ActiveACB tracks your adjusted cost base. Sched3 takes that foundation and builds the full tax engine on top — superficial-loss scanning, T5008 reconciliation, equity compensation, crypto, and a filing-ready Schedule 3 package.
ActiveACB solves the core problem well: it calculates your adjusted cost base using the CRA weighted-average method. You import broker CSVs, it pools across accounts, and you get your ACB per security. For a straightforward buy-hold-sell portfolio, that is often all you need.
Sched3 starts from the same ACB engine but adds every layer needed to produce a defensible tax return: automated superficial-loss detection that catches 30-day rule violations across affiliated accounts, T5008 line-by-line reconciliation that flags when your broker reports the wrong cost base, equity compensation (RSU/ESPP/stock options), crypto dispositions, corporate actions, and a Schedule 3 package your accountant can file from with zero rework.
If your portfolio is Canadian equities and ETFs, you rarely sell, and you never buy within 30 days of a loss — ActiveACB gives you correct numbers at a lower price. Its ACB ledger is straightforward and functional.
You outgrow it when any of these apply: you tax-loss sell (superficial loss risk), you hold US-listed or USD-denominated securities, you have RSUs or ESPPs from an employer, you trade crypto, or you want a turnkey filing package your accountant can use directly.
| Capability | Sched3 (Active, $129/yr) | ActiveACB ($49/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| Pooled ACB (CRA weighted-average method) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Broker CSV import | ✓ 6+ brokers, auto-mapped | ✓ Manual CSV upload |
| Cross-brokerage ACB pooling | ✓ Automatic | ✓ Automatic |
| Bank of Canada FX rates | ✓ Per trade date | ✓ Per trade date |
| Superficial-loss detection | ✓ 30-day windows, affiliated accounts, safe rebuy date | ✗ |
| T5008 reconciliation (line-by-line) | ✓ Box 20 matched against true ACB | ✗ |
| ETF return of capital & phantom distributions | ✓ Auto-applied from fund data | Manual adjustment |
| RSU / ESPP / employee-option cost base | ✓ Vest-date FMV, T4 benefit linking | ✗ |
| Crypto (swaps as dispositions) | ✓ CAD-valued pooled ACB | ✗ |
| Corporate actions (splits, spin-offs, mergers) | ✓ Guided workflows | Manual entry |
| Schedule 3-ready accountant package | ✓ PDF + CSV + audit trail | ACB report export |
| What-if tax simulator | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi-client accountant tools | ✓ Pro plan | ✗ |
| Free tier | ✓ Manual entry + 1 broker + 20 calculators | Trial period |
Knowing your adjusted cost base tells you what you paid. Knowing what you owe requires superficial-loss scanning across every account you and your spouse own, trade-date FX conversion from the Bank of Canada, T5008 matching that proves your broker reported the wrong number, and line-by-line output that maps to CRA Schedule 3 fields.
ActiveACB gives you the first piece. Sched3 gives you the complete answer — from cost base through every CRA rule to the final filing number.
A single superficial loss that goes undetected can trigger a CRA reassessment — typically $1,200-$5,000 in added tax plus interest. The 30-day rule is easy to violate unintentionally (DRIPs, automatic reinvestment, spouse accounts). Sched3 catches every instance automatically.
If you sell 10+ positions per year, that automated scanning alone justifies the premium over a tool that requires you to track the rule manually.
Yes. Export your ActiveACB transactions as CSV and import directly into Sched3. ACB recalculates automatically using your full trade history.
No. ActiveACB tracks ACB but does not monitor the 30-day window for repurchases. You would need to check manually. Sched3 scans every sale automatically.
If you tax-loss sell or want T5008 reconciliation, yes. If you strictly buy-and-hold with no sales, ActiveACB is likely sufficient until you file.
Yes. Sched3 supports multiple profiles under one account and can check superficial losses across affiliated accounts (spouse, RRSP, TFSA) — a critical gap in most ACB tools.