ITR filing 2026: Pay ₹11-₹24 or file for free? Compare tax filing charges across platforms

With the July 31 deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for Financial Year 2025-26 fast approaching, taxpayers now have multiple options to submit their returns online. While the Income Tax Department's e-filing portal remains the official platform, fintech companies are increasingly offering digital tax filing services through partnerships with tax experts, making the process more accessible for individual taxpayers.

These platforms provide features such as pre-filled tax details, automated import of investment data, tax regime comparison and expert assistance for taxpayers with complex financial profiles.

The official platform

The Income Tax Department's e-filing portal continues to be the primary platform for filing returns.

Taxpayers can log in using their Permanent Account Number (PAN), choose the applicable ITR form, verify pre-filled income and deduction details, pay any tax liability and complete the filing through electronic verification.

The portal also provides information sourced from Form 16, the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and the Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS), wherever available, reducing the need for manual data entry.

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Fintech platforms offer additional filing options

Several fintech companies have expanded their services by integrating tax filing within their apps.

Paytm has partnered with ClearTax to allow users to file ITRs directly through the Paytm app. The service starts at ₹11 and includes automated retrieval of tax information, selection of the appropriate ITR form and tax regime, and complimentary notice protection. Under this feature, taxpayers who receive an income tax notice after filing can seek assistance from ClearTax in understanding and responding to the notice.

PhonePe and JioFinance have also entered the space through their partnership with TaxBuddy. Their services begin at ₹24 for self-filing plans and also offer expert-assisted filing.

Unlike basic filing services, these platforms support taxpayers with diverse income sources, including salary, business income, capital gains, cryptocurrency transactions, foreign income and taxation related to non-resident Indians (NRIs).

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Features offered by digital tax filing platforms

Modern tax filing platforms are designed to simplify compliance by reducing manual work. Most services allow taxpayers to import capital gains data directly from brokerage accounts and investment platforms, automatically calculate gains and populate relevant fields in the return.

Many platforms also compare the old and new tax regimes, recommend the appropriate ITR form, estimate tax liability or refund, and provide assistance for responding to eligible income tax notices.

For investors, the platforms can import trading records from multiple brokers, helping simplify reporting of equity and mutual fund transactions.

Who should consider expert-assisted filing?

Self-filing is generally suitable for taxpayers with straightforward income sources such as salary, bank interest and standard deductions.

However, individuals earning income from multiple sources—including business or professional income, shares, mutual funds, futures and options (F&O), cryptocurrencies, foreign assets or overseas income—may benefit from expert-assisted filing to ensure accurate reporting and compliance with tax rules.

Documents required before filing

Before beginning the filing process, taxpayers should keep essential documents ready. These include PAN and Aadhaar details, Form 16, AIS, TIS, bank interest certificates, capital gains statements, deduction proofs under Sections 80C and 80D, and details relating to rental income, housing loans or foreign income, where applicable.

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Filing an ITR is important even if no tax is payable

According to Kumar Binit, CEO of airpay money, taxpayers should not assume that filing an ITR becomes unnecessary simply because no tax is payable.

He said an income tax return serves as an important financial record that can help while applying for loans, credit cards, visas or meeting other financial requirements. Although filing may not be mandatory in every case, maintaining a regular record of income can strengthen an individual's financial profile.

Verify details before submitting

Regardless of the platform used, taxpayers should carefully review all pre-filled information before submitting their return. Income from every source should be reported accurately, deductions should be claimed only where eligible, and the chosen tax regime should match the taxpayer's financial situation.

The choice between the Income Tax Department's portal, self-service fintech platforms and expert-assisted filing ultimately depends on the complexity of the taxpayer's income and the level of support required.

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