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Reviewed · Updated 2026-10-04

UltraTax CS

Thomson Reuters' Windows desktop tax software for CPA firms and tax practices, covering 1040 to 990 returns. Pricing is quote-based.

Reviewed by the Conversion Gems editorial team ·
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Pricing
Paid
Best for
CPA firms on CS Suite
Category
Finance, Billing & Accounting

UltraTax CS is Thomson Reuters' professional tax preparation software for accounting firms, covering returns from 1040 to 990 and 5500 with state and local programs. It runs on Windows or through Thomson Reuters' hosted Virtual Office CS. There is no public price: Thomson Reuters quotes by users, returns and states, and offers per-return pricing.

The bottom line

A strong fit for firms already on Thomson Reuters tools; get a written quote before you commit.

6.2
Our score
6.2 / 10
Conversion Gems editorial verdict
Quote-based; per-return pricing available
Features8/10
8 - federal returns from 1040 to 5500, state and local programs, data sharing between returns, e-file dashboard and up to four synchronized monitors.
Value4/10
4 - pricing is quote-only by users, returns and states, with per-return fees listed only inside the software.
Ease of use5/10
5 - Windows install or hosted setup, sales-led onboarding and training offered as professional services.
Ecosystem7/10
7 - integrates with Accounting CS, Practice CS, Onvio, SurePrep, SafeSend One, Checkpoint and CoCounsel Tax, mostly within Thomson Reuters.
Support7/10
7 - phone, email and chat support plus a 24-hour help center and product training.
What it really is

Thomson Reuters' Windows desktop tax preparation program for accounting firms, sold inside the CS Professional Suite.

Our take

UltraTax CS is built for firms that file many return types and want one vendor for tax, accounting and practice management. Its return coverage and data sharing between related returns are its strengths. The weak spot is buying it: there is no public price, the per-return fee schedule sits inside the software, and the desktop edition needs Windows. Ask for a quote that covers every entity and state you file.

Why we rate it

It covers a long list of federal, state and local returns and links closely with Thomson Reuters' practice tools.

The catch

No published prices, and the desktop edition is Windows-only.

Best for
CPA firms preparing many business and multistate returns
Firms using Accounting CS, Practice CS or Onvio
Practices that want per-return pricing for rare entity types
Not good for
Buyers who want a public price list before talking to sales
Mac-only offices that do not want hosting
Friction report
Time to value
Weeks: request a demo and quote, license the entities and states you need, install on Windows or set up Virtual Office CS, then convert prior-year data.
Scale breakpoint
Cost grows with users, return volume and states; firms that exceed their per-return budget may need an unlimited license for that entity.
Walled garden
Medium: the deepest integrations are with other Thomson Reuters products.

How UltraTax CS is priced

OptionPriceHow it works
Unlimited licensesQuote-basedPriced by number of users, tax returns and states
Per-Return Pricing (PRP)Per-return fee (not published online)Pay for each return not covered by an unlimited license; PRP codes billed monthly
Virtual Office CS hostingQuote-basedThomson Reuters-hosted access through Citrix

From Thomson Reuters' UltraTax CS product page and help pages, checked 4 October 2026. No dollar prices are published.

Frequently Asked Questions

UltraTax CS alternatives

Other professional tax software to compare:

Drake Tax: Professional tax software with a published price list, a pay-per-return package and a cloud edition.
CCH Axcess: Wolters Kluwer's cloud tax and practice suite for CPA firms.
Lacerte (Tax Software): Intuit's desktop tax program for accountants with complex returns.
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Tags

#UltraTaxCS#TaxSoftware#ThomsonReuters

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