Quick answer: these are two different products sold under similar names. For an individual, ClearTax, TaxSpanner and Quicko offer self-filing (often free or low cost for simple salary returns) and paid assisted filing where an expert prepares and files for you. For a CA firm filing hundreds of returns, you need practice software — ClearTax TaxCloud, Zen Income Tax, Webtel or Saral — priced by client count, not by return.
For individuals: what you are actually choosing
| Self-filing | Assisted filing | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free or low, by return complexity | Paid, by complexity |
| Right for | Salary income, one Form 16, standard deductions | Capital gains, multiple properties, foreign income, business income |
| Time | 20–40 minutes | You upload documents; they file |
| Risk | You own any error | Expert review, though liability remains yours |
The honest guidance: if your income is salary plus bank interest and you have one Form 16, self-file. The portal's own utility is free, and these platforms are faster and friendlier. If you have capital gains across many trades, crypto transactions, multiple house properties, foreign assets or business income, the assisted option or a CA is worth the fee — the error cost exceeds it.
Where the platforms differ
ClearTax is the broadest, covering individual ITR, an enterprise GST and e-invoicing suite (ClearTax e-Invoicing), billing and CA practice software. If you want one vendor across personal and business filings, it is the most complete.
TaxSpanner has a long history in assisted filing and tax planning for individuals, with a focus on maximising deductions and handling salaried-plus-investment cases.
Quicko is strongest for traders and investors — capital gains from equity, F&O, and crypto, with broker imports that save hours of trade-by-trade reconstruction. If your return is complicated primarily by trading activity, this is the practical differentiator.
Capital gains and crypto: where returns actually go wrong
Two areas cause most individual filing errors in India today:
- Capital gains reporting. Equity delivery, intraday, F&O and mutual funds are treated differently, with F&O generally reported as business income. Platforms that import directly from your broker remove a large source of error.
- Virtual digital assets. Crypto gains are taxed under a specific regime with its own rate and restrictions on set-off, and TDS applies on transfers. If you traded crypto, check the platform handles VDA reporting properly rather than treating it as ordinary capital gains.
Confirm both with your specific broker and exchange before paying.
For CA firms: a different purchase entirely
Filing software for a practice is priced by number of clients or assessees, and what matters is throughput and control:
- Bulk import from Form 26AS, AIS and TIS
- Client-wise dashboards for status and pending items
- Bulk e-verification and acknowledgement management
- Computation sheets clients will accept
- Audit report filings (3CA/3CB-3CD) where applicable
- Team access with role-based permissions
- Deadline tracking across the client base — usually the highest-value feature
Compare ClearTax TaxCloud, Zen Income Tax, Webtel and Saral on client-count banding. See income tax software for CA firms in India.
And separately: practice management — client, task, document and deadline tracking — is what actually prevents missed due dates, and it is a different product from filing software. See practice management software for CA firms.
FAQs
Is ClearTax free for filing ITR?
ClearTax offers free self-filing for simple returns, with paid tiers for more complex situations and paid assisted filing where an expert prepares and files for you. Capital gains, business income and foreign assets typically fall into paid tiers. The Income Tax Department's own utility is also free if you prefer to file directly.
Which is best for filing ITR with capital gains?
How is crypto taxed in India and do these platforms handle it?
Virtual digital assets are taxed under a specific regime with its own rate and restrictions on setting off losses, and TDS applies on transfers. Not every platform handles VDA reporting correctly — some treat it as ordinary capital gains. Check explicitly if you traded crypto, and confirm your exchange's statement can be imported.
What software do CA firms use for income tax filing?
Practice-grade products priced by client count, such as ClearTax TaxCloud, Zen Income Tax, Webtel and Saral. The features that matter are bulk import from 26AS, AIS and TIS, client-wise status dashboards, bulk e-verification, computation sheets and deadline tracking across the client base.
Do I need separate software for GST, TDS and income tax?
Many firms standardise on one vendor across all three — ClearTax, Webtel, Saral and Zen all offer suites — which simplifies training and support. Others pick specialists, such as TDSMAN for TDS. Either works; what matters more is deadline tracking across clients, which is a practice-management function rather than a filing one.
Next step: get a free matched tax and compliance software shortlist for your firm size or personal filing needs.
