UFile vs Wealthsimple Tax (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Wealthsimple Tax grades higher than UFile: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Wealthsimple Tax grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
UFile
Canadian tax software, online or for Windows, free to start
Wealthsimple Tax
Canadian personal tax filing with a pay-what-you-want basic plan
Which one is for you
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
Pick Wealthsimple Tax if
- Fits if you file a Canadian return for yourself and one more person
- Works for people who want to pay what they choose
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you file outside Canada, as it covers Canadian returns only
- Tight if you file more than 2 returns, as Basic stops there and Plus allows 8
- Watch out: Pro is not available in Quebec or in French
- Watch out: Plus and Pro are free only for qualifying Premium or Generation clients
- Watch out: prices are in Canadian dollars plus tax
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAUFileGood | 3.0GPAWealthsimple TaxVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | ABasic is pay what you want including $0, and Plus is CA$40 a tax year, so it is free and substantial. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | AFree outright at $0 for up to 2 returns with every form and income type, which a person filing for themselves does not outgrow. |
| Features | BAuto-fill, NETFILE, free phone and email support and online storage do the whole job of a Canadian personal return. | BCRA auto-fill, a credits search, a max-refund guarantee and audit protection do the whole job of a Canadian personal return. |
| Ease of use | CA web app and Windows program where you enter your figures, and no store rating on record. | CA web app with no store rating on record, and you still enter your own figures. |
| Platforms and integrations | CBrowser and Windows only, with no integrations listed. | CWeb only, and no integrations are listed. |
| Best for | Canadian personal returns, online or on Windows | Canadian personal tax filing for free |
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: UFile and Wealthsimple Tax. How we grade
Where they differ
At a glance
| UFile | Wealthsimple Tax | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $20.95 (UFile Online); Windows edition from $26.99 | CA$40 + tax per tax year (Plus); Basic is pay what you want, including $0 |
| Free plan | 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. | Basic: pay what you want, including $0, for up to 2 returns, with every form and income type available. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Thomson Reuters | Wealthsimple |
| Price read from | ufile.ca | wealthsimple.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Wealthsimple Tax
- Prices are in Canadian dollars plus tax; Wealthsimple Tax serves Canadian returns only.
- Pro is not available to Quebec residents or in French, and expert availability is only guaranteed if booked before April 6, 2026.
- Basic allows 2 returns and Plus 8 per account; the page lists Pro as 9+ in one place and up to 20 in its FAQ, 20 being the CRA's NETFILE limit.
- Plus and Pro are free only for Wealthsimple clients who qualify as Premium or Generation.
Key features
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.
Wealthsimple Tax
- Pay-what-you-want filing
- The Basic plan lets you choose what to pay, down to $0, and the page says there are no limits on the income types or deductions it covers.
- CRA auto-fill
- Tax slips can be imported from the CRA or Revenu Québec, and existing Wealthsimple clients have personal details carried over.
- Credits and deductions search
- The software searches over 400 possible credits and deductions and, for couples, works out who should claim what.
- Maximum refund guarantee
- If a competitor's software finds a larger refund on identical information before December 31, 2026, Wealthsimple refunds the competitor's price up to $50 CAD or any payment you made, whichever is greater.
- Audit protection
- Plus and Pro include help if the CRA or Revenu Québec reviews or audits a return.
- Expert session
- Pro includes a one-on-one 30-minute consultation with a tax expert, followed up by email.
Plans
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.
Wealthsimple Tax
Basic$0
Pay what you want, even $0; up to 2 returns, max-refund guarantee and standard (3-day) email support.
PlusCA$40
per tax year, plus tax, in Canadian dollars
Up to 8 returns, audit protection and priority (1-day) email support; free for Premium clients.
ProCA$80
per tax year, plus tax, in Canadian dollars
Everything in Plus plus a 30-minute one-on-one session with a tax expert; free for Generation clients; not available in Quebec or in French.
Ways to pay less
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.
Wealthsimple Tax
- Other savings
Free Plus or Pro for Premium and Generation clients
Wealthsimple clients who qualify as Premium or Generation get the Plus or Pro plan at no charge.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, UFile or Wealthsimple Tax?
As of Nov 13, 2026, UFile starts at $20.95 (UFile Online); Windows edition from $26.99, and Wealthsimple Tax starts at CA$40 + tax per tax year (Plus); Basic is pay what you want, including $0.
Which has a free plan, UFile or Wealthsimple Tax?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both UFile and Wealthsimple Tax have a free plan.
Which platforms do UFile and Wealthsimple Tax 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.