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Measured on six things

myCostBase is a tax-first adjusted cost base (ACB) tracker for Canadian investors with non-registered accounts. It pools identical securities across brokerages, applies Bank of Canada exchange rates to USD trades, records ETF return of capital and reinvested distributions, flags superficial-loss issues, and reconciles calculated gains against T5008 slips. Users can import broker CSVs, review a transparent Security Ledger, and export accountant-ready capital-gains reports.

Accessibility

Strong automated accessibility with a 91/100 Lighthouse score. Two failing audits: insufficient color contrast and missing main landmark. No explicit WCAG statement or multi-language support found.

Screenshots

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myCostBase

About this app

myCostBase helps Canadian investors maintain the adjusted cost base records needed for non-registered investment accounts. Instead of relying on a single broker's account-level book value, it pools identical securities across taxable accounts and brokerages for each taxpayer, creating a dated, reviewable ledger of every ACB change. Users can enter trades manually or import CSV history from supported Canadian brokerages. myCostBase handles purchases and sales, DRIPs, return of capital, reinvested distributions, transfers, stock splits, options, short sales, commissions, and USD transactions. Historical USD amounts are converted with Bank of Canada daily exchange rates, with the rate and calculation trail kept visible. At tax time, myCostBase compares its calculated proceeds, ACB, and realized gain or loss with broker T5008 figures and explains discrepancies such as return-of-capital adjustments or pooled holdings across institutions.

Key features

1CRA-compliant ACB pooling across multiple brokerages and accounts
2Bank of Canada daily FX rates for USD transactions with inline rate display
3T5008 reconciliation that explains discrepancies between broker and myCostBase figures

Target customer profile

Drawn from the product itself, not from a survey.

Scout Review

Written by AI from measured evidence, scored out of 100.

myCostBase is a well-executed, niche SaaS that solves a real and painful problem for Canadian investors with multi-brokerage taxable accounts. Its design is polished, with a clear focus on transparency and audit trails. The security posture is excellent, and performance is solid, though mobile load times could be improved. Accessibility is good but has a couple of easy wins. The growth potential is significant, given the specific CRA compliance wedge it occupies. The main areas for improvement are onboarding guidance, a clearer call-to-action on the empty dashboard, and addressing the minor accessibility issues. Overall, it's a promising product that fills a genuine gap in the market.

Measure by measure

Usability

Clear navigation and a helpful ledger view. Onboarding is free and manual entry is unlimited. However, the sidebar is long, and the empty dashboard lacks a clear 'add transaction' call-to-action.

Design

Polished, modern UI with a strong hero and live ledger preview. Consistent green accents and scannable tables. Minor issues: tax year defaults to 2026, empty dashboard sections.

Speed

Solid performance with a 77 mobile and 81 desktop Lighthouse score. TBT is excellent at 134ms, but LCP at 4.4s on mobile is a bit sluggish, likely due to heavy hero imagery.

Security

Excellent security hygiene with a perfect 12/12 header checklist, including HSTS, CSP, and DMARC. No SOC 2 or pen-test report is published, which is typical for a young product.

Accessibility

Strong automated accessibility with a 91/100 Lighthouse score. Two failing audits: insufficient color contrast and missing main landmark. No explicit WCAG statement or multi-language support found.

Growth

Targets a real, underserved niche: Canadian investors with multi-brokerage taxable accounts. Clear CRA-compliance wedge. Category has headroom, but traction is unproven.

Improvement areas

Onboarding: Add a prominent 'Add First Transaction' button on the empty dashboard
Accessibility: Fix color contrast and add a main landmark to improve screen reader navigation
Performance: Optimize hero images to reduce mobile LCP below 2.5 seconds

Design & Usability

myCostBase presents a clean, professional interface that immediately communicates its value proposition. The hero section with a live ledger preview is a strong visual anchor, and the consistent use of green for positive states helps users quickly grasp their portfolio's health. The dashboard, however, starts with a bit of a cold shoulder, showing empty sections without a clear 'add your first trade' prompt. The sidebar is comprehensive but can feel overwhelming for new users, requiring a scroll to find key features like reports. The Security Ledger itself is a highlight, offering a clear, dated view of every ACB change with export options, which is a huge plus for accountant handoffs. Overall, the design is above average for a niche SaaS, but the onboarding flow could be more guided to reduce initial friction.

Speed & Security

Performance is generally good, with a Lighthouse mobile score of 77 and desktop at 81. The Time to Interactive is excellent, but the Largest Contentful Paint at 4.4 seconds on mobile is a noticeable drag, likely due to the hero's visual elements. On the security front, myCostBase is a model citizen, with a perfect 12/12 score on security headers, including HSTS, CSP, and DMARC. This shows a strong commitment to protecting user data. The absence of a published SOC 2 or ISO certification is not surprising for a product of this age and size, but it's something to watch for as they grow. The privacy policy and data handling practices are not prominently featured, which is a minor gap in transparency for a financial tool.

Accessibility & Growth

The accessibility score of 91/100 from Lighthouse is commendable, but the two failing audits—color contrast and a missing main landmark—are easy fixes that would make the site more inclusive. There's no explicit WCAG statement or multi-language support, which limits its reach. The growth potential is where myCostBase shines. It addresses a very specific, painful problem for Canadian investors: the CRA's identical-property pooling rule across multiple brokerages. This is a wedge that incumbents like Wealthsimple or Questrade are structurally unable to copy, as they only see their own accounts. The category has clear headroom, as more Canadians are becoming DIY investors with complex portfolios. The main risk is execution and marketing, but the idea itself is strong and defensible.

Conclusion

For any Canadian investor juggling multiple brokerages and dreading tax season, myCostBase is worth a serious look. The free plan with unlimited manual entry is a great way to test the waters. If you're tired of spreadsheet gymnastics and want a CRA-ready ledger that explains every number, this could be your new best friend. It's not perfect—the dashboard could be more inviting, and mobile speed needs a tweak—but the core value proposition is strong and well-executed. Give it a try; your future self at tax time will thank you.

Suggestions for improvement

Add a prominent 'Add First Transaction' button on the empty dashboard to guide new users.
Fix the color contrast issue and add a main landmark to improve accessibility scores.
Optimize hero images and scripts to reduce mobile LCP below 2.5 seconds.
Publish a clear privacy policy and consider a SOC 2 report to build trust with users.

How we score

Alternatives comparison

Named competitors, point by point. Nobody paid to appear here or to be left out.

	myCostBase
ACB Pooling Across Brokerages	Pools identical securities across all taxable accounts and brokerages for each taxpayer, as CRA requires.	No information available
T5008 Reconciliation	Compares myCostBase calculated proceeds, ACB, and realized gain/loss with broker T5008 figures and explains discrepancies.	No information available
USD FX Conversion	Converts historical USD amounts using Bank of Canada daily exchange rates, with the rate and calculation trail kept visible.	No information available
CSV Import from Brokerages	Supports CSV import from supported Canadian brokerages, with full import on paid plans.	No information available
Pricing Model	Freemium: Free plan with unlimited manual entry, Investor at $79 CAD/year, Investor Plus at $109 CAD/year.	No information available