A straight gross-income comparison between freelancing and a salaried role misses what an employer quietly funds — EPF contributions, gratuity accrual, insurance — which a freelancer has to replicate out of pocket to have an equivalent package.
The freelance side computes 44ADA presumptive tax on gross receipts minus expenses; the salaried side computes regular slab tax on salary, then separately totals the employer-funded benefits (EPF match, gratuity, group insurance) that a freelancer would need to self-fund to match. The comparison nets both sides against that full picture, not just take-home pay.
Often yes at the tax-calculation level, because 44ADA's 50% deemed profit can be lower than your real effective tax rate as a salaried employee with fewer deductions — but that comparison alone ignores that freelancers get no employer PF match, no gratuity, no paid leave, and no employer health cover, all of which have to come out of freelance income to be equivalent.
Compare freelance net income against salaried take-home plus the value of employer-funded benefits you'd otherwise have to buy yourself (EPF match, insurance, gratuity accrual) — comparing against raw CTC overstates the salaried side, since CTC includes employer costs you never see in hand either.
Figures are estimates for informational purposes only, based on the assumptions you enter, and are not tax advice. Consult a Chartered Accountant or the Income Tax e-filing portal before filing.