Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
Ufile Canada is one of several programs people use to file a personal return online. Before you pick any of them, check one thing: is it on the CRA’s list of certified software for NETFILE? We couldn’t confirm anything about Ufile’s price or features, so this page shows you how to check for yourself.
Is Ufile Canada certified for NETFILE?
Look it up. The CRA certifies tax software each year and publishes the list, which you can sort by cost and software details. If a program isn’t on that list, it can’t send your return through NETFILE, whatever its ads say.
A list of third-party software developers and their certified tax software products is provided each tax year.
Tax software for filing personal taxes, canada.ca
NETFILE is the CRA service you use as an individual. EFILE is the separate one for professional preparers. So a program’s name matters less than whether it’s certified for the year you’re filing.
What does NETFILE need from you?
| Item | What the CRA says |
|---|---|
| Open period | February 23, 2026 to January 29, 2027 |
| Tax years you can file | 2018 to 2025 (initial returns) |
| Amended returns (ReFILE) | 2022 to 2025 |
| Identification | A SIN starting with 1 to 9, or a temporary tax number starting 01 or 03 |
| SIN starting with 0 | Only for newcomers to Canada |
NETFILE also can’t be used in a few cases, such as a return for a deceased person or a bankruptcy. Some more unusual claims, like foreign tax credits for more than three countries, rule it out as well. If your return is that kind, read the CRA’s list before you buy anything.
What should you check before choosing tax software?
Year first. Software sold for 2024 won’t file 2025. Then the price, which you’ll find on the CRA’s list, and then how well it handles your situation: self-employment, rental income, a foreign slip, a spouse’s return.
Ask what happens if you need to amend. ReFILE is open for 2022 to 2025 returns, but your program has to support it. Ask about saving a copy of the finished return, too. You’ll want it next year, and some programs only keep it for a limited time unless you download it.
And don’t judge by promises. Any program that says it will “maximize your refund” is describing your deductions, not its own magic. Your refund depends on what you claimed and what was withheld.
What if you can’t find your program on the list?
Don’t file with it. Pick a certified one instead, then move your slips across by hand, which takes an evening at worst and saves you from a return that never reaches the CRA. The CRA’s list is the only place that settles certification for the current year, and a program you used in an earlier year has to be checked again, because the list is published each tax year.
That one check beats any review.
Can you reuse last year’s program?
Usually you can reuse the brand, but not last year’s copy. Each year’s version is certified separately, so download or buy the one made for the tax year you’re filing. If the program offers to import last year’s return, it saves typing, though it’s worth reading the imported numbers line by line. Old addresses and old dependants have a way of tagging along.
How can you sanity check the answer?
Run the numbers on a second tool. Say you earned $60,000 in Alberta. The income tax calculator gives $7,969.60 of federal and Alberta tax, plus CPP and EI of $4,339.75. If your employer withheld $8,000, the tax refund calculator shows a refund of $30.40.
If your software says $2,500 back on that same salary, something’s added. Maybe you have credits the simple tool leaves out. Maybe you’ve entered a slip twice. Either way, you know where to look.
To see how a claim changes things, try the tax credits calculator or the marginal tax rate calculator. At $60,000 in Alberta the second one shows 28.5% on extra ordinary income, so a $1,000 deduction saves about $285. That’s a ballpark, not a promise.
Mistakes people make with tax software
Filing before every slip has arrived. Then you amend, which is a chore. The second is copying last year’s return and forgetting what changed, like a new job or a move.
Trusting a refund estimate on the screen as if it were the CRA’s answer. Only the notice of assessment settles it. And if you owe, the balance is due by April 30, however early you file.
One more habit worth having: write down your confirmation number once the return goes through. If the CRA ever asks whether you filed, that number is your proof, and it takes five seconds to copy it into a note on your phone.
Where the numbers come from
NETFILE dates, tax years and identification rules come from the Canada Revenue Agency‘s tax software pages, read in 2026. Tax examples come from this site’s calculators, using 2026 Alberta and federal rates. We named Ufile as an example only, and made no claim about it. This is an independent guide, separate from any government body.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if tax software works with NETFILE?
Check the CRA's list of certified tax software for the year you're filing. If it isn't listed, it can't send your return through NETFILE.
What is the difference between NETFILE and EFILE?
NETFILE is for individuals filing their own return. EFILE is for professional tax preparers.
Which tax years can I file with NETFILE?
Initial returns for 2018 to 2025 can be sent from February 23, 2026 until January 29, 2027. Amended returns through ReFILE cover 2022 to 2025.
Can I use NETFILE if my SIN starts with 0?
Only if you're a newcomer to Canada, according to the CRA.
When is the balance due if I owe tax?
By April 30, however early you file.
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