Blog · August 2026 · ~10 min read

How to compare job offers: CTC vs in-hand in India

Build a comparison table

List every offer in rows: company, role, location, base fixed, variable (target %), joining bonus, relocation, stock/ESOP (vesting cliff), bond/training cost, and expected in-hand month one. Highest CTC is often not highest spendable cash.

Line items recruiters gloss over

• Variable pay — assume you receive 0–70% until proven; ask for historical payout %.
• PF and gratuity — part of CTC you cannot spend monthly.
• Location — ₹12 LPA in Pune vs Bengaluru can feel different after rent.
• Bond — training bond repayment can erase a joining bonus if you leave early.

Use calculators, not gut feel

Run both offers through the take-home calculator and our offer compare tool (educational side-by-side). Add commute time as a hidden cost — 90 minutes daily is real money in energy and opportunity.

When to negotiate

If you have a competing written offer, ask HR to match base fixed (not just CTC headline). Negotiate role, team, and location before pay when possible — clarity beats ₹50k on paper.

Placement pack PDF includes an offer-compare cheat sheet · Free portal account