HourSlip blog · 42 guides

Resources for Indian freelancers

Tax guides, invoicing tips and practical advice for independent services professionals in India — domestic billing and foreign-client work (LUT, FIRC, 194O) covered.

Tax Guide
ITR-3 vs ITR-4 for Freelancers: Which Form Do You Actually File?
Your return is due 31 August 2026, and the form you pick decides how much work filing is — and sometimes how much tax you pay. Here is the decision rule and the full disqualifier list.
02 Aug 2026 · 9 min read →
Tax Guide
Missed the ITR Deadline? The Belated-Return Playbook for Freelancers
You have not lost the ability to file — you have lost four specific things, and one of them costs far more than the late fee everyone worries about.
02 Aug 2026 · 8 min read →
Tax Guide
Budget 2026: What Indian Freelancers Need to Know for FY 2026-27
Budget 2026 is a continuity budget for freelancers. Here is what stayed, what changed, and what to do before 15 June 2026 — the first advance tax instalment.
20 May 2026 · 10 min read →
Tax Guide
Section 194J TDS Explained for Freelancers — Budget 2025 Threshold Change
Budget 2025 raised the 194J threshold to Rs. 50,000. Here is what changed, who deducts at 10% vs 2%, how to handle missing PAN, and how to claim every rupee back in your ITR.
20 May 2026 · 10 min read →
Tax Guide
How to File ITR-4 (Sugam) as a Freelancer in India — FY 2026-27
Step-by-step ITR-4 Sugam filing for freelancers: eligibility, 44ADA presumptive income, TDS credit, deadlines, and the mistakes that delay refunds — all for FY 2026-27.
20 May 2026 · 12 min read →
Tax Guide
How to Calculate Advance Tax as a Freelancer in India (2026-27)
Step-by-step advance tax calculation with due dates, formula, and a worked example for ₹8L annual income. Never miss a quarterly deadline again.
02 Apr 2026 · 8 min read →
Comparison
Why Did QuickBooks Leave India? Best Alternatives for Freelancers (2026)
Intuit ended QuickBooks sign-ups in India in July 2022 and switched off access on 1 July 2023. What freelancers lost, and the India-first alternatives to use now.
10 Mar 2026 · 7 min read →
Tax Guide
GST Registration Limit for Freelancers: Have You Already Crossed It?
Nobody agrees on where the GST limit for freelancers sits, and the goods figure is not yours. Which threshold applies to services, what counts toward it, and how to tell whether you crossed it months ago.
08 Mar 2026 · 9 min read →
Tax Guide
GSTR-1 Filing for Freelancers: Complete Step-by-Step Guide (2026-27)
Quarterly vs monthly filing, what to include, B2B vs B2C invoices, common errors, and deadlines — your complete GSTR-1 filing guide.
05 Mar 2026 · 10 min read →
Tax Guide
Your Client Deducted TDS — What Do You Do Now? (Freelancer Guide)
Your client deducted TDS from your invoice payment. What it means, when it should show up, how to claim it — and the six specific things that go wrong, each with its own fix.
01 Mar 2026 · 8 min read →
Use Case
Import Bank CSV and SMS as Expenses — 7 Indian Banks Supported
Stop typing every expense. HourSlip Pro parses CSVs from 7 Indian banks and SMS notifications from any sender. Android share target makes it one-tap.
20 May 2026 · 8 min read →
Use Case
Sharing HourSlip with Your CA: Read-Only Accountant Access
Skip the WhatsApp-and-CSV cycle with your CA. Read-only cockpit, magic-link login, full audit log — your CA sees what you see, with zero credential sharing.
20 May 2026 · 8 min read →
Use Case
GSTR-2B Reconciliation for Freelancers: A Practical Monthly Workflow
Every claimed rupee of ITC must trace to GSTR-2B. Here is the monthly workflow, the 4-state reconciliation model, and how to do it in minutes — not hours.
20 May 2026 · 9 min read →
Comparison
Best GST Invoicing Software for Indian Freelancers (2026)
HourSlip, Zoho Invoice, Refrens, or spreadsheets? An honest feature-by-feature breakdown for Indian freelancers — GSTR-1 export, TDS tracking, advance tax, and pricing compared.
03 Jun 2026 · 9 min read →
Comparison
HourSlip vs Refrens: Honest Comparison for Indian Freelancers (2025)
Feature-by-feature breakdown of HourSlip vs Refrens — pricing, invoicing, time tracking, and who each tool is actually built for.
25 Feb 2026 · 6 min read →
Comparison
HourSlip vs Zoho Invoice: Why Free Isn't Always Enough
Zoho Invoice is free, but it's built for everyone. HourSlip is built specifically for Indian freelancers. Here's where it matters.
20 Feb 2026 · 6 min read →
Comparison
HourSlip vs FreshBooks for Indian Freelancers: Which One Fits?
FreshBooks is popular globally but charges in USD with no GST support. Here's how HourSlip compares for the Indian freelancer.
10 Feb 2026 · 6 min read →
Comparison
HourSlip vs Bonsai: Global Tool vs India-First Platform
Bonsai excels for US freelancers with contracts and proposals. But for Indian tax compliance? Here's the honest comparison.
05 Feb 2026 · 6 min read →
Use Case
Invoicing, GST & Advance Tax for Indian Upwork Freelancers
Earning in USD on Upwork? Here's how to track your real INR income, handle TDS, and generate GST invoices for your Upwork work.
30 Jan 2026 · 7 min read →
Use Case
How Indian Fiverr Sellers Should Track Income & File Taxes
Fiverr takes 20% and pays in USD. Here's how Indian sellers should track their real earnings and stay on top of taxes.
25 Jan 2026 · 7 min read →
Use Case
Invoicing & GST for Independent Consultants in India
Retainers, milestones and a client who wants a proper invoice. Here's how to bill, when GST applies, and how to keep the year as it happens.
20 Jan 2026 · 7 min read →
Use Case
How to Report Upwork Income in Indian ITR (Step-by-Step)
Earned on Upwork this year? Here's exactly how to declare it in your ITR — which form, which schedule, and how to handle forex.
15 Jan 2026 · 8 min read →
Use Case
GST on Export of Services Without an LUT: What It Costs and What You Can Still Do
Exported services and never filed an LUT? What that actually leaves payable, whether the LUT was mandatory at all, and what can still be done about invoices already raised.
10 Jan 2026 · 9 min read →
Evergreen
Complete Tax Guide for Freelancers in India (2026-27)
The definitive pillar guide — ITR-4, presumptive taxation, advance tax, GST, TDS, and deductions all explained for the Indian freelancer.
05 Jan 2026 · 15 min read →
Evergreen
How to Create a GST Invoice in India: Format, Rules & Free Template
Mandatory fields, CGST/SGST/IGST rules, SAC codes, and the exact format your CA expects — plus a free template to get started.
01 Jan 2026 · 8 min read →
Evergreen
How to Charge Interest on Late Payments as a Freelancer in India
Clients paying late? You can legally charge interest. Here's the legal basis, rate limits, and exactly how to word your invoice terms.
28 Dec 2025 · 6 min read →
Evergreen
Does a Freelancer in India Need to Pay Professional Tax?
Professional tax is a state-level obligation most freelancers overlook. Here's which states require it and how much you owe.
25 Dec 2025 · 6 min read →
Evergreen
Your Form 16A and Your 26AS Don't Match — Which One Wins?
A certificate showing Rs. 42,000 and a statement showing Rs. 28,000. Here is which one your claim is actually based on, and the ten-second check that resolves most of these.
20 Dec 2025 · 8 min read →
Tax Guide
Your Client Deducted TDS and It's Not in Your 26AS
The money left your invoice and arrived nowhere you can see. Three of the four causes resolve themselves or resolve with a letter. Here is how to tell which one you are in.
09 Aug 2026 · 9 min read →
Tax Guide
Your Client Deducted TDS Under the Wrong Section
The section is your client's compliance decision, not your filing constraint. But the lower rate that comes with the wrong one lands on you as advance tax.
09 Aug 2026 · 8 min read →
Tax Guide
Form 16A Is Now Form 131, and 26AS Is Form 168
A certificate arrives saying Form 131 and a deduction cites Section 393(1) Sl. 6(iii).D(b). Nothing has gone wrong. Here is the mapping — and one widely-repeated claim about it that is simply not true.
09 Aug 2026 · 7 min read →
Tax Guide
Your 26AS Shows More Income Than You Earned
Nobody paid you that much and you have the bank statements to prove it. The department is measuring what was paid out; you are measuring what landed. Here is what sits between them.
09 Aug 2026 · 9 min read →
Tax Guide
Your 44ADA Gross Receipts Don't Match Your 26AS
44ADA taxes what you received. Your clients report what they paid or credited. Those are not the same moment — and at the year boundary the difference can be several lakh.
09 Aug 2026 · 9 min read →
Tax Guide
Why You've Been Charged 234B and 234C Interest
The most predictable surprise in Indian freelancing: your clients withhold at a flat rate far below the rate you are actually taxed at, so the shortfall was always going to be yours.
09 Aug 2026 · 8 min read →
Tax Guide
You’ve Got a GST ASMT-10. What It Means and How to Reply
The notice says ASMT-10 and the wording is doing the frightening thing GST wording does. It is a question, not a demand — and almost everything that goes wrong from here is a missed deadline or a reply filed on the wrong form.
12 Aug 2026 · 8 min read →
Tax Guide
GST Registration Pending for Clarification: The REG-03 You Have to Answer
The application is neither approved nor rejected. A REG-03 has been issued and the status reads pending for clarification. It is a question, not a refusal — but the window is one of the shortest in GST and the answer goes on a different form.
12 Aug 2026 · 7 min read →
Tax Guide
Your GST Was Cancelled Suo Moto. What It Means and How Revocation Works
The portal says cancelled and you never applied for it. Suo moto only names who acted. The remedy is REG-21 — but if the cancellation was for non-filing, the returns are the critical path, not the application.
12 Aug 2026 · 9 min read →
Tax Guide
GST Registration Rejected? What the Order Means and What to Do Next
A rejection is a decision about one application, not a verdict on you — and almost everything that matters from here is written on two documents you already have: the order, and the REG-03 that came before it.
12 Aug 2026 · 9 min read →
Tax Guide
How to Cancel Your GST Registration — REG-16, Start to Order
Turnover dropped, the practice closed, or you registered when a client asked and never needed to. Getting out is an application with a clock on it — and the clock starts on the day the event happened, not the day you decided.
12 Aug 2026 · 8 min read →
Tax Guide
Your Client Wants a GST Bill and You Have No GST Number
You must not charge GST — that part is settled. The part everyone gets wrong is what to call the document: not a bill of supply, which s.31(3)(c) gives to registered persons, but a plain invoice.
12 Aug 2026 · 9 min read →
Tax Guide
There Are Four Special Category States for GST Registration, Not Eleven
Almost every site publishes an eleven-state list for the Rs. 10 lakh threshold. Section 22 subtracts seven of them. If you are in Assam, Himachal Pradesh or Uttarakhand, your line is Rs. 20 lakh — and registering early is close to irreversible.
19 Aug 2026 · 8 min read →
Tax Guide
The GST Portal Is Down and Your Deadline Is Today
Outages cluster on the 11th, the 20th and the 15th, because that is when everyone files. The status trackers tell you it is down. This is the other half: what to preserve now, how to file the minute it answers, and what the delay actually costs.
07 Sept 2026 · 8 min read →

Reading about it is the slow way

Let the product do the compliance.

GST on every invoice, TDS tracked to 26AS, advance tax scheduled — so these guides stay reference, not homework.

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ITR-3 vs ITR-4 for Freelancers: Which Form Do You Actually File?

Missed the ITR Deadline? The Belated-Return Playbook for Freelancers

Budget 2026: What Indian Freelancers Need to Know for FY 2026-27

Section 194J TDS Explained for Freelancers — Budget 2025 Threshold Change

How to File ITR-4 (Sugam) as a Freelancer in India — FY 2026-27

How to Calculate Advance Tax as a Freelancer in India (2026-27)

Why Did QuickBooks Leave India? Best Alternatives for Freelancers (2026)

GST Registration Limit for Freelancers: Have You Already Crossed It?

GSTR-1 Filing for Freelancers: Complete Step-by-Step Guide (2026-27)

Your Client Deducted TDS — What Do You Do Now? (Freelancer Guide)

Import Bank CSV and SMS as Expenses — 7 Indian Banks Supported

Sharing HourSlip with Your CA: Read-Only Accountant Access

GSTR-2B Reconciliation for Freelancers: A Practical Monthly Workflow

Best GST Invoicing Software for Indian Freelancers (2026)

HourSlip vs Refrens: Honest Comparison for Indian Freelancers (2025)

HourSlip vs Zoho Invoice: Why Free Isn't Always Enough

HourSlip vs FreshBooks for Indian Freelancers: Which One Fits?

HourSlip vs Bonsai: Global Tool vs India-First Platform

Invoicing, GST & Advance Tax for Indian Upwork Freelancers

How Indian Fiverr Sellers Should Track Income & File Taxes

Invoicing & GST for Independent Consultants in India

How to Report Upwork Income in Indian ITR (Step-by-Step)

GST on Export of Services Without an LUT: What It Costs and What You Can Still Do

Complete Tax Guide for Freelancers in India (2026-27)

How to Create a GST Invoice in India: Format, Rules & Free Template

How to Charge Interest on Late Payments as a Freelancer in India

Does a Freelancer in India Need to Pay Professional Tax?

Your Form 16A and Your 26AS Don't Match — Which One Wins?

Your Client Deducted TDS and It's Not in Your 26AS

Your Client Deducted TDS Under the Wrong Section

Form 16A Is Now Form 131, and 26AS Is Form 168

Your 26AS Shows More Income Than You Earned

Your 44ADA Gross Receipts Don't Match Your 26AS

Why You've Been Charged 234B and 234C Interest

You’ve Got a GST ASMT-10. What It Means and How to Reply

GST Registration Pending for Clarification: The REG-03 You Have to Answer

Your GST Was Cancelled Suo Moto. What It Means and How Revocation Works

GST Registration Rejected? What the Order Means and What to Do Next

How to Cancel Your GST Registration — REG-16, Start to Order

Your Client Wants a GST Bill and You Have No GST Number

There Are Four Special Category States for GST Registration, Not Eleven

The GST Portal Is Down and Your Deadline Is Today

Let the product do the compliance.