StudioTax vs Taxfix

StudioTax prepares and files Canadian personal income tax returns, from simple situations to returns involving self-employment or rental income. It supports CRA NETFILE, ReFILE, printed returns, Auto-fill my return, and Express Notice of Assessment. The personal license covers up to 10 returns, while CRA requirements limit filing to 20 returns per computer. The software is intended for individuals doing their own returns or preparing a small number for relatives and friends; tax professionals cannot use its NETFILE software for client returns. Desktop versions save returns on the computer, and StudioTax says personal information does not leave the computer. Windows and Mac versions support the T1135 foreign income form. Windows, iOS, and Android versions are certified for Revenu Québec NETFILE and printed returns; the Mac version is English-only and does not support Quebec provincial returns. StudioTax is free for eligible residents of Northwest Territories, Yukon, or Nunavut and for individuals with income of $20,000 per year or less, subject to its calculation rules. Returns from other tax programs must be transferred manually. StudioTax is based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Taxfix provides digital tax returns that users can prepare themselves or have prepared by independent tax advisers. In Basic, a question-led process guides users through a return and provides an initial refund estimate. The Start plan offers a free estimated refund calculation, with submission through Basic. Taxfix sends returns to the tax office through the official ELSTER interface. Basic works in a browser and through Android and iOS apps. For Expert, users answer questions and upload documents; an adviser reviews and prepares the return for the user to confirm. The listed Expert fee is 20% of the refund, with a minimum of €99.99, and may apply even if the return is not submitted. A separate solution for VAT-liable self-employed people combines bookkeeping, receipt capture, VAT pre-returns, and income tax returns including EÜR. Uploaded receipts and invoices are read for details such as amount, date, and tax rate. Taxfix says it uses encryption, does not share data with third parties, and operates servers mainly in Germany or elsewhere in the EU while observing GoBD and GDPR. Basic is free until submission; individual annual filing costs €39.99 a year, and one-time filing costs €49.99, paid once payment.