platform reach and help options — they are never sold and never change the order. See how we make money and choose products.