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Taxes · Software review

UFile review

4.0/5

A long-standing, certified Canadian option with the strongest free tiers for students, newcomers and low-income families, deep Quebec support, and family-based pricing — provided you do not need a Mac desktop app.

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

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Pros

  • Free online for students, newcomers/first-time filers and families under $20,000 income
  • Family-based pricing — one purchase covers a couple plus dependants
  • Both cloud and Windows-desktop versions
  • Thorough, long-standing Quebec TP-1 support

Cons

  • The desktop app is Windows-only — no Mac
  • Per-dependant add-ons can creep up for larger families
  • Pricing presentation is dated and the tier names overlap

What UFile is

UFile is a veteran Canadian tax product (from Thomson Reuters) offered as a web app (UFile ONLINE) and a Windows desktop program (UFile for Windows). It is NETFILE certified and has some of the deepest Quebec TP-1 support of any consumer tool — a real reason Quebec residents reach for it.

Its other calling card is free eligibility: UFile files free online for all post-secondary students, for newcomers and first-time filers, and for families with total income under $20,000 — plus simple single-slip returns.

Pricing

When it is not free, UFile uses family-based pricing: a head-of-family return starts around $20.95, with spouse and dependants added at lower rates, so a couple-plus-kids household is covered by one purchase. The Windows desktop versions (UFile 4 and UFile 12) are one-time purchases covering 4 or 12 returns.

For families and Quebec residents this is often the cheapest realistic option; just note there is no Mac desktop app. Estimate your refund first with the income tax calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How much does UFile cost?
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. Prices verified at UFile's own site on June 13, 2026 — they change through the tax season, so confirm before you buy. Compare the field on our best tax software ranking.
Is UFile certified by the CRA (NETFILE)?
UFile states it is NETFILE certified; we mark this "provider-stated" because the CRA's list was not independently reachable from our tooling. NETFILE caps any single product at 20 returns per year.
Can UFile file a Quebec return?
Full Quebec TP-1 support — one of the strongest options for Quebec residents. Quebec residents file a separate TP-1 return on top of the federal one — see which tools handle it best in our three-way comparison.

The bottom line

UFile is the value pick for families, Quebec residents, students and newcomers — strong free tiers, family pricing and excellent TP-1 coverage. If you are a single filer on a Mac, a web tool like Wealthsimple Tax is a simpler fit.

See how UFile compares

All seven Canadian tax tools, verified at the source and ranked.

Visit UFile Compare all seven

This review is educational, not tax advice. Prices, tiers and NETFILE status shown were verified at UFile's own published pages on June 13, 2026 and change without notice — tax-software pricing in particular shifts through the season. Our editorial rating reflects cost, breadth, platform reach and help options; it is never paid for. Confirm current terms on the provider's site before you file. See our methodology.