The ClearTax Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about ClearTax in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
ClearTax
The Insider’s Guide
Indian income tax filing, with self-filing and CA-assisted plans
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among accounting and invoicing tools, read from ClearTax’s own pages.
Made by Defmacro Software Pvt. Ltd. (Clear) · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from ClearTax’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on ClearTax’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.6
GPA, above 1 of the 65 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade
ClearTax is an Indian tax platform for individuals, built around income tax return filing. Taxpayers can file themselves from documents such as Form 16, or hire a chartered accountant to file for them. The same company also sells GST, e-invoicing and TDS software to businesses under the Clear name.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about ClearTax, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Which plan you need depends on what kinds of income you have.
- 1
Best for filing Indian income tax returns with a CA's help
Each plan's price shows only inside checkout, nothing free is listed, and it isn't bookkeeping software.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at ₹1,299 and up for CA-assisted filing of salary income.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Self ITR filing
Upload Form 16 or other documents and the return is pre-filled, with old and new tax regimes compared.
- 5
CA-assisted filing
A tax expert files the return for salaried people, investors, traders, freelancers, NRIs and people with RSUs or ESOPs.
- 6
Capital gains import
Imports capital gains from more than 80 brokers, according to the homepage, for investors and traders.
- 7
A 1.6 GPA, above 1 of 65
That is against the other accounting and invoicing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace ClearTax you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
ClearTax at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from ₹1,299 and up for CA-assisted filing of salary income
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Defmacro Software Pvt. Ltd. (Clear)
- Category
- Accounting & Invoicing
- Our grade
- 1.6 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for filing Indian income tax returns with a CA's help
ClearTax files Indian income tax returns, by yourself or with a chartered accountant, from ₹1,299 a return for salary income and ₹3,999 for capital gains or self-employed work. Each plan's price shows only inside checkout, nothing free is listed, and it isn't bookkeeping software.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | ₹1,299 a return and up for CA-assisted salary filing, ₹3,999 for capital gains or self-employed work. A per-return service doesn't compare cleanly with monthly plans, so this is the middle grade. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan or trial on record, and each plan's price shows only inside the checkout flow. |
| Features | C | Self-filing, CA-assisted filing, capital gains import and year-round support. It files tax and does nothing else: no invoices, no ledger. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Which plan you need depends on what kinds of income you have. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, and Indian tax rules only. No integrations are listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who ClearTax is for
- Fits if you're an Indian taxpayer with salary or capital gains income who wants a CA to file
- Works for self-employed people in India who want expert-assisted returns
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you're outside India, as it's rupees and Indian tax rules only
- Skip it if you need bookkeeping or invoicing, because it's a tax-filing product
- Watch out: plan prices show only inside checkout, so the figures above are the FAQ's starting prices
- Watch out: audit fees, where an audit is needed, are paid to the auditor and aren't in the plan price
Good to know
Good for
- Salaried people in India filing an income tax return
- Investors and traders who need capital gains handled
- People with complex income who want a chartered accountant to file
Worth knowing
- It serves Indian taxpayers and Indian tax rules only, and prices are in rupees.
- The price of each plan is shown only inside the checkout flow; the pricing page's FAQ gives starting prices.
- Audit fees, where an audit is required, are not part of the plan price and are paid to the auditor separately.
- It is a tax-filing product, not general bookkeeping or accounting software.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
₹1,299
To start
ClearTax is a paid product, starting at ₹1,299 and up for CA-assisted filing of salary income.
A per-return service doesn't compare cleanly with monthly plans, so this is the middle grade.
CA-assisted: salary and house rent
₹1,299
per return and up
Expert-assisted filing for salary and house rent income; the pricing FAQ says plans start from this figure.
CA-assisted: crypto traders
₹2,999
per return and up
Expert-assisted plan for people with cryptocurrency income.
CA-assisted: capital gains
₹3,999
per return and up
Expert-assisted plan for people with capital gains income.
CA-assisted: self-employed
₹3,999
per return and up
Expert-assisted plan for self-employed people and professionals.
Read from cleartax.in on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Indian income tax filing, with self-filing and CA-assisted plans. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, workflow automation, reports.
Self-filing, CA-assisted filing, capital gains import and year-round support.
- Self ITR filing
- Upload Form 16 or other documents and the return is pre-filled, with old and new tax regimes compared.
- CA-assisted filing
- A tax expert files the return for salaried people, investors, traders, freelancers, NRIs and people with RSUs or ESOPs.
- Capital gains import
- Imports capital gains from more than 80 brokers, according to the homepage, for investors and traders.
- Year-round tax support
- An annual subscription to a personal tax expert is sold for people who want help beyond the filing.
- Business tax products
- Separate Clear products cover GST, e-invoicing, TDS compliance, vendor management and input tax credit for companies.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
ClearTax is made by Defmacro Software Pvt. Ltd. (Clear).
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
1/65
Other accounting and invoicing tools it is graded above
ClearTax's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 1 of the 65 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on value for money (C, above 13 of 65) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 66 accounting and invoicing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. ClearTax’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 65
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 65
- CFeaturesAbove 4 of 65
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 65
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 65
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace ClearTax you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 59 of the 65 other accounting and invoicing tools grade higher.
What you could make
- Reports: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. ClearTax’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Vyapar, Refrens, Zoho Books and QuickBooks Online
The 4 tools ClearTax is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Vyapar
Free trial · from $89.99/yr
GST billing and inventory software for Indian small businesses.
- Only ClearTax lists a web app.
- Only Vyapar lists Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- ClearTax also covers workflow automation.
- 2.2GPA
Refrens
Free plan · from ₹8,900/yr
GST invoicing, accounting and lead tracking for Indian firms.
- Refrens has a free plan. ClearTax does not.
- Only Refrens lists iOS and Android apps.
- ClearTax also covers workflow automation and reports.
- 3.4GPA
Zoho Books
Free plan · from $15/mo
Online accounting from Zoho, with a free plan and six paid tiers.
- Zoho Books has a free plan. ClearTax does not.
- Only Zoho Books lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- ClearTax also covers workflow automation.
- 2.4GPA
QuickBooks Online
Free plan · from $38/mo
Cloud accounting from Intuit, from a free plan to 25-user Advanced.
- QuickBooks Online has a free plan. ClearTax does not.
- Only QuickBooks Online lists iOS and Android apps.
- ClearTax also covers workflow automation.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is ClearTax free?
No. ClearTax is a paid product, starting at ₹1,299 and up for CA-assisted filing of salary income.
How much does ClearTax cost?
ClearTax lists 4 plans. CA-assisted: salary and house rent: ₹1,299 per return and up.
What platforms does ClearTax work on?
ClearTax is available on Web.
Does ClearTax have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. ClearTax is listed for Web.
Does ClearTax have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. ClearTax is listed for Web.
Is ClearTax open source?
ClearTax is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Who makes ClearTax?
ClearTax is made by Defmacro Software Pvt. Ltd. (Clear).
What are the alternatives to ClearTax?
The closest alternatives to ClearTax in our directory are Vyapar, Refrens, Zoho Books and QuickBooks Online.
How does ClearTax compare with other accounting and invoicing tools?
ClearTax's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 1 of the 65 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade, and level with 5.
Could I make my own version of ClearTax?
To replace ClearTax you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from ClearTax’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from ClearTax's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Defmacro Software Pvt. Ltd. (Clear). Prices change, so check cleartax.in before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- ClearTax, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/cleartax
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "ClearTax: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/cleartax
Know someone choosing between accounting and invoicing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/cleartax/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded accounting and invoicing tools after ClearTax, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Accounting & Invoicing Insider's GuideEvery one of the 67 accounting and invoicing tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Invoice Insider's GuideFree invoicing app from Zoho for freelancers and small businesses3.6 GPA
- Zoho Books Insider's GuideOnline accounting from Zoho, with a free plan and six paid tiers3.4 GPA
- Odoo Insider's GuideBusiness app suite whose Accounting app is free when used on its own3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what ClearTax’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. ClearTax is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Defmacro Software Pvt. Ltd. (Clear). Prices and plans change: check cleartax.in before you buy.