Toptal pays your full quoted rate — no freelancer-side fee. But forex conversion still takes a slice, and like every foreign platform, there's no TDS credit waiting in your 26AS. See what lands, and what you'll owe.
Your Toptal income
$
Toptal pays freelancers their full quoted rate — its margin is billed to the client, not deducted from you.
mid-market
₹/$
Enter the current mid-market rate — your bank/payout markup is the spread below.
1.5%
Your bank/payout method's markup over the mid-market rate.
50% of receipts treated as taxable profit if gross ≤ ₹75L.
GST registration applies.Annualised gross billings (before the platform fee) cross ₹20L — this income is an export of service; if you register and file under LUT, it's zero-rated (no GST charged to the platform).
Advance tax — FY 2026-27
Annual gross billings₹40,80,000
Annual taxable income44ADA · 50% of gross₹20,40,000
Total tax liability₹2,18,400
Next instalment: ₹2,18,400 due 15 Mar.
Take it with you
Take your Toptal numbers with you
One payout traced from the amount billed through the fee and the conversion spread to the rupees that arrive — then the Indian tax nobody withheld for you, with the instalment dates it is due on.
No email, no signup — the PDF downloads straight to your device.
The best fee structure of the three — plan the rest anyway.
Does Toptal charge freelancers a fee?
No — Toptal's margin is billed to the client, not deducted from the freelancer's rate. You receive your full quoted rate before forex conversion, unlike Upwork or Fiverr, which both take a cut off the top.
Does Toptal deduct TDS for Indian freelancers?
No. Toptal is a foreign platform, not an Indian e-commerce operator, so Section 194O never applies. You must pay your own advance tax directly — there is no TDS credit in your Form 26AS for this income.
Do I need GST registration for Toptal income?
Only once your annual turnover (across all clients and platforms) crosses ₹20 lakh. Toptal income counts as export of services — zero-rated if you register and file under LUT.
Forex spread is an estimate — verify your payout provider's current rate. Tax figures per Section 44ADA and Finance Act 2025/2026. Results are indicative; consult a CA for filing.
