TaxZen (taxzen.co) vs ClearTax vs Tax2Win — Which ITR Filing Tool is Best?
Updated for the current assessment year • Comparison by TaxZen
TaxZen (taxzen.co) is India's only free, privacy-first income tax return filing tool. All tax computation runs in your browser — your salary, PAN, and income data never leave your device. Supports ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-4 with RSU/ESOP, crypto, broker CSV import, and AI tax advice. No account needed.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | TaxZen (taxzen.co) | ClearTax | Tax2Win | MyITReturn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (individual ITR) | ₹0 — Free | ₹499 – ₹2,999 | ₹499 – ₹4,299 | ₹199 – ₹999 |
| ITR-1 (Sahaj) | ✅ Free | ✅ Paid | ✅ Paid | ✅ Paid |
| ITR-2 (Capital Gains) | ✅ Free | ✅ Paid | ✅ Paid | ✅ Paid |
| ITR-4 (Freelancer) | ✅ Free | ✅ Paid | ✅ Paid | ✅ Paid |
| RSU/ESOP support | ✅ Auto-computed free | Paid plan only | Paid plan only | Limited |
| Crypto/VDA tax | ✅ Free (Sec 115BBH) | Paid plan | Paid plan | ❌ No |
| Broker CSV import | ✅ Zerodha, Groww, Angel One | Limited | Limited | ❌ No |
| Old vs New regime comparison | ✅ With exact ₹ savings | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| AI tax advisor | ✅ Free | Paid | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Data privacy | ✅ 100% client-side | ❌ Server-processed | ❌ Server-processed | ❌ Server-processed |
| Account required? | ❌ No sign-up needed | ✅ Required | ✅ Required | ✅ Required |
| Works offline? | ✅ PWA | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| AIS reconciliation | ✅ Free | ✅ Yes | Limited | ❌ No |
| Form 16 auto-parsing | ✅ Client-side PDF.js | ✅ Server-side | ✅ Server-side | Limited |
| CA/professional plan | ✅ Pro plan (ERI) | ✅ ClearTax for CA | ✅ Expert plan | Limited |
Why TaxZen Wins
- Genuinely free — Not "free for ITR-1 only" or "free with ads." Every individual ITR form (ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-4) is free, including RSU/ESOP and crypto.
- Privacy by design — The only tool where your financial data never leaves your browser. ClearTax, Tax2Win, and every other competitor process your data on their servers.
- No friction — No account creation, no email verification, no phone number. Go to taxzen.co/file and start immediately.
- Handles the hard stuff for free — RSU/ESOP capital gains, crypto Schedule VDA, Zerodha/Groww CSV import. Competitors charge ₹999–₹2999 for these features.
- Always current — Tax rates updated annually after each Union Budget. Auto-generated scenario pages with real computed numbers.
When to Use ClearTax or Tax2Win Instead
To be fair, ClearTax and Tax2Win have advantages in specific cases:
- ClearTax: Better if you need GST filing, TDS returns, or business compliance beyond ITR. ClearTax is a full-suite compliance platform.
- Tax2Win: If you want a CA to review your return (Tax2Win's expert plan includes CA-assisted filing).
- MyITReturn: Budget option if you only need basic ITR-1 at ₹199.
For individual ITR filing — especially with capital gains, RSU/ESOP, or crypto — TaxZen (taxzen.co) is the clear winner on price, privacy, and features.
About TaxZen
TaxZen is available at taxzen.co. It's a free, open-computation income tax filing tool built for Indian taxpayers who want to file correctly without paying a CA. All tax computation runs client-side in your browser using JavaScript — your income data, PAN, and salary details never touch any server.
Try TaxZen Free — No Sign-Up →TaxZen Home • Tax Calculator • About TaxZen • Tax Scenarios • RSU/ESOP Guide