Tax season is almost here and the Canada Revenue Agency will start accepting tax returns for 2022 on February 20, with the deadline for most Canadian personal income tax returns falling on May 1, 2023.

The once-time-consuming chore has become a (mostly) painless experience in recent years thanks to NETFILE and easy-to-use software, with online filings accounting for over 90% of all Canadian tax returns.

There are several free programs available that can instantly file your return to the CRA, so you won't have to panic-file at the last minute à la Homer Simpson – here's a list of free NETFILE-certified tax programs you can use to file your tax returns this year.

• CloudTax
• EachTax
• GenuTax
• H&R Block Tax Software
• Taxman
• TaxTron
• TurboTax Free
• Wealthsimple Tax (formerly SimpleTax)

No payment is required to file T1 personal tax returns with these programs, but some accept "pay what you want" donations after filing, including GenuTax and Wealthsimple Tax. Free programs offer a maximum of 20 returns per computer and most are fully-featured, but some offer paid upgrades to unlock additional features.

Historically, TurboTax and Wealthsimple Tax have been the top choices among RedFlagDeals readers, while other popular options from previous years – notably AdxTax and StudioTax – are still available for 2022-23, but now require a fee to file your taxes with the CRA.

Additional Tax Tips

• All free programs offer a maximum of 20 returns per computer
• Paper T1 tax forms are still available at Canada Post and Service Canada outlets
• Low or fixed income Canadians have the option to file via telephone for free
• The deadline for self-employed individuals to file their taxes is June 15
• The CRA will never, ever, ever, ever call, text or email you for personal information or demand a payment with gift cards

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Editor's note: this article was originally published in 2016 and updated on January 19, 2023 with up-to-date options