CloudTax

CloudTax is tax-filing software from CloudTax Inc., based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It supports self-employment, investment, and rental income, and completed returns can be submitted to the CRA through NETFILE. The self-guided Free plan supports simple tax situations and up to two returns; users can pay even $0. CloudTax Plus costs $39 a year and allows up to 20 returns from one dashboard, with priority support, audit protection, and CloudReceipts Personal. The service is available on the web and on iOS and Android devices. It can import CRA slips, use AI to extract details from scanned or uploaded tax documents, and connect with Koinly crypto taxes and CloudReceipts. CloudReceipts captures and organizes receipts and syncs expenses for deductions. Tax data is encrypted on CloudTax's servers, and CloudTax says it shares information with the CRA when a user submits through NETFILE. Support options include live chat, email, video tutorials, and tax experts. CloudTax has been CRA-certified since the 2018 tax year.

CloudTax offers self-guided filing alongside paid options, with CRA NETFILE submission and support for several income types. Compare the Free plan's return limit with CloudTax Plus at $39 a year.

CloudTax suits Canadian filers who want self-guided filing or options that include review or preparation. Its support for self-employment, investment, and rental income may also suit users with those income types.

Overview

CloudTax is Canadian tax software for filing returns through the CRA, with self-guided tools and options for professional review or preparation. It best suits filers who want mobile access and support for more than simple employment income. Its strongest advantage is the choice between a two-return free tier and higher-capacity or assisted plans; the trade-off is that free filing is limited to simple tax situations.

Key features

CloudTax supports self-employment, investment, and rental income, and includes state filing. That makes it relevant to filers with varied income, but support for those categories does not by itself make every complex return a good match for self-guided filing. Review and preparation services give people who want help another route.

Returns are submitted to the CRA through NETFILE, and CloudTax has been CRA-certified since the 2018 tax year. CRA slip imports and AI scanning can reduce manual entry: the AI extracts and fills details from uploaded or scanned tax documents. Koinly supports crypto tax workflows, while CloudReceipts captures and categorizes receipts and syncs expenses for deductions.

Tax data is encrypted on CloudTax's secure servers. CloudTax says it shares information only with the CRA when a user submits through NETFILE. Support includes live chat, email, video tutorials, and tax experts; Plus adds priority support and audit protection. Refunds typically take 2 to 12 weeks, with NETFILE refunds usually arriving in about two weeks.

Pricing

CloudTax Free costs nothing, billed Free forever. It offers self-guided filing, basic tax return support, and up to two returns for simple tax situations. The option to pay even $0 makes it a practical choice for a filer who wants a free route, but its return and complexity limits make it a poor fit for households needing more capacity.

CloudTax Plus costs $39 a year, billed as an annual subscription. It raises the allowance to 20 returns from one dashboard and includes priority support, audit protection, and CloudReceipts Personal. That capacity suits people filing multiple returns; for a single simple return, Free may be enough.

Review & File Basic is $75 a month, billed per return; Review & File Premium is $125 a month, billed per return; and Review & File Business is $149 a month, billed per return. Done For You Basic is $99 a month, billed per return; Done For You Premium is $249 a month, billed per return; and Done For You Business is $349 a month, billed per return. Each of these plans shows a two-return limit. The review and preparation options suit filers who want a more assisted workflow, but their per-return billing differs from Plus's annual subscription.

Other choices include Business Review at custom pricing, billed $149 per return, with T2125 support for self-employed and business income; Premium Review at custom pricing, billed $99 per return, for more complex returns including rental and foreign income; and Premium Done For You at custom pricing, billed $149 per return, for rental property, partnership, emigrant, and final tax returns. Business Done For You is custom pricing, billed $249 per return, for full preparation of business or self-employment income; T2 is not included. CloudTax says it refunds excess accidental payments.

Platforms

CloudTax is available on iOS and Android, and mobile access is also supported through the web-and-mobile service. That makes it a useful option for filers who want to work from a phone, while the CRA submission route remains NETFILE.

Who it's for

CloudTax is a good fit for individuals or households who want self-guided Canadian filing, especially when they need support for self-employment, investment, or rental income, or need to prepare multiple returns. Free is best for up to two simple returns; Plus is more compelling for people who need its 20-return allowance or included support and receipt tools. Filers wanting assistance can consider the review or done-for-you options, while anyone needing T2 preparation should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free supports up to two simple returns, and users can pay even $0.
• Pros: Plus permits up to 20 returns from one dashboard and includes priority support, audit protection, and CloudReceipts Personal.
• Pros: CRA slip imports, AI document extraction, and Koinly and CloudReceipts integrations can cut manual work across tax documents, crypto, and receipts.
• Cons: The free plan is restricted to simple tax situations, limiting its usefulness for more involved returns.
• Cons: Review and preparation options are billed per return, so they are a different cost model from Plus's annual subscription.
• Cons: Business Done For You does not include T2 preparation.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Personal Tax Software. Choose H&R Block Online instead if a simple Form 1040 return is your priority: its Free Online plan costs nothing and is limited to simple tax situations, with web, iOS, and Android support.

TaxDown offers a free simulation to calculate a return and see the result, but presenting the return requires a plan. Choose TurboTax Canada for a free option for simple tax situations or, for donations, medical expenses, or employment expenses, its Deluxe tier is the more relevant alternative.

H&R Block Tax Software Canada may suit filers who want automatic tax-return optimizations, T-slip and RL-slip income support, or tuition, scholarship, and student credits in its free plan. The remaining alternatives are WISO Steuer, PITax, CHECK24 Steuer, and SARS eFiling.

Verdict

Choose CloudTax if you want Canadian self-guided filing with mobile access, support for several income types, and a clear upgrade path from two free returns to 20 on Plus. Its mix of document tools and assisted options adds flexibility, but simple-return filers can stay on Free, while people who need T2 preparation should look elsewhere.