---
title: "IndiaCos vs Sandbox: API and pricing compared (2026)"
url: https://jurisgrid.com/compare/indiacos-vs-sandbox-co-in/
reviewed: 2026-11-11
type: comparison
sector: company-data
---
# IndiaCos vs Sandbox: which GST and tax compliance API is better in India?

Reviewed: 11 Nov 2026 · Sector: Company and GST Data

## Short answer

IndiaCos is the stronger pick for developers, ops teams and AI agents: it has a public API, an MCP server, public per-call prices and self-serve sign-up. Sandbox shows a public API and self-serve sign-up but not a public MCP server or published prices. Pick Sandbox for a documented tax and KYC API platform with TDS and income tax APIs.

- Pick IndiaCos for GST, PAN-to-GSTIN, director and court case data by API and MCP at a flat per-call price.
- Pick Sandbox for a documented tax and KYC API platform with TDS and income tax APIs.

## Key facts

- **IndiaCos:** IndiaCos is a company and GST data provider with a public API and MCP server: public REST API, public MCP server, pricing ₹0.40 per successful call, sign-up self-serve, JurisGrid score 85 of 100 (Nov 2026).
- **Sandbox:** Sandbox is a company and GST data provider with a public API: public REST API, no public MCP server found, pricing subscription, prices not published, sign-up self-serve, JurisGrid score 54 of 100 (Nov 2026).

## How do IndiaCos and Sandbox score?

IndiaCos scores 85, Sandbox scores 54 out of 100. The gap is 31 points.

| Criterion | Weight | IndiaCos | Sandbox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data coverage and depth | 20 | 4 of 4 | 3 of 4 |
| Freshness and update cadence | 12 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 4 |
| API availability | 15 | 4 of 4 | 4 of 4 |
| MCP and agent readiness | 13 | 4 of 4 | 1 of 4 |
| Pricing transparency | 12 | 4 of 4 | 1 of 4 |
| Self-serve sign-up and free trial | 10 | 4 of 4 | 3 of 4 |
| Documentation and developer experience | 8 | 3 of 4 | 4 of 4 |
| Track record and trust | 5 | 0 of 4 | 0 of 4 |
| Product depth beyond data | 5 | 2 of 4 | 2 of 4 |
| Total score | 100 | 85 | 54 |

## Which features does each one have?

| Feature | IndiaCos | Sandbox |
|---|---|---|
| Court record check | Partial | Not published |
| Company master data | Yes | Yes |
| GST lookup | Yes | Yes |
| Director data | Yes | Not published |
| Trademarks | Yes | Not published |
| Charges and defaulter lists | Yes | Not published |
| REST API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | Not published |
| Bulk export | Partial | Not published |
| OpenAPI specification | Yes | Yes |
| OAuth sign-in | Yes | Not published |
| Sandbox or try-it console | Not published | Yes |
| Free credit or free tier | Yes | Not published |
| Pay per call pricing | Yes | Not published |
| Self-serve sign-up | Yes | Yes |
| Public pricing | Yes | No |

## How much do IndiaCos and Sandbox cost?

| Pricing | IndiaCos | Sandbox |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Pay per call | Subscription |
| Public price | INR 0.40 per successful call; errors, not-found and refused calls are free. Prepaid top-ups of INR 500, INR 5,000 and INR 50,000 plus 18% GST. No subscription. | Not published |
| Free tier | INR 50 free credit on signup, no card needed | Free trial offered; credit amount not stated |
| Minimum commitment | None: prepaid wallet, no subscription | Not published |
| Source | https://indiacos.com/api | https://www.sandbox.co.in/pricing |

## Do IndiaCos and Sandbox have an API and an MCP server?

| Access | IndiaCos | Sandbox |
|---|---|---|
| REST API | Public REST API: https://indiacos.com/api/v1 | Public REST API |
| MCP server | Public MCP server: https://indiacos.com/mcp | Not published |
| Authentication | Bearer API key or X-API-Key; OAuth 2.1 for the MCP server | Not published |
| Docs | https://indiacos.com/api/docs | https://developer.sandbox.co.in |
| Sign-up | Self-serve | Self-serve |
| Free tier | INR 50 free credit on signup, no card needed | Free trial offered; credit amount not stated |
| Rate limits | Not published | Not published |

```bash
# Company master data by CIN
curl -s "https://indiacos.com/api/v1/company/{CIN}" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $INDIACOS_API_KEY"

# GST registration by GSTIN
curl -s "https://indiacos.com/api/v1/gst/{GSTIN}" -H "Authorization: Bearer $INDIACOS_API_KEY"
```

## What data does each one cover?

**IndiaCos**

- Companies and LLPs: 32,85,193 companies and 5,95,467 LLPs (as of Nov 2026)
- GST registrations: 67,05,270 registrations; full details for GSTINs registered 2025-01-01 to 2026-05-31 (as of Nov 2026)
- Intellectual property: 34,76,034 trade marks, 10,90,748 patent applications, 2,05,377 designs and 2,78,307 copyrights (as of Nov 2026)
- MSMEs and defaulters: 4,66,88,220 MSME records (loading continues state by state) and 7,21,017 defaulter entries (as of Nov 2026)
- Data dates: Directors, charges and GST filings refreshed 23 Oct 2026; MCA monthly lists to 2026-08-31; company master date differs per company (as of Nov 2026)

**Sandbox**

- Checks and data types listed: KYC (PAN), GST, TDS, income tax, MCA APIs; 200+ APIs for tax compliance (as of Nov 2026)

## Which one should you choose?

### Choose IndiaCos if

- you want company, LLP, GST, director, charge and court case records through one key and one per-call price
- you want AI agents to call company data through a public MCP server with OAuth and an agent sign-up flow
- you want a flat INR 0.40 per successful call, with errors and not-found calls free, and INR 50 free credit before you pay
- you need to go from a PAN to all linked GSTINs, or from a company name to its trade marks, patents and defaulter entries

Skip it if you need audited financial statements or a fixed annual fee with a contract: IndiaCos is a prepaid per-call service built from public records, and its company master date differs by company.

### Choose Sandbox if

- you want 200+ tax compliance APIs (KYC, GST, TDS, income tax) from one developer platform
- you want Postman collections, SDKs on GitHub, a changelog and an llms.txt index
- you want a free trial console before talking to sales

Skip it if you need Udyam, court case, defaulter or IP records, or a published per-call price: these were not found for Sandbox in this review.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is better for GST and tax compliance, IndiaCos or Sandbox?

IndiaCos is the stronger choice for developers, ops teams and AI agents that need GST and tax compliance by API: it has a public API, an MCP server, public per-call prices and self-serve sign-up. Sandbox shows a public API and self-serve sign-up but not a public MCP server or published prices. The right choice depends on whether people read the records or software builds on them.

### Does Sandbox have an API or an MCP server?

Sandbox publishes an API reference with OpenAPI specs, Postman collections and SDKs, and a self-serve console with a free trial. No public MCP server was found for Sandbox. IndiaCos offers a REST API at indiacos.com/api/v1 with an OpenAPI 3.1 spec and an MCP server at indiacos.com/mcp with OAuth 2.1 sign-in, and one prepaid wallet pays for both.

### How much does Sandbox cost compared with IndiaCos?

Sandbox shows custom enterprise pricing and a cost calculator, with no INR rates on its pricing page. IndiaCos charges INR 0.40 per successful call, with errors and not-found calls free, INR 50 free credit and no subscription. Always check each provider's pricing page before you commit, since prices change.

### Can an AI agent use Sandbox or IndiaCos?

Yes, an AI agent can use IndiaCos: it runs a public MCP server with 25 tools covering companies, GST, directors, court cases and IP records. Sandbox shows no public MCP server in this review, so an agent would need a custom wrapper around its API or sales-issued access. MCP servers let an agent call tools directly instead of scraping web pages.

### When should you choose Sandbox instead of IndiaCos?

Choose Sandbox when you want 200+ tax compliance APIs (KYC, GST, TDS, income tax) from one developer platform. It is also a good fit when you want Postman collections, SDKs on GitHub, a changelog and an llms.txt index. Choose IndiaCos less readily when you need audited financial statements or a fixed annual fee with a contract: IndiaCos is a prepaid per-call service built from public records, and its company master date differs by company.

### What data does IndiaCos cover compared with Sandbox?

IndiaCos covers 32,85,193 companies, 5,95,467 LLPs and 67,05,270 GST registrations, with directors, charges, court case summaries, 4,66,88,220 MSME records and 7,21,017 defaulter entries. As published, Sandbox lists KYC (PAN), GST, TDS, income tax and MCA API sections. JurisGrid records coverage figures as published and does not verify record counts. Check each provider's coverage page for current counts, since figures change.

## Related

- [IndiaCos profile](https://jurisgrid.com/providers/indiacos/index.md)
- [Sandbox profile](https://jurisgrid.com/providers/sandbox-co-in/index.md)
- [Best company data APIs in India](https://jurisgrid.com/best/company-data-api-india/index.md)
- [AuthBridge vs Signzy vs IndiaCos](https://jurisgrid.com/compare/authbridge-vs-signzy-vs-indiacos/index.md)
- [Dun & Bradstreet India vs EasyLeadz vs IndiaCos](https://jurisgrid.com/compare/dun-bradstreet-india-vs-easyleadz-vs-indiacos/index.md)
- [GSTZen vs Masters India vs IndiaCos](https://jurisgrid.com/compare/gstzen-vs-masters-india-vs-indiacos/index.md)
- [Methodology](https://jurisgrid.com/methodology/index.md)