Compare offers using annual CTC and your estimated monthly in-hand (from the CTC→in-hand tool or payslip assumptions). This page ranks what you enter — it does not invent in-hand from CTC automatically.
Reviewed July 2026 · FY 2026–27 (AY 2027–28) tax slabs in engine · Methodology
In-hand must be estimated consistently across offers — the accuracy card explains ranking limits.
Offer A: CTC ₹18L, in-hand ₹1,05,000/mo. Offer B: CTC ₹20L, in-hand ₹1,02,000/mo. This tool ranks by the numbers you believe are comparable — not by automatically recomputing tax.
Use the CTC→in-hand calculator for each offer with consistent assumptions, then paste results here.
CTC (Cost to Company) is the most common metric used to compare Indian job offers, but it is one of the least reliable for comparing actual financial outcomes. Two offers with the same CTC can produce meaningfully different monthly in-hand amounts based on how the CTC is structured — and even more different quality-of-life outcomes based on city, benefits, and risk profile.
The fixed-vs-variable split is the first thing to examine. A ₹20 LPA offer with ₹5 lakh variable (performance-linked) is not the same as a ₹20 LPA offer that is 100% fixed. Variable pay depends on individual and company performance — and in practice, many employees receive 60–80% of target variable. Compare offers on fixed gross, not total CTC including aspirational variable.
Joining bonuses are common for senior hires and employees leaving mid-appraisal. A ₹2 lakh joining bonus in a ₹20 LPA offer is equivalent to ₹10,000/month amortized — and it is typically clawed back if you leave within 12–24 months. Treat joining bonuses as a one-time adjustment, not a salary enhancement, when comparing offers for the medium term. Similarly, a retention bonus at your current company only counts if you plan to stay — do not let a conditional future payment anchor your negotiation against a concrete offer.
The Basic+DA split also matters: a company with a low Basic (30–35% of gross) will produce lower employee PF deductions, slightly higher monthly in-hand, but also lower gratuity accrual and potentially lower leave encashment. A company with 40–50% Basic has higher statutory deductions but more "employer-paid" retirement benefits. Neither is universally better — it depends on your priorities. Use this calculator to compare net in-hand after PF across offer structures.
The most common mistake in evaluating a job offer is leading with CTC. A ₹20 LPA offer from Company A vs ₹18 LPA from Company B looks like a clear winner for A. But the comparison collapses when you account for the actual variables: PF wage definitions (Company A may use full Basic, increasing your PF deduction), professional tax differences (different cities), regime eligibility, and whether the CTC definition includes gratuity accrual.
The only number that matters for monthly budgeting is net in-hand salary. Use this calculator to convert both offers to comparable in-hand figures before deciding.
A calculator can compare in-hand salary across two offers. It cannot compare what each job does to your market value in 3–5 years. This is the dimension that most systematically goes under-weighted in offer decisions.
If Offer A pays ₹15 LPA but puts you in a leadership role building a product from scratch, your market value in 3 years may be ₹28–35 LPA. If Offer B pays ₹18 LPA but puts you in maintenance mode on a legacy system with little ownership, your market value may be ₹22 LPA. The ₹3 LPA differential today may become a ₹10–13 LPA differential by year 4.
Factors to assess qualitatively before making this calculation: