How much is the R&D tax credit worth?

It varies by country. In the UK the merged scheme gives about 15% of qualifying R&D spend for profitable companies, up to 27% for loss-making R&D-intensive SMEs. In the US the federal Section 41 credit is roughly 10% effective. In Canada the SR&ED credit is 35% refundable for qualifying private companies, in Australia 43.5% refundable, and in France 30%.

Far more than lab work. Software development, engineering, product improvement, process automation and technical problem-solving usually qualify. Staff time, contractors, software and consumables spent trying to resolve a technical uncertainty typically count toward the credit.

Which countries does this cover?

The estimator covers the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, France, Ireland and Germany, plus an international mode where you enter your own rate. Each country uses its own R&D incentive rate.

You spent money building. Some of it comes back.

Why this money is yours

Building is expensive. Governments pay you back for it.

Nearly every developed economy runs an R&D tax incentive to reward companies that build and improve technology. It is not a grant you compete for, it is a credit you claim on money you already spent. Most companies either never claim it, or overpay a consultancy 15 to 25% of the benefit to do it. Recoup prepares the claim for a flat, fair fee and keeps the evidence ready for next year.

Estimate your credit

Pick your country and the calculator applies the right R&D incentive rate, so you know the size of the prize before you lift a finger.

We prepare the claim

We pull your dev, payroll and project evidence, write the technical narrative and cost schedule, and build an audit-ready claim pack.

You get the refund

The credit lands as cash or a tax saving. We keep logging evidence through the year, so next year's claim is automatic.

🇺🇸 United States🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇨🇦 Canada🇦🇺 Australia🇫🇷 France🇮🇪 Ireland🇩🇪 Germany🌍 International

The offer

A productised claim, not a 25% consultancy bill.

Big advisories take a fifth of your credit to assemble a claim by hand. Recoup does the assembly with an AI fleet and human review on the edge cases, so the fee is flat and the margin stays yours.

Estimate

Free

Your credit, with the right rate for your country
What qualifies, in plain English
Free, forever

Report + claim prep

£149 one-time

Eligibility review + estimated credit for your company
Technical narrative + cost schedule, written for you
A fraction of a traditional consultancy fee
Reviewed by a qualified adviser before you file

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Always-on

£99/mo evidence capture

Logs commits, tickets and time as claim evidence
Next year's claim assembles itself
For firms and accountants, multi-client

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Straight answers

The questions every founder asks first.

Does my company qualify?

If you employ people to build or improve software, hardware, or a technical process, you very likely do. R&D for tax purposes is about resolving technical uncertainty, not white coats and labs. Custom software, integrations, performance work, automation and engineering all commonly qualify. The estimate above assumes your spend is qualifying; we confirm exactly what counts before any claim.

How is the credit worked out?

It is a percentage of your qualifying R&D spend, set by your country. UK: about 15% (up to 27% for loss-making R&D-intensive SMEs). US: roughly 10% effective under Section 41, plus up to $500,000 of payroll-tax offset for startups. Canada: 35% refundable for qualifying private companies. Australia: 43.5% refundable. France and Ireland: 30%. Germany: about 25%.

Isn't this what expensive consultants do?

Yes, and they typically take 15 to 25% of your credit for it. The assembly work, pulling evidence, writing the narrative, building the cost schedule, is exactly what an AI fleet does well. We do that and have a qualified adviser review it, so you keep far more of your own money.

How accurate is this estimate?

It is a guide, not a filing. It applies the headline rate for your country to the spend you enter. Your real credit depends on which activities qualify, your profit or loss position, company size and any caps. We confirm all of that before preparing an actual claim.

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Not tax advice. Recoup provides an estimation tool and claim-preparation service. Figures are estimates for guidance and apply the headline R&D incentive rate for the country you select: the UK merged R&D scheme; US IRC Section 41; Canada SR&ED; the Australian R&D Tax Incentive; France CIR; and the Irish and German R&D reliefs. Actual entitlement depends on which activities and costs qualify, your profit or loss position, company size, caps and filing rules, and rates change over time. An actual claim is reviewed by a qualified adviser before filing. What counts as qualifying R&D differs by country, so not all of a spend figure necessarily multiplies, and the rates shown are credit or simplified net rates rather than guaranteed cash (the taxability or refundability of the credit changes the real outcome). For definitive advice, consult a qualified tax professional in your jurisdiction.