Every self-employed Canadian needs to file a T1 personal return with a T2125 (Statement of Business or Professional Activities) attached. The right tax software handles all of this without a CPA — for most straightforward situations. Here is how the leading options compare in 2026.
What Self-Employed Tax Software Must Do
Before comparing products, these are the non-negotiable requirements for a self-employed Canadian’s tax software:
- Full T2125 support: all expense lines, home office (Part 7), and CCA (Part 8)
- CPP Schedule 8 calculation (both employee and employer portions)
- RRSP optimization
- NETFILE certification for direct electronic submission to CRA
- Handles GST/HST adjustment when gross revenue includes collected HST
Wealthsimple Tax — Best Value
Wealthsimple Tax (formerly SimpleTax) is a pay-what-you-want platform — T2125, CCA, home office, and all self-employment features are fully available at $0. The suggested contribution is voluntary; no feature is locked behind a paywall.
Strengths: Smart search interface (type “home office” and the field appears), CRA Auto-fill integration imports your T4/T5 slips automatically, handles multiple T2125 forms for different business activities, and optimizes RRSP and spousal splits.
Limitations: Less guided than TurboTax — better for people who know roughly what they need to enter. No receipt scanning.
Best for: Most self-employed Canadians, especially those who have filed a T2125 before and want a free, capable option.
TurboTax Self-Employed — Best Guided Experience
TurboTax Self-Employed (~$60–$80 CAD/year) offers the most thorough guided interview of any self-employed tax software in Canada. It asks questions about your business and populates T2125 fields automatically, making it the best option for first-time T2125 filers.
Strengths: Step-by-step interview format, receipt scanning via mobile app, detailed CCA wizard, instalment estimator, optional CPA review add-on. Handles complex situations well (multiple businesses, vehicle + home office in same return).
Limitations: Highest price of the mainstream options. Quebec module is an additional charge.
Best for: First-year self-employed filers, or anyone with a complex return who values maximum hand-holding.
UFile — Best Mid-Range Option
UFile (~$20–$40 CAD) sits between Wealthsimple Tax and TurboTax in both price and guidance depth. Full T2125 support, good CCA handling, and a clean interface. The UFile ONLINE version handles self-employment; the free version is limited to simple returns.
Best for: Self-employed Canadians who want a paid guided experience but find TurboTax’s price excessive.
H&R Block Self-Employed Software
H&R Block’s digital software (~$49–$75 CAD) provides guided T2125 completion and supports home office and vehicle expenses. Its main differentiator is integration with H&R Block’s Tax Expert service — if you want a professional review option built into the same platform, this is the only software that offers it seamlessly.
Best for: First-time filers who want the option to escalate to a human tax expert for the same return.
At a Glance
| Software | Price | T2125 | Guided? | Receipt Scan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wealthsimple Tax | $0 (pay-what-you-want) | Full | Moderate | No |
| TurboTax Self-Employed | ~$60–$80 | Full | High | Yes |
| UFile | ~$20–$40 | Full | Moderate | No |
| H&R Block | ~$49–$75 | Full | Moderate | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does any Canadian tax software file my GST/HST return?
Standard personal tax software (TurboTax, Wealthsimple Tax, UFile, H&R Block) files your T1 personal return only — not your GST/HST return. GST/HST returns are filed separately through CRA My Business Account or through qualifying accounting software (QuickBooks Online Canada can file GST/HST directly). These are different systems with different portals.
Can I switch software between years?
Yes. You can use a different software each year — all NETFILE-certified software sends the same data to the CRA. Most software allows you to import a PDF of last year’s return to pre-fill basic information. Your T2125 data does not automatically carry forward the CCA schedule — you need to enter prior-year UCC (Undepreciated Capital Cost) amounts manually if switching.
Is there a free CRA option?
The CRA does not offer its own free tax filing software. However, the CRA maintains a list of NETFILE-certified software at canada.ca — several on the list offer a free tier for low-income or simple returns. For self-employed Canadians with T2125 requirements, Wealthsimple Tax is the most capable free option.