StudioTax Review 2026
Quick Overview
| Feature |
Details |
| Price |
Free (donation requested, not required) |
| Returns per license |
Up to 20 |
| Platform |
Windows desktop (primary), web (limited) |
| Mobile |
❌ No mobile app |
| CRA Auto-fill |
✅ |
| NETFILE |
✅ Certified annually |
| Quebec returns (TP-1) |
❌ Federal only |
| Self-employment support |
✅ T2125 |
| Rental income |
✅ T776 |
| Guided interview style |
❌ Form-based data entry |
Rating
| Category |
Score |
| Price/value |
★★★★★ |
| Ease of use |
★★★ |
| Feature completeness |
★★★★ |
| Quebec support |
★ (not available) |
| Mobile experience |
★ (not available) |
| Investment handling |
★★★★ |
| Overall |
★★★★ |
Pricing at a Glance
| Software |
Cost |
Per-return limit |
| StudioTax |
$0 (optional $15 donation) |
20 returns |
| Wealthsimple Tax |
$0 (pay-what-you-want) |
Unlimited |
| UFile Online |
$19.95 |
8 returns |
| TurboTax Standard |
$19.99 |
1 return |
| H&R Block Deluxe |
$19.99 |
1 return |
What StudioTax Handles
| Tax situation |
Support |
| T4 employment income |
✅ |
| T4A pension / contract income |
✅ |
| T5 investment income |
✅ |
| T3 trust / ETF income |
✅ |
| Capital gains (Schedule 3) |
✅ |
| RRSP contributions / deductions |
✅ |
| TFSA (informational) |
✅ |
| Rental income (T776) |
✅ |
| Self-employment income (T2125) |
✅ |
| Home office (T777 / T2200) |
✅ |
| Disability tax credit |
✅ |
| Medical expenses |
✅ |
| Tuition credits (Schedule 11) |
✅ |
| Carry-forwards (capital losses, tuition) |
✅ |
| Quebec TP-1 |
❌ Not supported |
| T1135 Foreign Income Verification |
✅ |
| CRA Auto-fill my return |
✅ |
| FHSA (First Home Savings Account) |
✅ 2023+ |
StudioTax vs Paid Alternatives
| Feature |
StudioTax (Free) |
UFile ($19.95) |
TurboTax Premium ($34.99) |
| Cost |
$0 |
$19.95/8 returns |
$34.99/return |
| Quebec support |
❌ |
✅ Included |
✅ +$15 |
| Interview style |
Form-based |
Semi-interview |
Full guided interview |
| Mobile app |
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Audit protection |
❌ |
❌ |
✅ Add-on |
| Human support |
Community forum |
Email |
Phone + CPA review add-on |
| Self-employment |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ Most guided |
| Investment income |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
| Ease (first-time filer) |
★★★ |
★★★★ |
★★★★★ |
Using StudioTax: What To Expect
StudioTax is a form-based (not interview-based) tax program. Rather than answering questions conversationally, you navigate directly to the CRA form you need:
| Your situation |
What you open in StudioTax |
| T4 employment |
T4 slip entry screen |
| Investment income |
T5, T3 slip entries + Schedule 4 |
| Capital gains |
Schedule 3 directly |
| Rental income |
T776 form |
| Self-employment |
T2125 form |
| RRSP |
Schedule 7 |
This is efficient for experienced filers who know their return’s structure, but can be disorienting for first-timers who aren’t sure which form applies to their situation.
Who StudioTax Is Best For
| Profile |
StudioTax fit |
| Comfortable with tax forms and concepts |
✅ Excellent — full CRA form access at no cost |
| Filing 3+ returns (family) |
✅ Up to 20 for free |
| Outside Quebec |
✅ Full provincial support |
| Investor with T3/T5 slips |
✅ Handles well |
| Self-employed freelancer |
✅ T2125 included |
| First-time filer, never done taxes before |
⚠️ Manageable — use guides/YouTube alongside |
| Quebec resident |
❌ Not supported |
| Mobile-first user |
❌ Windows desktop required |
| Wants guaranteed human support |
❌ Community forum only |
Bottom Line
StudioTax is the best-kept secret in Canadian personal finance — a fully capable, CRA NETFILE-certified tax software that is completely free and handles returns up to significant complexity. If you are outside Quebec, comfortable with tax concepts, and willing to use a non-intuitive form-based interface, StudioTax delivers the same calculations as software costing $35–$50 per return. For households filing multiple returns every year, the savings add up to hundreds of dollars over a decade.