ChainTax
UK Crypto Tax Comparison

Recap vs ChainTax

Recap is a UK-focused crypto tax tool with accountant partnerships and portfolio tracking. Here's how it compares to ChainTax on pricing, DeFi classification, SA108 support, and the features that matter for filing 2024/25.

Best for Simple exchange trades

Both handle this well

Coinbase buys, Binance trades, Kraken ledgers — straightforward for either tool. Both apply Section 104 correctly.

Best for DeFi activity

ChainTax

33 protocol-specific classifiers vs generic matching. LP positions, bridges, and staking classified correctly with confidence ratings.

Best for HMRC compliance

ChainTax

SA108 boxes 13.1–13.8 auto-filled, Box 51 split-year CGT auto-computed, and Show Working per disposal. At 67% lower cost.

Feature comparison

Side-by-side on the features that matter for UK crypto tax.

Data import

  • Exchange CSV import

    Recap

    Major UK exchanges

    ChainTax

    Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, Koinly

  • Exchange API sync

    Recap

    API integrations

    ChainTax

    CSV import only

  • On-chain wallet sync

    Recap

    Multiple chains

    ChainTax

    5 chains (Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base)

DeFi classification

  • Protocol-specific classifiers

    Recap

    Generic approach

    ChainTax

    33 deterministic classifiers

  • LP position handling

    Recap

    Basic support

    ChainTax

    Correct cost basis change

  • Bridge detection

    Recap

    Some bridges supported

    ChainTax

    Non-taxable transfer (7 bridge protocols)

  • Staking reward detection

    Recap

    Basic coverage

    ChainTax

    Income at fair market value

  • Confidence indicators

    Recap

    No confidence rating

    ChainTax

    High / Medium / Low per transaction

UK tax rules

  • Section 104 pooling

    Recap

    UK-native

    ChainTax

    Native — the only method (as HMRC requires)

  • Same-day + B&B matching

    Recap

    Supported

    ChainTax

    Full HMRC rules with working shown

  • SA108 box mapping

    Recap

    Report generation

    ChainTax

    Boxes 13.1-13.8 auto-filled

  • Box 51 split-year CGT

    Recap

    Not supported

    ChainTax

    Auto-computed for 2024/25

  • Show Working per disposal

    Recap

    No audit trail

    ChainTax

    Matching rule, S104 pool, price source

Other features

  • Accountant partnerships

    Recap

    Referral network

    ChainTax

    Direct to user

  • Portfolio tracking

    Recap

    Balance views

    ChainTax

    Tax-focused only

  • UK-built company

    Recap

    London

    ChainTax

    ChainTax Ltd, Northern Ireland

Pricing

Recap charges annually as a subscription. ChainTax is a one-time payment per tax year.

TierRecapChainTax
FreeNo free tier (30-day refund)200 txs (full report preview)Free preview before paying
Light user£119/yr · 5,000 txs (Basic)£49 · 2,500 txs (Light)One-time, no renewal
Active user£119/yr · 5,000 txs (Basic)£99 · 10,000 txs (Active)2× headroom, lower price, no renewal
Higher volume£219/yr · unlimited (Pro)Concierge sync · email for quoteQuote-first, run by ChainTax
Firm£349/yr ex VAT · unlimited (Company)Accountant plan (per-client)
BillingAnnual subscriptionOne-time per tax yearNo subscription

Pricing as of April 2026. Recap prices from recap.io. ChainTax prices at chaintax.co.uk/pricing.

Deep dives

Where the differences actually matter — real scenarios, real outcomes.

DeFi classification accuracy

What happens when you interact with DeFi protocols

Uniswap V3 LP add

Recap

Generic approach

Generic classification may treat LP deposits as transfers or disposals, missing the cost basis change that HMRC requires.

ChainTax

Liquidity

Classified as cost basis change — deposited tokens exit S104 pool, LP token enters. No phantom gain.

Hop bridge (ETH to Arbitrum)

Recap

Inconsistent

Some bridges recognised, but coverage varies. Less common bridge protocols may be taxed as disposals, creating phantom gains.

ChainTax

Transfer

Classified as non-taxable transfer. Cost basis carries across chains automatically. Covers Hop, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon, and Socket/Bungee.

Curve CRV gauge rewards

Recap

Inconsistent

May not distinguish between CRV reward claims (income) and pool swaps (capital gains). Classification depends on generic matching.

ChainTax

Income — High confidence

CRV gauge rewards classified as income at fair market value. Pool swaps classified as capital gains. Different tax treatments applied correctly.

Aave supply / withdraw

Recap

Usually correct

Generally handles simple deposit and withdrawal cycles correctly.

ChainTax

Transfer — High confidence

Classified as non-taxable transfer at high confidence. aToken interest is a known limitation for both tools.

Verdict: Recap handles basic DeFi but uses generic classification. For users with LP positions, bridges, and staking across multiple protocols, ChainTax's 33 deterministic classifiers produce more reliable results — and each classification shows its confidence level.

Read more: How HMRC taxes Uniswap LP positions→

HMRC matching rules

How each tool applies UK-specific tax calculations

Cost basis method

Recap

S104 native

Uses Section 104 pooling natively. As a UK-focused tool, the correct cost basis method is applied by default.

ChainTax

S104 native

Section 104 is the only method — it's what HMRC requires. Same-day and B&B rules applied first in strict priority order.

Same-day rule

Recap

Supported

Supported as part of HMRC matching.

ChainTax

Full HMRC order

Applied first in strict HMRC priority order: same-day, then 30-day B&B, then S104 pool. Working shown for each disposal.

2024/25 split-year CGT

Recap

Not supported

Does not compute Box 51. Users must manually calculate the blended rate across the 30 October 2024 boundary.

ChainTax

Auto-computed

Automatically splits disposals at the 30 October 2024 boundary. Box 51 adjustment computed and included in the SA108 report.

Loss carry-forward

Recap

Supported

Supported — carries losses to offset future gains.

ChainTax

HMRC-precise

Supported — losses reduce net gain to the annual exempt amount only, not below, matching HMRC rules.

Verdict: Both tools implement Section 104 correctly — Recap is a UK-native tool and gets the basics right. The difference is Box 51: ChainTax auto-computes the 2024/25 split-year CGT adjustment, Recap does not. And Show Working lets you verify every calculation.

Read more: Same-day and B&B rules explained→

Transparency and audit readiness

What you and your accountant can verify

Per-disposal breakdown

Recap

Summary only

Shows gain and loss per transaction. Does not expose which HMRC matching rule was applied or how the cost basis was derived.

ChainTax

Full working

Every disposal shows: matching rule (same-day, B&B, or S104), the pool snapshot before and after, the price source, and a confidence rating.

Price sources

Recap

Opaque

Uses market data but does not surface which source was used per transaction or how confident the price is.

ChainTax

Source + confidence

Every event shows its price source (DefiLlama, CoinGecko, or manual) and whether the price is high, medium, or low confidence.

Accountant review

Recap

Trust-based

Accountants receive a PDF report with final numbers. Recap has accountant partnerships, but verifying the underlying methodology requires trusting the tool.

ChainTax

Fully verifiable

The accountant can trace every disposal from raw transaction to final gain — matching rule, S104 pool state, price source. Nothing is a black box.

Verdict: Recap produces a report. ChainTax produces an audit trail. If your accountant needs to understand why a number is what it is — or if HMRC opens an enquiry — Show Working is the difference.

Read more: Section 104 pool explained→

Switching from Recap takes 5 minutes

Already on Recap? You don't need to start from scratch.

01

Connect your wallets

Add your Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, or Base wallet addresses. ChainTax fetches your full on-chain history automatically.

02

Import exchange CSVs

Export your transaction history from Coinbase, Binance, or Kraken. Upload the CSV — ChainTax auto-detects the format.

03

Better classification

33 protocol-specific classifiers handle on-chain activity. Exchange rows are imported directly. One unified, HMRC-ready report with Show Working.

Scan your wallet free

When Recap might be better

No tool is perfect for everyone. Here's where Recap has the edge.

Accountant partnerships

Recap has an established referral network of crypto-aware accountants. If you want a recommendation for someone who already uses Recap, that's a real advantage.

ChainTax's Show Working panel gives any accountant what they need to verify your calculations — they don't need to use the same tool.

Exchange API sync

Recap connects to exchanges via API for automatic transaction syncing. No CSV export needed.

ChainTax uses CSV import from Coinbase, Binance, and Kraken — the three most-used exchanges among UK traders. Most users import once per tax year.

Longer track record

Recap has been operating since 2019 and has a larger user base in the UK market.

ChainTax's classification engine is independently audited with 2,300+ automated tests covering tax calculations, classifiers, and HMRC matching rules.

Portfolio tracking

Recap includes portfolio views with real-time balances and performance tracking across your connected wallets and exchanges.

ChainTax is tax-focused. It does one thing — produces an HMRC-ready tax report with full working shown — and does it at a fraction of the cost.

Frequently asked questions

Is ChainTax cheaper than Recap?

ChainTax is a one-time payment of £49 (Light, up to 2,500 transactions) or £99 (Active, up to 10,000), with no recurring subscription. Higher-volume portfolios use the Concierge service — quote-first, run by us. Recap is a recurring annual subscription. Over multiple tax years, a one-time fee is typically cheaper than a recurring plan.

Does Recap handle the 2024/25 split-year CGT rates?

Recap does not auto-compute Box 51, the split-year CGT rate adjustment for 2024/25. CGT rates changed from 10%/20% to 18%/24% on 30 October 2024, and every disposal must be checked against this boundary. ChainTax automatically splits disposals by date and computes the Box 51 adjustment.

Does Recap support SA108 boxes 13.1 to 13.8?

Recap generates tax reports compatible with Self Assessment, but does not auto-fill the new 2024/25 crypto-specific SA108 boxes 13.1–13.8 with the same granularity as ChainTax, which maps every disposal directly to each box.

Can I switch from Recap to ChainTax?

Yes. Export your exchange transaction history as CSV from Coinbase, Binance, or Kraken and import it into ChainTax — the format is auto-detected. For on-chain activity, add your wallet addresses and ChainTax re-fetches and re-classifies your full history using 33 protocol-specific classifiers.

Does ChainTax show how each gain was calculated?

Yes. Every disposal has a Show Working panel showing the HMRC matching rule applied (same-day, 30-day bed & breakfast, or Section 104), the S104 pool state before and after, the price source and confidence rating, and the full gain calculation. This is the audit trail accountants need to verify your return.

Which tool is better for DeFi users in the UK?

ChainTax has 33 protocol-specific deterministic classifiers covering Uniswap, Aave, Curve, Lido, 1inch, Balancer, Hop, and more. Each classifier understands the protocol's contract events and produces the correct HMRC classification. Recap uses a more generic approach to DeFi classification, which can misidentify LP positions, bridges, and staking interactions.

Also compare

Koinly vs ChainTaxCoinTracker vs ChainTax

Half the price. More transparent. Same HMRC rules.

One-time per tax year, not a subscription. Same Section 104 compliance, with Show Working per disposal and Box 51 auto-computed. Scan a wallet free.

Import your trades freeOr connect a DeFi wallet

200 transactions free · From £49 per tax year · No subscriptions ever