CloudTax

What CloudTax does

The service helps prepare and submit Canadian tax returns, including returns with employment, self-employment, investment or rental income and state filing.

Tax documents can be added through AI scanning or CRA slip imports; CloudReceipts handles receipts, and completed returns go to the CRA through NETFILE.

Fees and plans

CloudTax Free has no required charge. It offers self-guided filing for basic tax situations, handles up to two returns and allows users to pay even $0.

For $39 annually, CloudTax Plus increases the allowance to 20 returns from one dashboard and adds priority support, audit protection and CloudReceipts Personal.

Published per-return plans list Review & File Basic at $75 a month, Premium at $125 a month and Business at $149 a month. Done For You Basic is $99 a month, Premium $249 a month and Business $349 a month. Each of these listings shows two returns and is billed per return.

Other listed options have no total price shown: Basic Done For You is billed at $69 per return; Premium Done For You at $149 per return; Premium Review at $99 per return; and Business Review at $149 per return. Basic Done For You covers employment and pension income, Premium Done For You includes rental property, partnership, emigrant and final returns, Premium Review covers more complex returns including rental and foreign income, and Business Review covers self-employed and business income with T2125 support.

Where it runs

Users can access CloudTax through its iOS and Android apps as well as the web.

The phone apps are listed as supported platforms, but the facts do not specify which filing tasks are available only on a phone or only on the web.

Protection and rules, as CloudTax publishes them

CloudTax reports CRA certification beginning with the 2018 tax year, and completed returns are sent through NETFILE.

According to the company, tax data is encrypted on its secure servers, and information is shared with the CRA when a user submits through NETFILE.

Help is offered through live chat, email, video tutorials and tax experts. CloudTax also says excess accidental payments will be refunded. The published facts do not state a licence, deposit protection, two-factor sign-in or a separate dispute process.

Strengths

The no-charge tier accommodates two simple returns, with users able to pay $0.

The Plus subscription raises the allowance to 20 returns.

Support for self-employment, investments, rentals and state filing gives the service broader tax coverage than a basic return-only tool.

CRA slip imports, AI document scanning, receipt management and NETFILE submission bring several filing steps into one service.

Catches and limits

Two returns and simple tax situations are the boundaries of the free plan; more filings require Plus or another paid option.

Some plans have no total price published. Refunds typically take 2 to 12 weeks, with NETFILE refunds usually around two weeks.

Who should skip CloudTax

People outside the Canadian filing system may find CloudTax unsuitable because its published filing route is CRA NETFILE and its certification is Canadian.

Anyone needing a clearly stated desktop application should note that only web, iOS and Android access is listed.

Verdict

CloudTax fits Canadian filers who want mobile or web access, a free basic option and support for more involved income types. Its Plus plan sets a clear annual price and higher return allowance, while expert-review and done-for-you choices cover additional situations.

The trade-off is a mixed price presentation: some services show monthly figures despite per-return billing, and several per-return prices have no overall total. The free tier also stops at two simple returns, so suitability depends on return complexity, number of filings and the level of help required.

Questions