Offer Comparison Calculator
Compare two job offers side by side on effective pay: fixed and variable pay, bonus, commute and one-time items.
Your details
Offer A
Ask how variable pay has paid out for this role recently.
After any relocation support the employer gives.
Offer B
Ask how variable pay has paid out for this role recently.
After any relocation support the employer gives.
How it's calculated
- Pre-tax comparison. Commute uses 48 working weeks a year. "About the same" means within 3% (a BrainRank convention).
- It does not value growth, role, stability, leave, insurance or location; weigh those alongside the numbers.
Formula
- Effective annual pay = fixed + variable × expected payout % + bonus + other cash − commute
- Commute = cost per office day × office days a week × 48 weeks
- First year = effective annual pay + joining bonus − relocation cost
- Difference % = |B − A| ÷ the lower offer × 100
Offers are easiest to compare on what you can expect to receive. CTC includes employer PF, gratuity and benefits, and assumes variable pay is paid in full; this compares fixed pay, the variable pay you realistically expect, bonuses and the cost of commuting.
Offers within 3% of each other are shown as about the same, a BrainRank convention for differences too small to decide on. One-time items (joining bonus, relocation) are shown separately for the first year, because they don't repeat.
This is a pre-tax estimate; income tax and PF reduce both offers. Use the In-Hand Salary calculator for each offer's take-home pay. Weigh growth, role, stability, leave and insurance alongside the numbers.
This is an estimate. Your actual figures depend on your employer's salary structure and policies; check your payslip or offer letter.
Worked example
Offer A: ₹15 lakh CTC with ₹13 lakh fixed and ₹1.5 lakh variable (expect 90%), 5 office days at ₹300. Offer B: ₹17 lakh CTC with ₹12.5 lakh fixed and ₹3.5 lakh variable (expect 60%), 3 office days at ₹450 and a ₹1 lakh joining bonus.
- Result (effective annual pay)
- About the same
- Offer A: effective annual pay
- ₹13,63,000
- Offer B: effective annual pay
- ₹13,95,200
- Difference (B − A), every year
- ₹32,200
The offers are within 3% of each other on effective pay; other factors should decide. In the first year, Offer B comes out ahead by ₹1,32,200 because of one-time items.
Frequently asked questions
The offer with the higher CTC isn't the one paying more. Why?
CTC can be raised by a large variable component, employer contributions or benefits. If less of the variable pay is likely to be paid, or the commute costs more, the higher CTC can mean less cash.
How should I treat a joining bonus?
As a one-time payment for the first year only. Check whether it must be repaid if you leave within a set period.
Does this include tax?
No, it compares both offers before tax on the same basis. Use the In-Hand Salary calculator to see each offer's monthly take-home.