TaxAct vs UFile (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, UFile grades higher than TaxAct: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
UFile grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
TaxAct
Online and downloadable tax filing for individuals and businesses
UFile
Canadian tax software, online or for Windows, free to start
Which one is for you
Pick TaxAct if
- Fits if you have a simple return and want to file federal for free
- Works for self-employed filers who file once a year and want to pay by the return
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have investment, rental or self-employment income and want to stay free, as the free edition excludes all three
- Tight if you file in a state, since returns cost $54.99 on Free and $64.99 on Self-Employed
- Watch out: Xpert Assist is $45 on the pricing cards but $60 in the FAQ
- Not for you if you want bookkeeping or invoicing, as it only prepares and e-files taxes
Pick UFile if
- Fits if you have a simple Canadian return and want to file free
- Works for students and people with family income under $20,000
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if your return is not simple, as the free route needs one T4 or a government pension and standard credits
- Watch out: the pages show 'starting at' prices only, and the final price and basis are not published
- Watch out: the Windows edition has no online storage
- Not for you if you prepare returns for others or for corporations, as UFile PRO and UFileT2 are separate products with no prices
How we grade them
| 2.4GPATaxActFair | 2.6GPAUFileGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BBasic download is $44.99 a tax year and online starts at $59.99, with Self-Employed at $109.99. State returns add $54.99 to $64.99 each. | BUFile Online starts at $20.95 and the Windows edition at $26.99 per return, which is a year's cost under the category's $20-a-month middle. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree federal filing for simple Form 1040 returns, with the vendor saying about 40% of filers qualified. Investment income, itemised deductions, rental income and self-employment income are excluded. | BFree to prepare, and free to NETFILE for simple returns, first-time filers, students and family income under $20,000, which some people can live on. |
| Features | CIt prepares and files taxes, with business returns and expert help on top. A smaller job than bookkeeping, and it is not bookkeeping or invoicing software. | BAuto-fill, NETFILE, free phone and email support and online storage do the whole job of a Canadian personal return. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. A guided interview, but you still have to collect your own tax documents. | CA web app and Windows program where you enter your figures, and no store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only on the listing, with no integrations on record. | CBrowser and Windows only, with no integrations listed. |
| Best for | filing a simple US federal return for free | Canadian personal returns, online or on Windows |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: TaxAct and UFile. How we grade
Where they differ
- TaxAct also covers documents.
- UFile also covers forms.
At a glance
| TaxAct | UFile | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $44.99 per tax year (download); online from $59.99, states extra | $20.95 (UFile Online); Windows edition from $26.99 |
| Free plan | Free edition: $0 federal filing for simple Form 1040 returns (W-2, unemployment and retirement income, common credits, dependents). The vendor says about 40% of filers qualified. State returns extra. | Free to prepare, and free to NETFILE for simple returns (one T4 or a government pension, standard credits only), first-time filers, post-secondary students and total family income under $20,000. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | TaxAct | Thomson Reuters |
| Price read from | taxact.com | ufile.ca |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
TaxAct
- State returns are charged separately: $54.99 each on the Free edition and $64.99 each on Self-Employed.
- Free federal filing excludes investment income, itemized deductions, rental income and self-employment income.
- Xpert Assist is shown at $45 on the pricing cards but $60 in the page's FAQ.
- It prepares and e-files taxes only; it is not bookkeeping or invoicing software.
UFile
- The pages show only 'starting at' prices ($20.95, $26.99, $32.95); the final price and its basis are not published on the pages read.
- The Windows edition is Windows only and has no online storage; the online edition works in any browser.
- Free filing for students uses a code from the Canadian Federation of Students, and the low-income route applies under $20,000 total family income.
- UFile PRO, for tax preparers, and UFileT2 for corporations are separate products with no prices on the pages read.
Key features
TaxAct
- Guided federal and state filing
- The online editions walk through a return step by step, import W-2 or 1099 data, and e-file with direct deposit.
- Free federal edition
- Simple Form 1040 returns with no attached forms or schedules can be filed federally at no cost; investment, rental and self-employed income need a paid edition.
- Business returns
- Editions exist for partnerships, S-corporations, C-corporations, sole proprietors, and estates and trusts, with uploaded forms such as Schedule K-1 sorted into the return.
- Xpert Assist
- An add-on that gives unlimited calls or chats with credentialed tax experts while you file, available on the consumer 1040 editions.
- Xpert Full Service
- Experts prepare and file the return for you, from $99 plus $69 for all states. The page said the service was at full capacity when read.
- Tax calculators
- The tax resources section offers an income tax calculator and other estimators for working out a refund or credits.
UFile
- Auto-fill my return
- Downloads tax information from most CRA slips into the return.
- NETFILE certified
- Returns can be filed electronically with the CRA and Revenu Québec.
- Triple guarantee
- UFile advertises guarantees of accuracy, satisfaction and the best tax result.
- Free filing for some
- Simple returns, first-time filers, students and low-income families can file at no charge, as the file-for-free page describes.
- Online storage
- The online edition stores and lets you access a return for 9 years; the Windows edition keeps data on your computer.
- Free phone and email support
- Telephone support is included at no extra charge, with Premium adding priority and chat.
Plans
TaxAct
Free (online)$0
Federal filing for simple returns with no forms or schedules attached. A state return is $54.99 each.
Basic (download)$44.99
per tax year, includes 5 federal e-files
Downloadable software; state returns are an additional charge. The download page does not state which operating systems it supports.
Deluxe (online)$59.99
per federal return
Adds home ownership, child and dependent care, and HSA contributions. State returns are extra.
Premier (online)$99.99
per federal return
Adds selling stocks or crypto, selling a home and rental income. State returns are extra.
Self-Employed (online)$109.99
per federal return
Adds contract, freelance, rideshare and sole-proprietor income. A state return is $64.99 each.
Business (online)$159.99
per return, Partnerships (Form 1065)
S-corporations (1120-S) and C-corporations (1120) are $169.99 each. State returns are extra.
UFile
UFile Online$20.95
starting at, per tax return; basis not stated on the page
Start for free and pay only when ready to NETFILE; free email and telephone support.
UFile Premium$32.95
starting at, per tax return; basis not stated on the page
Online edition plus priority email, telephone and chat support and exclusive benefits.
UFile Windows$26.99
starting at, per tax return; basis not stated on the page
Installed on Windows 11; data stays on your computer; no online storage.
Ways to pay less
TaxAct
No public discounts listed.
UFile
- Education
Free for post-secondary students
Under an arrangement with the Canadian Federation of Students, eligible post-secondary students can print or NETFILE free.
- Other savings
Free for simple and low-income returns
Returns with one T4 or a government pension, first-time filers and families with income under $20,000 file free.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, TaxAct or UFile?
As of Nov 13, 2026, TaxAct starts at $44.99 per tax year (download); online from $59.99, states extra, and UFile starts at $20.95 (UFile Online); Windows edition from $26.99.
Which has a free plan, TaxAct or UFile?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both TaxAct and UFile have a free plan.
Which platforms do TaxAct and UFile run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only UFile lists a Windows app. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.