# Claimship > Claimship is R&D tax credit software for startups. It connects read-only to GitHub, Linear, Jira, Slack, and payroll tools, finds the engineering work that qualifies under IRC Section 41, and produces an audit-ready study and Form 6765 package. Pricing is a flat fee of $1,500 to $3,000 per year. Customers keep 100% of the credit. Claimship preps the study and Form 6765 package. The customer's CPA reviews it and files it with the return. Claimship never files taxes. Content on this site is software guidance, not tax, legal, or accounting advice. ## Product - [Home](https://www.claimship.com/): What Claimship does, how the evidence engine works, and who it is for. - [Pricing](https://www.claimship.com/pricing): Flat fee of $1,500 to $3,000 per year. No percentage of the credit. No per seat pricing. - [Calculator](https://www.claimship.com/calculator): Estimate a federal R&D tax credit in 60 seconds, including how much can offset payroll taxes. Free, no signup. - [Integrations](https://www.claimship.com/integrations): Every tool Claimship reads, with read-only access and scopes you control. ## Guides - [R&D tax credits by state](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit): Every US state's R&D credit in one place: rates, refundability, carryforward, and forms. - [Section 174, explained for founders](https://www.claimship.com/section-174): Domestic R&D expensing is back under Section 174A. What changed in July 2025, the July 6, 2026 amendment deadline for small businesses, and how the deduction differs from the Section 41 credit. - [R&D tax credit by industry](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for): How the federal credit applies to SaaS, AI, fintech, hardware, biotech, and more. - [What an R&D study costs](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-study-cost): R&D study pricing in 2026: contingency fees, fixed fees, and flat-fee software, with a worked example. - [Best R&D tax credit software](https://www.claimship.com/best-rd-tax-credit-software): A comparison of R&D credit software and services for startups, with verified pricing as of July 2, 2026. - [Blog](https://www.claimship.com/blog): Guides and product news from the Claimship team. ## Free resources - [Free R&D credit resources](https://www.claimship.com/resources): Free templates, worksheets, and checklists for claiming the federal R&D tax credit. No email required. - [R&D documentation template](https://www.claimship.com/resources/rd-documentation-template): A free template for the contemporaneous R&D records the IRS expects: business components, four-part test notes, time allocation, and expense mapping. - [QRE worksheet](https://www.claimship.com/resources/qre-worksheet): A free spreadsheet for qualified research expenses: wages by employee with R&D percentages, contractor costs at 65%, supplies, and cloud costs. - [Form 6765 walkthrough](https://www.claimship.com/resources/form-6765-walkthrough): Every section of IRS Form 6765 explained for founders: the ASC election, the payroll tax offset, QRE reporting, and the new Section G business component detail. - [Four-part test checklist](https://www.claimship.com/resources/four-part-test-checklist): A printable one-page checklist for the IRS four-part test. Yes or no questions a founder can answer per project before claiming the R&D credit. ## Comparisons - [Claimship vs MainStreet](https://www.claimship.com/vs/mainstreet): MainStreet was acquired by Employer.com in 2025 and its R&D credit site is offline. Here is what changed, and what startups can use instead. - [Claimship vs Neo.tax](https://www.claimship.com/vs/neo-tax): Neo.tax now targets enterprise tax teams and does not publish pricing. Claimship builds the same evidence-based R&D study for startups at a flat fee. - [Claimship vs Boast](https://www.claimship.com/vs/boast): Boast pairs dev-tool data with in-house analysts and a success fee quoted in sales. Claimship is a flat-fee alternative for US startups. Compared honestly. - [Claimship vs TaxTaker](https://www.claimship.com/vs/taxtaker): TaxTaker builds R&D credit studies through expert interviews for a success fee. Claimship builds them from your git history for a flat fee. Compared fairly. - [Claimship vs Fondo](https://www.claimship.com/vs/fondo): Fondo bundles bookkeeping, tax filing, and the R&D credit with a fee up to 20% of savings. Claimship preps the same credit for a flat fee. An honest comparison. - [Claimship vs a traditional firm](https://www.claimship.com/vs/accounting-firm): Traditional R&D studies cost 20 to 30% of the credit or thousands in fixed fees, and take 4 to 8 weeks. Here is what firms do and when software does it better. ## Industries - [R&D tax credit for SaaS startups](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/saas): R&D tax credit for SaaS startups: what engineering work qualifies, what doesn't, and how much the credit is worth. See a worked example. - [R&D tax credit for AI startups](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/ai-startups): R&D tax credit for AI startups: what counts as real experimentation versus API integration, GPU compute expenses, and a worked example. - [R&D tax credit for fintech startups](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/fintech): R&D tax credit for fintech startups: what counts as technical R&D versus compliance work, plus a worked example of the credit. - [R&D tax credit for devtools startups](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/devtools): R&D tax credit for devtools startups: how compilers, language servers, and CLIs qualify, plus a worked example of the credit. - [R&D tax credit for hardware startups](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/hardware): R&D tax credit for hardware startups: prototype work that qualifies, where production begins, and a worked example. - [R&D tax credit for biotech startups](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/biotech): R&D tax credit for biotech startups: what preclinical and process development work qualifies, and the foreign CRO problem. - [R&D tax credit for healthtech startups](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/healthtech): Most healthtech engineering qualifies for the R&D tax credit. The catch is separating software work from clinical and regulatory work. - [R&D tax credit for ecommerce startups](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/ecommerce): Ecommerce R&D tax credit eligibility depends on custom engineering. Theme and app configuration on Shopify usually does not qualify. - [R&D tax credit for agencies](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/agencies): Agencies can claim the R&D tax credit, but the funded research exclusion usually blocks client-owned, client-paid work. - [R&D tax credit for gaming studios](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/gaming): Engine, netcode, and tooling work at gaming studios usually qualifies for the R&D tax credit. Art and content production usually does not. - [R&D tax credit for robotics startups](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/robotics): Robotics engineering, from perception to sim-to-real transfer, is a strong fit for the R&D tax credit. Destroyed prototypes count too. - [R&D tax credit for climate tech startups](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit-for/climate-tech): Climate tech software like battery management and grid forecasting usually qualifies for the R&D tax credit. Installation work usually does not. ## Integrations - [Claimship + GitHub](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/github): Connect GitHub to Claimship and turn pull requests, commits, and code reviews into R&D tax credit evidence for your Form 6765 study. - [Claimship + GitLab](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/gitlab): Connect GitLab to Claimship and turn merge requests, commits, and code reviews into R&D tax credit evidence for your Form 6765 study. - [Claimship + Bitbucket](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/bitbucket): Connect Bitbucket to Claimship and turn pull requests, commits, and code reviews into R&D tax credit evidence for your Form 6765 study. - [Claimship + Linear](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/linear): Connect Linear to Claimship and turn issues, projects, and cycles into R&D tax credit evidence for your Form 6765 study. - [Claimship + Jira](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/jira): Connect Jira to Claimship and turn issues, epics, and sprints into R&D tax credit evidence for your Form 6765 study. - [Claimship + Asana](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/asana): Connect Asana to Claimship and turn tasks, subtasks, and projects into R&D tax credit evidence for your Form 6765 study. - [Claimship + Notion](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/notion): Connect Notion to Claimship and turn specs, design docs, and RFCs into R&D tax credit evidence for your Form 6765 study. - [Claimship + Slack](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/slack): Connect Slack to Claimship and turn engineering channel threads into R&D tax credit evidence for your Form 6765 study. - [Claimship + Gmail](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/gmail): Connect Gmail to Claimship and turn technical threads and contractor invoices into R&D tax credit evidence for your Form 6765 study. - [Claimship + Outlook](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/outlook): Connect Outlook to Claimship and turn technical threads and contractor invoices into R&D tax credit evidence for your Form 6765 study. - [Claimship + Gusto](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/gusto): Connect Gusto to Claimship for wage expense data and quarterly tracking of your R&D tax credit after it lands in payroll. - [Claimship + Rippling](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/rippling): Connect Rippling to Claimship for wage expense data and quarterly tracking of your R&D tax credit after it lands in payroll. - [Claimship + Deel](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/deel): Connect Deel to Claimship and turn payroll data for US employees into wage expense numbers for your R&D tax credit study. - [Claimship + Justworks](https://www.claimship.com/integrations/justworks): Connect Justworks to Claimship and turn payroll data into wage expense numbers for your R&D tax credit study. ## Blog posts - [What documentation do you need for the R&D credit?](https://www.claimship.com/blog/what-documentation-do-you-need): To claim the R&D tax credit, you need contemporaneous records that prove who did the work, what they built, and how much time they spent. Learn how git history, issue trackers, and design docs meet the IRS requirements. - [Form 6765 instructions for founders](https://www.claimship.com/blog/form-6765-instructions-for-founders): A startup founder's guide to navigating IRS Form 6765, choosing the ASC method, electing the payroll tax offset, and understanding the new Section G requirements. - [Do contractor costs qualify for the R&D credit?](https://www.claimship.com/blog/do-contractors-count-for-rd-credit): Yes. US-based contractor costs count at 65% of the amount paid, provided you bear the financial risk and retain the rights to the work. - [Can pre-revenue startups claim the R&D credit?](https://www.claimship.com/blog/can-pre-revenue-startups-claim-rd-credit): Pre-revenue startups can use the federal R&D tax credit to offset up to $500,000 of employer payroll taxes each year. - [R&D capitalization repeal: what startup founders need to know](https://www.claimship.com/blog/rd-expensing-is-back-what-changed): The OBBBA repealed mandatory R&D capitalization for domestic software development. Learn how you can fully deduct your R&D costs again and claim catch-up deductions. - [Should you amend returns for Section 174?](https://www.claimship.com/blog/should-you-amend-2022-2024-returns): Small businesses can retroactively deduct domestic R&D by amending their 2022 to 2024 returns. Learn if you qualify before the July 6, 2026 deadline. - [Section 174A explained](https://www.claimship.com/blog/section-174a-explained): Section 174A restores the immediate tax deduction for domestic software development and R&D costs, reversing the TCJA amortization rules. - [Section 174 vs R&D credit](https://www.claimship.com/blog/section-174-vs-rd-tax-credit): Learn how the Section 174 tax deduction and the Section 41 R&D credit work together to lower your startup's tax burden. - [Section 174 in 2026: why it still matters for software development](https://www.claimship.com/blog/does-section-174-still-matter): Section 174 remains critical for software startups in 2026 due to foreign R&D amortization, recovery of past capitalized costs, Section 280C rules, and strict new IRS reporting requirements. - [Introducing Claimship](https://www.claimship.com/blog/introducing-claimship): We built Claimship because claiming the R&D credit felt harder than earning it. Here's what it does and who it's for. - [Why R&D studies cost 20% of your credit](https://www.claimship.com/blog/why-rd-studies-cost-20-percent): Contingency pricing made sense when studies took weeks of manual work. It doesn't anymore. - [What software work qualifies as R&D](https://www.claimship.com/blog/what-software-work-qualifies-as-rd): The IRS uses a four-part test. Most feature work passes it. Here's the plain English version. - [How to get cash back when you're not profitable](https://www.claimship.com/blog/payroll-tax-offset-for-unprofitable-startups): The payroll tax offset turns the R&D credit into quarterly cash for pre-profit startups. Here's how to claim it and actually collect. - [The R&D tax credit, explained for founders](https://www.claimship.com/blog/rd-tax-credit-explained-for-founders): The federal government pays startups to build software. Most founders never claim it. Here's how it works. ## Legal - [Privacy Policy](https://www.claimship.com/privacy): What information Claimship collects, how it is used, and the choices you have. - [Terms of Service](https://www.claimship.com/terms): The terms that govern use of the Claimship website and service. - [Cookie Policy](https://www.claimship.com/cookies): How Claimship uses cookies. No advertising cookies, no third-party analytics cookies. ## State R&D credits - [Alabama R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/alabama): No state R&D credit today. The federal credit still applies. - [Alaska R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/alaska): 18% of the federal R&D credit apportioned to Alaska - [Arizona R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/arizona): 24% of qualified spend above a base amount, up to $2.5 million, then 15% above that - [Arkansas R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/arkansas): 20% to 33% of qualified research spend, approved case by case by AEDC - [California R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/california): 15% of qualified research spending above a base amount, plus 24% of basic research payments - [Colorado R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/colorado): 3% of increased research spending inside a certified Enterprise Zone - [Connecticut R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/connecticut): 6% flat for smaller companies, or a 1% to 6% sliding scale, plus a 20% incremental option - [Delaware R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/delaware): 10% of Delaware qualified spend above a base amount, or 20% for small businesses - [Florida R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/florida): 10% of qualified spend above a base amount, capped at $9 million statewide - [Georgia R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/georgia): 10% of qualified research spending above a base amount - [Hawaii R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/hawaii): Equal to the federal research credit, for certified Qualified High Technology Businesses - [Idaho R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/idaho): 5% of Idaho qualified spend above a base amount - [Illinois R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/illinois): 6.5% of qualified research spending above a rolling three-year average - [Indiana R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/indiana): 15% of the first $1 million in Indiana research spend increase, 10% above that - [Iowa R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/iowa): Up to 3.5% of Iowa qualified spend, awarded at IEDA's discretion under a new capped program - [Kansas R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/kansas): 10% of the increase in Kansas research spend over a 3-year average - [Kentucky R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/kentucky): 5% of the cost to build, remodel, or equip a research facility in Kentucky - [Louisiana R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/louisiana): 5% to 30% of qualified research growth, depending on company size, plus 30% on SBIR and STTR awards - [Maine R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/maine): 5% of qualified research growth, plus 7.5% of payments to universities for basic research - [Maryland R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/maryland): 10% of qualified spend above a base amount, capped at $250,000 per company - [Massachusetts R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/massachusetts): 10% of qualified research spending above a base amount, plus 15% of basic research payments - [Michigan R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/michigan): 3% to 15% of qualified spend depending on company size, plus a university bonus - [Minnesota R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/minnesota): 10% of qualified spend above a base amount, up to $2 million, then 4% above that - [Mississippi R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/mississippi): $1,000 per new qualifying research job each year, for up to 5 years per position - [Missouri R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/missouri): 15% of qualified research growth, or 20% for research done with a Missouri college or university - [Montana R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/montana): No state R&D credit today. The federal credit still applies. - [Nebraska R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/nebraska): 15% of the federal R&D credit, or 35% for research done at a Nebraska college or university - [Nevada R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/nevada): No state R&D credit today. The federal credit still applies. - [New Hampshire R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/new-hampshire): 10% of qualified research growth, capped at $50,000 per business within a $7 million statewide pool - [New Jersey R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/new-jersey): 10% of qualified research spending above a base amount, plus 10% of basic research payments - [New Mexico R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/new-mexico): 5% to 10% of qualified spend, plus an additional 5% to 10% tied to payroll growth - [New York R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/new-york): Up to 8% of New York research spending through Excelsior, or 15% to 20% through the Life Sciences credit - [North Carolina R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/north-carolina): No state R&D credit today. The federal credit still applies. - [North Dakota R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/north-dakota): 25% of the first $100,000 of qualified research growth, plus 8% of growth above that - [Ohio R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/ohio): 7% of qualified spend above a 3-year average, credited against the CAT - [Oklahoma R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/oklahoma): No state R&D credit today. The federal credit still applies. - [Oregon R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/oregon): 15% of qualified research expenses (semiconductor industry only) - [Pennsylvania R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/pennsylvania): 10% of qualified research spending above a base amount, or 20% for qualified small businesses - [Rhode Island R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/rhode-island): 22.5% of the first $111,111 of excess QRE, 16.9% above that - [South Carolina R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/south-carolina): 5% of South Carolina qualified research expenses - [South Dakota R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/south-dakota): No state R&D credit today. The federal credit still applies. - [Tennessee R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/tennessee): No state R&D credit today. The federal credit still applies. - [Texas R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/texas): 8.722% of qualified research spending above a base amount, or 10.903% for university-contracted research - [Utah R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/utah): 7.5% of current year spend plus 5% of spend above a base amount - [Vermont R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/vermont): 27% of the federal R&D credit, based on Vermont research spend - [Virginia R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/virginia): No state R&D credit today. The federal credit still applies. - [Washington R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/washington): No state R&D credit today. The federal credit still applies. - [West Virginia R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/west-virginia): No state R&D credit today. The federal credit still applies. - [Wisconsin R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/wisconsin): 5.75% of qualified research expenses above a base amount (11.5% for certain research) - [Wyoming R&D tax credit](https://www.claimship.com/rd-tax-credit/wyoming): No state R&D credit today. The federal credit still applies.