# Free tax software in Canada: every way to file your T1 for $0

Source: https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/choosing-software/free-tax-software-canada
Publisher: Tax Software Desk (taxsoftwaredesk.com), independent editorial site
Topic: Choosing Tax Software
Last updated: 2026-09-19

> Free tax software in Canada that costs $0 for everyone includes Better Tax, GenuTax Standard and Wealthsimple Tax, the three products the CRA marks as free on its 2025 certified list. Others, such as UFile and StudioTax, are free only if income is $20,000 or less, and CRA SimpleFile and volunteer clinics cost nothing for eligible filers.

## Key facts

- Free for everyone (CRA 2025 list): Better Tax, GenuTax Standard, Wealthsimple Tax
- UFile ONLINE free if: Total income (line 15000) of $20,000 or less
- StudioTax free if: Total income of $20,000 or less, or living in NT, YT or NU
- Free tax clinic limit, one person: $40,000 total family income (CRA guideline)
- Wealthsimple Tax Basic: Pay what you want, including $0, up to 2 returns per account

## What free tax software is available in Canada?

Three certified programs are free for every filer: Better Tax, GenuTax Standard and Wealthsimple Tax. On its list of software certified for 2025 returns, the CRA marks Better Tax and GenuTax Standard as free and Wealthsimple Tax and CloudTax as free with optional paid services ([CRA certified software](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/digital-services-individuals/netfile-overview/certified-software-netfile-program.html)).

Free NETFILE certified tax software means a product the CRA has certified to transmit returns through NETFILE that charges you nothing to file. Most of the other 17 certified products carry a free offering that depends on your tax situation, so the same program can be free for a student and paid for a landlord.

> **Independent guide:** Tax Software Desk is independent and is not affiliated with Intuit, H&R Block, TaxAct, FreeTaxUSA, TaxSlayer, Block Inc. (Cash App Taxes), Wealthsimple, UFile or any other software company.

## Free and pay-what-you-want tax software compared

The catch with most free tiers is a condition you only meet if your return is small. Read the condition before you start, because switching programs halfway means typing everything again.

| Product | Free when | Platform | What changes the price |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Better Tax | Always (CRA list) | Online | Nothing listed by the CRA |
| GenuTax Standard | Always | Windows download | Donations are optional |
| Wealthsimple Tax Basic | You choose $0 | Online | More than 2 returns needs Plus ($40) or Pro ($80) |
| UFile ONLINE | Total income of $20,000 or less | Online | Otherwise $20.95 for the family head |
| StudioTax | Income of $20,000 or less, or NT, YT or NU resident | Download, mobile | Otherwise a $17.50 licence for up to 10 returns |
| TurboTax Free | A simple return only | Online | Donations, medical, investment, rental or self-employment |

When each product costs $0 for 2025 returns (developer pages and CRA list, September 2026)

### How TurboTax Free defines a simple return

Intuit's Canadian pricing page lists employment and pension income, tips, RRSP contributions, child care expenses, tuition, disability and caregiver amounts as covered. It excludes employment expenses, donations, medical expenses, investment income, rental property and self-employment, and any of those moves you to a paid tier.

## What are the limits of free tax software in Canada?

Free tiers are limited by return count, platform and past years, not by accuracy. Every certified product applies the same federal and provincial rules, so a $0 return is not a lesser return.

- Return count: Wealthsimple Tax Basic covers up to 2 returns per account, so a family of three pays for Plus or splits returns across accounts.
- Platform: GenuTax runs on Windows only; StudioTax for Mac cannot prepare the Quebec TP-1.
- Past years: Wealthsimple Tax files only 2023 and later, while NETFILE accepts returns back to 2018 in the 2026 season. GenuTax can NETFILE 2018 to 2025.
- Special returns: StudioTax is not certified for non-resident returns or returns needing Form T2203 or Form T1273.
- Imports: Wealthsimple Tax does not import another program's file, so carry-forward amounts must be entered by hand.

If a free product stops working partway through, the [Canadian tax software problems](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/canadian-software) hub sorts faults by product.

## Can I file my taxes for free with the CRA directly?

Yes, if you qualify for SimpleFile. SimpleFile is a free CRA service for people with lower income and a simple tax situation, and it comes in three forms: SimpleFile Digital, SimpleFile by Phone and SimpleFile by Paper ([CRA SimpleFile](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/simplefile.html)).

SimpleFile by Phone and by Paper need a CRA invitation; SimpleFile Digital can be used with or without one if you are eligible. You must be a Canadian tax resident, at least 15, with income only from sources such as employment, pensions, benefits and interest, below a threshold that varies by province, age and disability tax credit status. For example, the CRA lists a $16,129 limit for Alberta residents aged 15 to 64 without the disability tax credit.

## Free tax software for seniors, students and newcomers

### Seniors

Seniors with pension, Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan income often qualify for a free tax clinic under the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP), where a volunteer prepares the return. The CRA's guideline is total family income under $40,000 for one person and $55,000 for two, though local organizations can adjust it ([CRA free tax clinics](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/community-volunteer-income-tax-program/need-a-hand-complete-your-tax-return.html)).

Worked example: a retired couple has $31,000 and $21,000 of pension and benefit income, $52,000 in total. That is under the $55,000 clinic guideline for two people, so a CVITP clinic can file both returns free. Neither spouse is at $20,000 or less, so UFile ONLINE would charge them, while Wealthsimple Tax Basic covers both returns at $0.

### Students

Students with a T4 and a T2202 tuition slip fit TurboTax Free, Wealthsimple Tax Basic or, below $20,000 of income, UFile ONLINE and StudioTax. Filing even with low income matters, because unused tuition amounts carry forward on the CRA's records.

### Newcomers

In their first year, newcomers may find Auto-fill my return nearly empty, because the CRA only holds slips it has received. Enter slips by hand from the paper copies. Clinics do not prepare returns with foreign income, apart from US Social Security, or foreign property reported on Form T1135.

## Is free Canadian tax software safe?

Free certified software is as safe to file with as paid software, because certification is the same test for every product. The CRA does not certify how a company handles your data: it says it does not review developers' privacy policies and that using the software is the responsibility of the user and the developer.

1. Confirm the product and tax year on the CRA's certified software page before you enter anything.
2. Download installers only from the developer's own site, reached through the CRA's product listing.
3. Read the privacy policy, especially on free products that sell other financial services.
4. Keep a PDF of the finished return and your NETFILE confirmation number.

## Free tax software for 2026 returns: what is known

The CRA has not published its certified list for 2026 returns, and no vendor has announced 2026 prices or free-tier rules as of September 2026. Current NETFILE service for 2025 returns runs until January 29, 2027; the 2027 opening date is not yet announced and usually comes in January or February.

If you are choosing between paid products, see [Wealthsimple Tax vs TurboTax](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/choosing-software/wealthsimple-tax-vs-turbotax) and the full [best tax software in Canada](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/choosing-software/best-tax-software-canada) comparison. US filers should start with [best tax software](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/choosing-software) or [TurboTax vs H&R Block](https://taxsoftwaredesk.com/choosing-software/turbotax-vs-hr-block).

## Common questions

### Is Wealthsimple Tax really free?

Yes. The Basic plan is pay what you want, including $0, for up to 2 returns per account. Plus at $40 and Pro at $80 add more returns, audit protection and faster or expert support.

### Does the CRA have its own free tax software?

The CRA does not publish general tax software, but it runs SimpleFile for eligible people with lower income and simple returns. Everyone else files through certified third-party software or on paper.

### What free tax software is best for seniors in Canada?

A free CVITP tax clinic is often the easiest route for seniors with modest pension income. For do-it-yourself filing, Wealthsimple Tax Basic and GenuTax Standard cost nothing regardless of income.

### Is UFile free?

UFile ONLINE is free when total income on line 15000 is $20,000 or less. Above that it charged $20.95 for the family head, $16.00 for a spouse and $10.00 per dependant for 2025 returns.

### Can I use free tax software to file a late return?

Yes, if the product supports that year. NETFILE accepted 2018 to 2025 returns in the 2026 season; GenuTax covers all of those years, while Wealthsimple Tax only files 2023 and later.

## Sources

- [CRA: Certified tax software for NETFILE](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/digital-services-individuals/netfile-overview/certified-software-netfile-program.html)
- [CRA: SimpleFile](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/simplefile.html)
- [CRA: Get your taxes done at a free tax clinic](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/community-volunteer-income-tax-program/need-a-hand-complete-your-tax-return.html)
- [Wealthsimple Tax plans](https://www.wealthsimple.com/en-ca/tax)
- [TurboTax Canada pricing](https://turbotax.intuit.ca/tax/pricing)
- [StudioTax: Licence requirement](https://www.studiotax.com/paymentpage.html)