Introduction
Are you an accounting firm, CPA, or tax preparer wondering if UltraTax CS is right for your business? Do you want hassle-free UltraTax cloud access, demo, robust compliance tools, and time-saving automation — but are confused by pricing, installation, or which solution best fits your needs? You’re not alone.
In 2024, over 22% of CPAs surveyed by the Journal of Accountancy ranked UltraTax CS as their most-used tax preparation software—more than any other brand. Yet, many firms struggle to navigate shifting software models, hosting costs, and competitor comparisons.
In this comprehensive FAQ, you’ll get authoritative, up-to-date answers to every critical question—from “What is UltraTax CS?” to “Is cloud hosting worth it?” to “How does UltraTax CS stack up against Drake and Lacerte?” These are the most asked questions by our clients so we thought to answer them for our audience.
Table of contents
- Introduction
- 1. What Does UltraTax CS Mean?
- 2. What is CS in Accounting?
- 3. What is Accounting CS Used For?
- 4. What is Thomson Reuters’ UltraTax CS?
- 5. What is a CS Professional Suite?
- 6. How Much Does UltraTax CS Software Cost?
- 7. How Much Does UltraTax CS Hosting Cost?
- 8. Is UltraTax CS Cloud-Based?
- 9. What Software Do Professional Tax Preparers Use?
- 10. How to Install UltraTax CS?
- 11. How to Import from Accounting CS to UltraTax?
- 12. How to Use UltraTax CS?
- 13. How secure is UltraTax CS cloud hosting?
- 14. How do I choose the right UltraTax hosting provider?
- 15. How Thomson Reuters UltraTax CS On-premise is compared to Cloud Hosting?
- 16. How Does UltraTax CS Compare to Drake and Lacerte?
- 17. UltraTax CS vs. Drake: Real User Insights
- 18. How is Drake Tax vs. UltraTax (UT)? — High-Level Comparison
1. What Does UltraTax CS Mean?
UltraTax CS by TR is a professional-grade tax preparation software developed by Thomson Reuters, tailored for CPAs, accountants, and tax firms. The “CS” stands for “Creative Solutions,” reflecting the software’s origins at Creative Solutions, Inc., now a Thomson Reuters brand.
2. What is CS in Accounting?
“CS” denotes Creative Solutions, a suite of integrated accounting and tax solutions from Thomson Reuters, including UltraTax CS, Accounting CS, and Practice CS. These tools offer automation, data sharing, and compliance management for professional firms.
3. What is Accounting CS Used For?
Accounting CS enables accountants and firms to manage bookkeeping, payroll, firm workflows, and auditing efficiently. It integrates seamlessly with UltraTax CS for smooth data transfer and client management.
4. What is Thomson Reuters’ UltraTax CS?
UltraTax CS is purpose-built tax software for accountants and tax preparers, supporting all major tax forms (1040, 1120, 1065, 1041, etc.), e-filing, client portals, advanced diagnostics, and real-time data sharing across complex tax scenarios. Designed for compliance, efficiency, and scalability, it’s the backbone of many thriving accounting practices.
5. What is a CS Professional Suite?
CS Professional Suite is a bundled suite from Thomson Reuters, offering tax, accounting, document management, payroll, and workflow software—designed to streamline every aspect of a modern accounting or tax practice.
6. How Much Does UltraTax CS Software Cost?
UltraTax CS pricing typically starts at CA$2,500 (about US$2,000) per year for smaller practices, but real-world user prices in 2025 average $7,000–$25,000 annually depending on the number of users, supported returns, state modules, and premium add-ons. For pay-per-return plans (mainly for small firms), costs per return can range from $25 to $50.
Statistic: Over 76% of users cite “high or custom Ultratax pricing” as their primary complaint.
7. How Much Does UltraTax CS Hosting Cost?
Cloud hosting pricing for UltraTax CS generally ranges from $45–$75 per user per month. OneUp Networks shares the packages starting with $45/user/month and can be customized depending on the users’ requirements. Cost depends on storage, number of users, integration features, and support levels.
8. Is UltraTax CS Cloud-Based?
Yes, UltraTax CS offers full-featured cloud hosting (“Virtual Office CS” or SaaS CS Professional Suite), enabling secure, remote access from anywhere—ideal for hybrid or distributed accounting teams. In fact, UltraTax by Thomson Reuters can be hosted on cloud with a managed hosting provider like OneUp Networks who are specialized in whole CS Professional Suite Hosting
9. What Software Do Professional Tax Preparers Use?
Top choices in 2025 for U.S. CPAs and tax preparers are:
10. How to Install UltraTax CS?
- Obtain the installation toolkit or access your cloud provider’s onboarding portal.
- For local/server installs: map a drive to target server (not C:) and run the installer as an admin.
- For cloud/hosted: most providers handle install for you; just log in via the remote desktop or portal.
- Update licenses as prompted after install.
- Regularly check for updates and apply via the “Help” or “Utilities” menu.
11. How to Import from Accounting CS to UltraTax?
- Export data or balances from Accounting CS (use correct client/entity type).
- In UltraTax CS, go to Utilities > Import and choose the relevant data type (Trial Balance, client info, etc.).
- Map fields as needed and verify successful import.
12. How to Use UltraTax CS?
- Set up client portals for secure document requests and sharing.
- Use multi-monitor support to streamline review and data entry.
- Engage e-filing and diagnostics tools to minimize errors.
- Enable MFA, role-based access, and automatic backup for security.
13. How secure is UltraTax CS cloud hosting?
Leading providers like OneUp Networks offer SSAE/HIPAA compliance, data encryption, disaster recovery, and multi-factor authentication by default. It is advised to take a demo for Ultratax hosting before opting for the services.
14. How do I choose the right UltraTax hosting provider?
Look for SSAE/HIPAA compliance, free setup/migration, better Ultratax per user pricing, disaster recovery, uptime guarantees, and positive user reviews. Test-drive with ultratax demo.
15. How Thomson Reuters UltraTax CS On-premise is compared to Cloud Hosting?
| Feature | On-Premise UltraTax CS | UltraTax CS Cloud Hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Remote, multi-device access | ❌ | ✅ |
| Automatic data backups | ❌ (manual/IT needed) | ✅ (provider managed with 3 copies) |
| Scalability during busy seasons | ❌ | ✅Specially Tax season |
| Maintenance / IT support | You manage | Handled by provider |
| Security (encryption, DR, MFA) | Extra cost/custom setup | Included in all plans |
| Integration with CS Suite | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cost predictability | Higher upfront, variable | Predictable subscriptions |
| Setup time | IT staff install & update | Fast onboarding, Free Migration |
16. How Does UltraTax CS Compare to Drake and Lacerte?
| Feature | UltraTax CS | Drake Tax Pro | Lacerte |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (annual, single user) | ~$2,500–$25,000+ | $1,895–$2,695 | Custom, often $6k+ |
| Pay-per-return available | Yes, $25–50/return | $349.99 (15 returns incl., $25–40/return after) | Yes |
| Complex returns (multi-state, K-1s, etc.) | Excellent | Good for most, can be harder with heavy complexity | Very strong |
| User experience/UI | Professional, modern | Somewhat dated but fast | Professional, deep features |
| Customer support | Mixed reviews | Very responsive | Mixed |
| Cloud hosting | Integrated, robust UltraTax Hosting | Dedicated Drake Hosting with 3rd party | Available |
17. UltraTax CS vs. Drake: Real User Insights
- Drake’s advantages: Affordability, responsive support, unlimited state/business returns for Pro package, good tax planner.
- UltraTax’s advantages: Handles complex, multi-entity and multi-state filings excellently. Strong asset management and seamless CS Suite data sharing.
- Shortcomings: UltraTax CS is expensive but often seen as justifiable for firms with complex or high-volume caseloads. Drake is more economical and user-friendly but may lag with advanced multi-state or entity scenarios.
18. How is Drake Tax vs. UltraTax (UT)? — High-Level Comparison
- Preparing a 1040 (individual) and K-1s for business partners with multi-state income.
- Automating client data pull with prep checklists for year-over-year accuracy.
- Managing payroll, bookkeeping, and tax using the full CS Professional Suite stack.
Statistic: “Firms using integrated CS Suite solutions saw an average 20% boost in preparer productivity over non-integrated competitors” (Source: 2025 Journal of Accountancy/Tax Advisor survey).
“Cloud hosting for tax software is no longer an option but a competitive necessity for modern accounting firms—due to the shift to hybrid work and the increasing threat landscape. Those using robust, vendor-backed solutions with disaster recovery and encryption enjoy higher client trust and operational uptime.”
[2025 Survey, Journal of Accountancy].
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