Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
Canada tax software is free to file with if your return is simple. The CRA says most certified programs prepare a basic return at no charge for people with modest income, and charge once things get more involved. Only programs on the CRA certified list can send your return through NETFILE.
What makes tax software certified?
Each year the CRA certifies programs made by outside companies. Certified software can work out your return and send it to the CRA electronically. The CRA’s own certified software page shows the options and the cost of each, so start there instead of with an ad.
Pick something off that list and you’re using NETFILE, the CRA’s service for personal returns. For this cycle it opened on February 23, 2026 and stays open until January 29, 2027, and it takes initial returns for 2018 through 2025. Amended returns for 2022 to 2025 go through a sister service called ReFILE.
Which Canada tax software should you pick?
There’s no best one, only the one that fits your year. Ask four questions.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is it on the CRA certified list? | Only certified software files through NETFILE. |
| Does the free version cover your slips? | Modest income usually files free, but extras can move you to a paid tier. |
| Can it import from the CRA? | Fewer typing mistakes, and faster. |
| What does it cost to add a schedule? | Self-employment, rental income or a tax year not the current one can change the price. |
The middle rows are checks, not promises. We can’t say which programs pass them, and the CRA page doesn’t either.
What if you also hold investments?
Investors tend to hit the paid tier first. Sales of shares, interest and dividends all need reporting, and a broker’s slips may arrive late in the season. A robo advisor or a bank may offer its own filing tool, and it might be tempting, since your slips sit in one place. Still, that’s a convenience, not a tax advantage, and the tax on your gains doesn’t change with the brand.
If you want to see the tax on a sale before filing, try the capital gains tax calculator. For dividends from Canadian companies, the dividend tax calculator shows what’s left after the credit. And if you’re deciding where to hold money in the first place, the TFSA calculator shows how the account grows without tax.
How do you test a program before you commit?
Most programs let you start without paying. Enter your slips first, and watch for the moment it asks you to upgrade. If that happens before you’ve typed in anything unusual, the free tier probably won’t cover you, and you can walk away having spent only an hour. Nothing says you must pick the first one you open.
Try Maya in Saskatoon, who has one T4, a tuition slip and a few bucks of bank interest. Her free version should handle all three. Her brother in Halifax sold some shares and drove for a delivery app, so he’ll likely land in a paid tier. The difference is the slips, not the brand.
What does a worked example look like?
Take an Ontario employee earning $85,000. The income tax calculator gives $15,551.05 in federal and Ontario tax, an average tax rate of 18.3%, plus $5,769.52 in CPP and EI. Enter the same slips into any certified program and the tax line should land in that neighbourhood, once your own credits are in.
Good software should never disagree with the maths by thousands. If it does, you’ve mistyped a box, or a slip is missing. Check before you file, not after.
Where do people trip up?
The first mistake is filing without all your slips, because they haven’t arrived yet. Wait for them. The second is trusting a refund estimate before the return is finished. The third is paying for a premium tier you never needed, so open the free version first and see whether it accepts your slips.
And since you file for yourself, you’re the one responsible. The CRA says keep your slips and receipts for at least six years. A review letter can show up long after the return has been forgotten.
Before you sign up, use the tax refund calculator to get a rough figure. Then compare it with what the software reports on the first screen where it shows one, and ballpark it again at tax time.
Which programs does the CRA list, and which are free?
The CRA's certified list for the 2025 tax year names 17 products: AdvTax, Better Tax, CloudTax, EachTax, FastnEasyTax, FutureTax, GenuTax Standard, H&R Block Tax Software Free, myTaxExpress, StudioTax, Tax Chopper, TaxFreeway, TaxTron, TurboTax, UFile, Wealthsimple Tax and WebTax4U.ca. The list is the CRA's, not a ranking. The CRA marks Better Tax, CloudTax, GenuTax Standard and Wealthsimple Tax as free, with optional paid services for some, EachTax and StudioTax as partly free, and most of the rest as free only for some tax situations.
That list belongs to the 2025 tax year. We found no list yet for the 2026 year, which you file in 2027, so check again when the CRA posts it. If you want codes and deals instead, our page on tax software discount codes explains why we list none, and free tax software in Canada and the NETFILE closing date cover the other angles.
Sources, and how we checked them
The NETFILE dates, the list of 17 certified products and the free-option groupings come from the CRA certified software page, checked in November 2026. The tax figures come from the 2026 federal and Ontario rates in our calculators. This site is not linked to the CRA, Wealthsimple or any software maker.
Frequently asked questions
What does CRA certified tax software mean?
The CRA approves programs each year that can work out a return and send it to the CRA electronically. Its official list shows the options and the cost of each. Only certified software can use NETFILE, and the CRA says it does not review the developers' privacy policies, so read them yourself.
Is Canada tax software really free?
Often, for simple returns. The CRA says most certified programs prepare a basic return for free if your income is modest, and its list marks some products as free and others as free only for some situations. Expect a fee when your return is more involved, for example with self-employment or rental income.
When can I use NETFILE?
The CRA says NETFILE and ReFILE opened on February 23, 2026 and stay open until January 29, 2027. NETFILE takes initial returns for 2018 to 2025, and ReFILE takes amended returns for 2022 to 2025. Dates for the 2026 tax year have not been posted, so check the CRA page before you plan.
Does it matter if my broker has its own filing tool?
It can save typing, since your slips sit in one place, but it does not change your tax. Check that the tool is on the CRA certified list if it files through NETFILE, and see what it charges for investment schedules. We could not confirm what any product costs or includes.
How long do I keep my slips?
At least six years, according to the CRA, which may ask to see them. Keep your slips, receipts and the software file or a PDF of the return in one folder for each year. A review letter can arrive long after the return is forgotten, so the folder is worth the small effort.
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