# StudioTax review (2026): is the free plan enough? > Canadian personal tax software for desktop and mobile Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA. StudioTax is Canadian personal income tax software installed on Windows, Mac, iPhone/iPad or Android rather than run online. One version covers all returns, with a license of $17.50 needed to print or file once income is above $20,000. Data is kept on your own device. - **Category:** Accounting & Invoicing - **Made by:** BHOK IT Consulting - **Website:** https://www.studiotax.com - **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, iOS, Android - **Who should skip it:** Not for you if you prepare clients' returns, as CRA rules bar it and a separate Enterprise edition exists. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 13, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 13, 2026, StudioTax has a free plan, and paid plans start at $17.50 per tax year for a license covering 10 returns. - **Pricing model:** Free plan - **Free plan:** Free for total income (line 15000) under $20,000 and for residents of NT, YT and NU; versions for 2019 and earlier are free. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | Free | $0 | For income under $20,000 (combined $40,000 for linked returns) and residents of the northern territories. | | License | $17.50 per tax year, for up to 10 returns, per computer | Needed before printing or filing; a second license covers 10 more returns, CRA allows 20 per computer. | Read from https://www.studiotax.com/paymentpage.html on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with StudioTax before buying. ## Ways to pay less - **Free for income under $20,000** (Other savings): Individuals with line 15000 income under $20,000 and residents of NT, YT and NU need no license. Source: https://www.studiotax.com/paymentpage.html ## Key features - **Runs on your device:** The site says returns are saved on your own drive and no information leaves your computer. - **NETFILE and ReFILE:** Windows, Mac, iOS and Android versions carry CRA certification for NETFILE, ReFILE and Auto-fill my return. - **Wide coverage:** Covers simple returns through self-employment and rental income, with a restrictions page listing uncommon situations it does not handle. - **Linked returns:** Returns for couples can be linked and prepared together. - **One version:** A single edition has all features, with the CRA's maximum of 20 returns. ## Good for - Canadians who want a local desktop program rather than a cloud service - Low-income filers and northern residents who can use it free ## Worth knowing - A new license is needed for every tax year; it is per computer, covers 10 returns, and the 2025 license also works for 2020 to 2024 versions. - The Mac version does not have Revenu Québec certification listed; Windows, iOS and Android do. - Tax preparers cannot use it for clients' returns under CRA rules; a separate Enterprise edition exists at studiotax.ca. - Licenses are refundable within 30 days only if not activated. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 3.0 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. StudioTax is Canadian personal tax software for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. It is free under $20,000 of income and $17.50 a tax year otherwise, but the Mac version does not list Revenu Québec certification. - **Value for money: A.** $17.50 per tax year covers 10 returns on a computer, under a year of the category's middle subscription, and it is free for low incomes. - **Free plan and trial: B.** Free for income under $20,000 and for residents of NT, YT and NU, but everyone else needs the $17.50 license before printing or filing. - **Features: C.** NETFILE, ReFILE, linked returns and wide coverage do the job, but Mac has no Revenu Québec certification listed. - **Ease of use: B.** A program you install and start with nothing to set up, and no store rating on record. - **Platforms and integrations: B.** Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, with no integrations listed. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from StudioTax's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among accounting and invoicing tools - StudioTax's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 118 of the 127 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade, and level with 2. - It stands best on value for money (A, above 111 of 127) and worst on features (C, above 7). - Its paid plans start at $1.46 a month when paid by the year for each person, against a middle price of $18.09 for the category: 0 of the 90 others that charge start lower. - On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less. The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/accounting ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** The plain part of StudioTax you could make: calculator and forms. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 118 of the 127 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade. It costs $17.50 a year. - You could make: Calculator and forms: an app builder makes these well. - You could not: Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other. - You could not: It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. **Tags:** Calculator, Forms, Works offline ## Alternatives - [UFile](https://toolgpa.com/tools/ufile): Canadian tax software, online or for Windows, free to start. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/studiotax-vs-ufile) - [Wealthsimple Tax](https://toolgpa.com/tools/wealthsimple-tax): Canadian personal tax filing with a pay-what-you-want basic plan. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/studiotax-vs-wealthsimple-tax) - [TurboTax](https://toolgpa.com/tools/turbotax): US personal and business tax filing, self-serve or with an expert. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/studiotax-vs-turbotax) - [TaxAct](https://toolgpa.com/tools/taxact): Online and downloadable tax filing for individuals and businesses. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/studiotax-vs-taxact) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026: - https://www.studiotax.com/home.html - https://www.studiotax.com/paymentpage.html - https://www.studiotax.com/about.html Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/studiotax Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).