Sidehub is a free, practical hub for self-employed Canadians — gig workers, freelancers, and small business owners who need clear answers without paying for software or booking an accountant just to ask a simple question. The first pillar, Tax & CRA, covers income tax, CPP, expenses, GST/HST, and quarterly instalments. More pillars covering money planning, business setup, and admin are on the way.
Why we built this
Most tax calculators are built for people with a single salary and a T4 slip. They fall apart the moment you add side income, self-employment, or a mix of both. Yet millions of Canadians now earn money on the side, and the tax rules for that income — how it stacks on your salary, the self-employed CPP you owe, the GST/HST thresholds — are genuinely confusing and badly served by existing tools. Sidehub exists to close that gap.
Our approach to accuracy
Every calculator on Sidehub uses current-year federal and provincial tax rates, CPP contribution rules, and CRA thresholds, verified against authoritative sources before going live. When a figure can’t be verified, we don’t publish it — we mark it clearly as coming soon rather than risk giving you a wrong number. We’re transparent about what each tool includes and what it simplifies.
What Sidehub is — and isn’t
Sidehub provides estimates to help you understand and plan for your taxes. It is not tax advice, and it is not a substitute for a professional accountant or the CRA. Tax situations vary, and edge cases exist that a general calculator can’t capture. For decisions that matter, always confirm with a qualified professional.
Built in Canada, for Canada
Sidehub is focused exclusively on Canadian tax rules — real federal and provincial brackets, not a generic calculator with a maple leaf added. We’re expanding province by province and adding new tools over time.
How Sidehub is organized
The tools are designed to work together in a logical order. If you’re new to self-employment taxes, the recommended path is:
- Estimate your expenses first with the Self-Employed Expense Calculator. Net income — revenue minus deductible expenses — is the foundation every other calculation builds on.
- Calculate income tax and CPP with the Self-Employed Tax Calculator. Self-employed people owe income tax on net business income and the full CPP contribution (both halves), which surprises many people new to self-employment.
- Check your GST/HST registration requirement with the GST/HST Registration Threshold Checker. Once your revenue approaches $30,000, registration is generally required, and the timing matters.
- Plan your GST/HST remittance with the GST/HST Quick Method Calculator. If you’re already registered, the CRA’s Quick Method can simplify remittance and may let you keep a portion of what you collect.
- Plan quarterly instalments with the Quarterly Tax Instalment Calculator. Once taxes owing exceed a threshold, CRA may require quarterly payments. Estimate whether instalments may apply and plan the four standard due dates.
If you have a T4 salary alongside side income, the Side Hustle Tax Calculator gives a focused view of the marginal tax and CPP on that extra income specifically.