TurboTax vs UFile (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, TurboTax grades higher than UFile: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
TurboTax grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
TurboTax
US personal and business tax filing, self-serve or with an expert
UFile
Canadian tax software, online or for Windows, free to start
Which one is for you
Pick TurboTax if
- Fits if your return is a simple Form 1040 and you don't want to pay
- Works for people who want an expert to check or file their return
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you itemize or sell stock, as Free Edition excludes that
- Watch out: online prices aren't shown until you're filing
- Watch out: desktop state e-file is $25 a state, and each extra state download is $45
- Watch out: paying from your refund, early deposit and Audit Defense cost extra
- Not for you if you're outside the US, since it's US tax only
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
| 2.8GPATurboTaxGood | 2.6GPAUFileGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BDesktop Deluxe is $84 a tax year, under a year of the $20 middle, but it's a yearly price and states cost extra. Online prices aren't published. | 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 Edition is $0 to file federal and state, and about 37% of filers qualify. Itemizing, 1099-NEC, stocks, crypto and rentals are out. | 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 | BGuided filing, document import, expert help and refund options. Nothing in the core job of filing is missing. | BAuto-fill, NETFILE, free phone and email support and online storage do the whole job of a Canadian personal return. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating read. Guided, but you gather forms and documents first. | CA web app and Windows program where you enter your figures, and no store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb and iOS, plus downloadable desktop editions. No Android app listed. | CBrowser and Windows only, with no integrations listed. |
| Best for | US tax returns filed yourself | 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: TurboTax and UFile. How we grade
Where they differ
- UFile also covers forms.
At a glance
| TurboTax | UFile | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $84 per tax year (TurboTax Desktop Deluxe, state e-file extra) | $20.95 (UFile Online); Windows edition from $26.99 |
| Free plan | Free Edition: $0 federal, $0 state and $0 to file, for simple Form 1040 returns only (about 37% of filers qualify). | 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 | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Intuit | Thomson Reuters |
| Price read from | turbotax.intuit.com | ufile.ca |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
TurboTax
- Online prices are not published on the pages read; they depend on the forms and the service level, and are shown while filing.
- Free Edition excludes itemized deductions, 1099-NEC income, stock and crypto sales and rental income.
- Desktop state e-file costs $25 per personal state return, except New York and Washington, and Live Tax Advice is $60.
- Paying fees out of the refund, early deposit and Audit Defense ($45 to $60) cost extra.
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
TurboTax
- Three ways to file
- Do It Yourself uses guided software, Expert Assist adds on-demand experts, and Expert Full Service has an expert prepare and file.
- Free Edition
- Simple Form 1040 returns file at $0 federal, $0 state and $0 to file; the page says roughly 37% of taxpayers qualify.
- Expert help
- Experts answer by phone, chat or one-way video and can see a read-only copy of the return, with SSNs masked.
- Document import
- Tax documents can be imported from employers and financial institutions, or photographed and uploaded.
- Guarantees
- The site lists a 100% accurate calculations guarantee, a maximum refund guarantee and audit support guidance.
- Refund options
- Refund Advance offers up to $4,000 as a loan at 0% APR and $0 loan fees, subject to approval; paid early deposit is also offered.
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
TurboTax
Free Edition$0
Simple Form 1040 returns only: W-2 income, standard deduction, EITC, child tax credit and student loan interest.
Desktop Deluxe$84
per tax year, downloaded software
Listed at $84, marked down from $94; covers one state download, with each extra state at $45.
Desktop Premier$119
per tax year, downloaded software
Listed at $119, marked down from $129; one state download included, each extra state $45.
Desktop Home & Business$134
per tax year, downloaded software
Listed at $134, marked down from $144; one state download included, each extra state $45.
Desktop Business$194
per tax year, downloaded software
Listed at $194, marked down from $204; state downloads are $55 each.
Online paid tiersCustom
Do It Yourself, Expert Assist and Expert Full Service; the price depends on return complexity and is shown while filing.
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
TurboTax
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, TurboTax or UFile?
As of Nov 13, 2026, TurboTax starts at $84 per tax year (TurboTax Desktop Deluxe, state e-file extra), and UFile starts at $20.95 (UFile Online); Windows edition from $26.99.
Which has a free plan, TurboTax or UFile?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both TurboTax and UFile have a free plan.
Which platforms do TurboTax and UFile run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only TurboTax lists an iOS app and 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.