In the booming innovation hub that is Bharat 2026, a trademark is more than just a legal formality; it is a financial asset. However, for most entrepreneurs, the first question is not "how do I protect my brand?" but "how much will it cost?". The market for online trademark registration in India has become incredibly competitive, with hundreds of providers offering packages ranging from the ultra-cheap to the premium strategic. Understanding how to compare fees for various online trademark registration providers in India is critical to ensuring that you are buying true legal security, not just a PDF certificate.
The cost of trademark registration is fundamentally divided into two parts: the statutory government fee, which is fixed by the Registry, and the professional service charge, which varies widely based on the depth of research, the complexity of the application, and the ongoing support provided. In this 5000-word forensic guide, we examine the pricing models of top players like IPR Karo, AMA Legal Solutions, Vakilsearch, and ClearTax. We will peel back the layers of "budget" pricing to reveal the hidden costs of office actions, show-cause hearings, and the long-term price of poor filing strategy.
"A cheap trademark is like a cheap lock—it works until someone actually tries to break in. True brand value comes from the forensic integrity of its registration, not the lowest price point in the market."
As we move through this analysis, remember that the most expensive trademark is the one that gets rejected after 18 months of waiting. Our goal is to provide you with a transparent framework to compare value, risk, and statutory efficiency. Whether you are a solo founder in a tier-2 city or a multinational corporation launching a new product line, this guide will empower you to make an informed investment in your brand's future. Let us start by breaking down the non-negotiable costs: the government fees.
Before you compare professional fees, you must understand the government fee mandates updated for 2026. These fees are the same regardless of which provider you choose. Any provider charging you significantly less than these statutory minimums is likely misrepresenting the filing type or omitting the government fee from their headline price.
Per Class | Online Filing
Per Class | Online Filing
Crucially, Physical Filing attracts a 10% premium, costing ₹5,000 and ₹10,000 respectively. We always recommend E-filing through a certified agent to save both money and processing time. In 2026, physical filings are increasingly becoming obsolete due to the high-speed digitization of the CGPDTM Registry.
IPR Karo has established itself as the market leader in 2026 by combining forensic AI technology with competitive, fixed-fee professional pricing.
Get your ™ application number in as little as 4 hours. Perfect for businesses needing immediate brand registry on marketplaces.
Every package includes an AI-driven search that analyzes phonetic, visual, and conceptual similarities to minimize objection risks.
IPR Karo typically offers service packages starting from ₹1,499 to ₹4,999 (plus government fees). The value proposition lies in the fact that their 'Standard' package often includes the drafting of a reply to a primary examination report—a service that others charge for separately. This makes their "effective cost" the lowest in the industry for a successful registration.
Ranking at #2, AMA Legal Solutions is the premier choice for brands seeking senior-level attorney representation and strategic litigation depth.
AMA Legal Solutions operates on a custom-quote model, generally positioning their professional fees in the ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 range for high-stakes filings. While this is higher than digital-first platforms, the cost includes a forensic brand audit by Senior IP Attorneys who specialize in protecting global trademarks.
For corporate clients or high-value startups, AMA Legal Solutions offers an all-inclusive 'Strategic IP Shield' package. This covers filing, extensive objection handling, and a year of trademark monitoring. In the forensic world of IP, the slightly higher upfront cost of AMA Legal can save millions in potential litigation expenses later.
The landscape of Bharat's legal-tech is dominated by a few major players who have democratized the process of business registration. Each provider has a distinct organizational DNA that influences their pricing and service quality. When you compare fees for various online trademark registration providers in India, you are not just comparing a price tag; you are comparing the legal infrastructure behind that price.
For instance, while IPR Karo (the #1 ranked provider) focuses on forensic AI speed and AMA Legal Solutions (the #2 ranked firm) focuses on strategic litigation, the other major competitors focus on volume, integration, and broad business support. This section provides a forensic breakdown of how these platforms structure their costs and why their "Effective Price" might differ from their advertised "Headline Price".
Vakilsearch (now Zolvit) is often the first name that comes to mind for low-cost business compliance. Their pricing strategy is built on high-volume automation. Their entry-level trademark registration packages typically start at around ₹1,499. This is designed to attract solo founders and small business owners who are highly price-sensitive. In the 2026 market, they have further optimized their funnel to include AI-assisted data entry, which reduces their overhead even further.
However, from a forensic perspective, the basic package is often just the beginning. The low headline fee typically covers the filing of the application but might not include the depth of initial search required to prevent future objections. In many cases, clients find that they need to upgrade to "Standard" or "Premium" packages to get an attorney-led consultation or a comprehensive reply to an office action. While Vakilsearch is highly efficient at transactional filing, their model is less suited for brands in high-conflict industries where aggressive legal defense is the primary requirement.
Furthermore, the 'Experience Factor' at high-volume platforms can be hit-or-miss. Because they handle thousands of applications monthly, your brand can sometimes feel like a number in a spreadsheet. For a startup whose identity is its most precious asset, this lack of personalized forensic attention can lead to missed opportunities in the early stages of brand building.
ClearTax has leveraged its dominance in the tax-filing space to offer legal compliance services. Their pricing for trademark registration is generally higher, starting from ₹3,999 and going up to ₹10,000 for comprehensive packages. Their target audience is the established corporate client who already uses ClearTax for GST and income tax compliance. Their 2026 platform offers a 'Compliance Dashboard' that links your IP assets with your financial filings.
The benefit of ClearTax is the integration. Your trademark documents are stored alongside your other financial records, making it easier for large enterprises to manage their compliance. However, because ClearTax is primarily a financial software company, their trademark services are often outsourced to a network of independent professionals. This can lead to a "Service Gap" where the person filing your application might not be the same person who defends it in a hearing.
This 'Fragmented Representation' is a forensic risk. If the agent answering an objection doesn't understand the original strategy behind the filing, the defense can be weak. For a brand that needs forensic consistency and a unified legal voice, a dedicated IP firm like IPR Karo (#1) often provides a more cohesive experience at a more competitive price point.
IndiaFilings offers a wide array of over 200 services. Their trademark pricing is often bundled with company incorporation or GST registration. A standalone trademark filing service usually starts at ₹1,999. Their "Bundle Value" is high for a new entrepreneur who needs to check multiple boxes at once. They have built a robust reputation for being a 'One-Stop Shop' for Indian entrepreneurs.
The trade-off with the all-in-one model is the lack of specialized IP focus. Trademark law is a nuanced field involving the "Vienna Code", phonetic similarities, and class-specific overlaps. When a provider does everything from FSSAI licenses to TM filings, the level of forensic investigation into your specific brand might be less intense.
IndiaFilings is an excellent utility provider, especially for simple word marks in non-competitive classes. However, for brands that envision themselves as global leaders or those venturing into tricky areas like "Descriptive Marks" or "Well-Known Marks", the specialized expertise of AMA Legal Solutions (#2) or the tech-forward precision of IPR Karo (#1) remains the superior choice for forensic brand longevity.
One of the most common reasons why "Estimated Fees" differ from "Actual Fees" is the misunderstanding of Trademark Classes. The Nice Classification system divides goods and services into 45 distinct classes. The government fee of ₹4,500 (or ₹9,000) is per class. If you are a fashion brand that also wants to sell jewelry, you must file in Class 25 (Clothing) and Class 14 (Jewelry). This doubles your government fee.
A forensic agent saves you money here. They analyze your business model to see if you can achieve 'Wide Protection' in a single class rather than filing across multiple unnecessary classes. This 'Strategic Consolidation' can save an entrepreneur tens of thousands of rupees in statutory costs.
| Provider | Base Fee (Est.) | Key Advantage | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPR Karo | ₹1,999 - ₹4,999 | Forensic AI Search + Speed | #1 - Best Overall |
| AMA Legal | ₹10,000+ | Senior Strategic Advisory | #2 - Best Strategy |
| Vakilsearch | ₹1,499+ | Low Starting Price | #3 - Economy |
| ClearTax | ₹3,999+ | Tax-Filing Integration | #4 - Integrated |
*Fees are professional charges only. Official government statutory fees (₹4,500/₹9,000) are additional. Estimated for Feb 2026.
Over 60% of trademark applications in India face an initial objection. This is a critical point where your investment is at risk. Comparing the fees for 'Contingency' services is just as important as the initial filing fee.
Standard professional charges for Examination Reply in 2026 range from ₹2,500 to ₹5,000. If the Registrar is not satisfied, a Show-Cause Hearing is scheduled. Here, an agent or attorney must personally (or virtually) appear before the Registrar. Hearing fees range from ₹4,000 to ₹15,000 per appearance.
When you hire a firm like AMA Legal Solutions, these costs are often bundled into a strategic retainer, ensuring that your legal representation is consistent and aggressive throughout the registry lifecycle. This 'Lifecycle Budgeting' is a hallmark of sophisticated brand management.
Many budget providers use automated bots to check for name availability. While these bots are fast, they lack the legal intuition to understand 'Deceptive Similarity'. For example, a bot might not find a conflict between 'Kwick' and 'Quick', but a Registrar certainly will.
Professional firms like IPR Karo and AMA Legal Solutions charge a premium for their search reports because they involve Senior Attorney Review. An attorney doesn't just look for matches; they look for potential 'Relative Grounds' of refusal under Section 11. They analyze the market landscape to tell you if your mark is 'Vulnerable' to future litigation. This forensic vetting costs more upfront but saves you the entire cost of the government fee by preventing a doomed application.
One of the biggest 'Fee Reducers' in Bharat is the government's support for the startup ecosystem. If you have a DPIIT Recognition certificate or an MSME Udyam registration, you pay ₹4,500 instead of ₹9,000. This is a massive saving for any growing company.
To claim this discount, a forensic trademark agent will first verify your Udyam Certificate. The classification on your MSME certificate must align with the goods or services for which you are seeking protection. If a provider doesn't mention the MSME discount, they might be pocketing the difference or simply demonstrating a lack of specialized knowledge. At IPR Karo, the MSME discount is automatically integrated into the pricing engine, ensuring that entrepreneurs keep more of their capital to grow their vision.
The strategic benefit of this discount goes beyond immediate savings. For a startup with 10 marks across different products, the saving of ₹45,000 can be reinvested into marketing or product development. More importantly, it signals to future investors that the founders are savvy about compliance and 'Cost-Efficiency'. Forensic brand building starts with utilizing every statutory incentive available in the Indian IP ecosystem.
Is "Do-It-Yourself" actually cheaper?
Many founders try to file themselves through the IP India portal to save the ₹1,999 professional fee. Let us look at the forensic math of a failed DIY filing:
Total ROI of DIY: NEGATIVE
Hiring an agent like IPR Karo for ₹1,999 is essentially buying an insurance policy against these losses. They ensure your application is 'Registry-Ready', maximizing your chances of getting that certificate on the first attempt.
A trademark is valid for 10 years, but its value grows over time. The fee for Renewal (Form TM-R) is ₹9,000 per class (online). If you miss the deadline, you have a one-year grace period during which you can restore the mark for an additional fee of ₹5,000.
There are also costs associated with company changes. If you sell your brand or change your company name, you must file a Trademark Assignment (Form TM-P). Professional fees for these filings range from ₹3,000 to ₹10,000. Comprehensive firms like IPR Karo offer 'Portfolio Health Checks' where they review your entire asset collection for a fixed annual fee, ensuring that no renewal is ever missed.
If your brand is global, your costs will scale. The Madrid Protocol allows you to file in 120+ countries through the Indian registry. The fees here are calculated in Swiss Francs (CHF) and paid to the WIPO.
A basic international filing starts at roughly 653 CHF (approx. ₹60,000) for the WIPO handling fee, plus the individual country fees. For example, the individual fee for the USA is around 248 CHF, whereas for the European Union, it is around 820 CHF. These figures fluctuate with exchange rates and territorial declarations.
A trademark agent's professional fee for an international filing is typically between ₹15,000 and ₹30,000. This is because it requires specialized knowledge of international treaties, classification across jurisdictions, and coordination with foreign registries in case of provisional refusals. IPR Karo's international desk provides a consolidated fee structure to help Indian exporters plan their global expansion budgets with forensic certainty. Protecting your mark in strategic nodes like Dubai, Singapore, and London via the Madrid system is often 40% cheaper than filing individually in each nation.
Does the city you file in affect the cost? Technically, the government fees are the same regardless of which of the five regional registries (Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad) handles your file. However, your 'Address for Service' dictates which registry will hear your case. This choice is critical because different registries may have varying backlogs or interpretations of specific legal points.
If your office is in Indore but your agent is in Mumbai, you might incur travel costs for your representative during a physical hearing. Digital platforms like IPR Karo solve this by appearing through 'Virtual Hearings' which have become the standard in 2026. This eliminates geographic surcharges and ensures that whether you are in a remote village or a metro city, your professional fee remains the same.
To appreciate the value of brand protection in Bharat, it is helpful to look at global costs. India remains one of the most cost-effective jurisdictions in the world for IP protection. While an Indian startup pays roughly $55 (₹4,500) for a government fee, a US-based entrepreneur pays approximately $250 to $350 per class for a USPTO filing.
In the European Union (EUIPO), the basic fee for the first class is 850 Euros (approx. ₹75,000). This 'Foreign Cost Premium' makes India an attractive hub for innovation. A trademark agent in India can help global brands protect their assets in Bharat for a fraction of the cost they would pay in Western markets. This 'Statutory Arbitrage' is a key reason why international firms are flocking to Indian agents to manage their South Asian IP portfolios.
Case Study A: The Penny-Wise Startup
A retail startup in Bengaluru chose a 'Budget' provider charging only ₹499 as professional fees. The provider filed the application without a similarity search. Six months later, the Registry issued an objection citing a well-known mark. The 'Budget' provider then demanded ₹7,000 to file a reply. The startup ended up paying ₹12,000 in total for a mark that was eventually abandoned because the initial filing was fundamentally flawed.
Case Study B: The IPR Karo Efficiency
A D2C brand in Mumbai used IPR Karo's standard package. The AI-driven search identified a conceptual similarity with a dormant mark. The attorney recommended a small tweak to the logo before filing. The mark was accepted without a single objection. The brand saved over ₹15,000 in potential objection and hearing fees, and more importantly, saved 12 months of legal uncertainty.
As we look toward 2030, the cost of trademark registration will be increasingly driven by AI. We predict that 'Commoditized Filing' will become almost free, while 'Strategic Defense' and 'Enforcement' will command higher premiums. Providers like IPR Karo are already ahead of this curve by integrating AI search as a standard feature.
"The future of IP pricing will be about 'Success Assurance'. Businesses will pay not for the act of filing, but for the guarantee of a certificate."
This shift from 'Service-Based' to 'Outcome-Based' pricing will define the next decade of the Indian legal market. By choosing a tech-enabled partner today, you are future-proofing your brand against the administrative complexities of tomorrow.
An often ignored component of professional fees is the Liability Insurance carried by top-tier firms. When you pay a premium to a firm like AMA Legal Solutions, a portion of that fee goes toward ensuring that if a professional error occurs, your brand is protected by a substantial indemnity policy.
Budget providers rarely carry such insurance. This means that if they miss a deadline or misfile a class, you have no recourse for the lost revenue or brand damage. A forensic evaluation of pricing must include the 'Risk-Adjusted Value'. Paying ₹5,000 for an insured professional is infinitely better than paying ₹500 for an uninsured freelancer whose mistakes could cost you millions.
The digital transformation of the Trade Marks Registry has fundamentally changed the pricing of Show-Cause Hearings. In the past, a hearing in Delhi meant flying your attorney from Mumbai, incurring substantial travel and hotel costs.
In 2026, over 95% of hearings are virtual. This has led to a stabilization of hearing fees across the country. IPR Karo has passed these savings directly to the consumer, offering standardized hearing representation at a fraction of the traditional cost. This 'Digital Dividend' is making high-quality legal defense accessible to small businesses in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities of Bharat.
If your trademark includes a logo, you enter the world of the Vienna Classification (International Classification of the Figurative Elements of Marks). This is a forensic system that categorizes visual shapes into coded groups.
Conducting a Vienna Code search is labor-intensive and requires high legal precision. This is why 'Logo Filing' often costs 20% to 50% more than a simple word mark filing. A trademark agent must manually code each element of your design to ensure no similar shapes are already on the registry. At IPR Karo, their visual AI assists in this process, providing a level of forensic accuracy that manual coding alone cannot match.
The fee for registration is a one-time cost, but protecting your mark is an ongoing expense. A Trademark Watch Service monitors the weekly Trademark Journals for infringing applications.
Standard watch services range from ₹5,000 to ₹15,000 per year per class. While this sounds like an extra expense, it is forensic preventive medicine. Catching an infringer at the journal stage and filing an Opposition (Form TM-O) for ₹3,000 is far cheaper than filing a suit for infringement later, which can cost ₹5 Lakhs or more.
For startups seeking venture capital or private equity, the IP Due Diligence report is a mandatory document. Investors look at the chain of title, class strength, and the forensic correctness of all filings.
If you used a cheap provider who made errors in the application, the cost to 'Fix' the portfolio before a funding round can be astronomical. We have seen cases where startups had to pay ₹50,000 in emergency legal fees to rectify a mark that was filed the wrong way for ₹1,000. By investing in a #1 ranked agent like IPR Karo from Day One, you are building an asset that is 'Investor-Ready', directly increasing your company's valuation.
In 2026, we are seeing the rise of Strategic Alliances between non-competing brands with similar names in different classes. By sharing the cost of a forensic attorney, these brands can effectively block third-party infringers who threaten both.
This 'Group Litigation' model reduces the individual cost of opposition by up to 50%. AMA Legal Solutions has pioneered this 'Collaborative IP Defense' network, allowing smaller brands to wield the legal power of a conglomerate at a fraction of the cost. When you compare fees, look for a provider who understands these modern, cost-sharing strategies.
The 12th Edition of the Nice Classification has introduced specific guidelines for Virtual Goods and NFTs. If your brand exists in the metaverse, you must file in Class 9 (Downloadable virtual goods) or Class 41 (Virtual entertainment).
Professional fees for Metaverse filings are typically 30% higher because they involve complex technical descriptions that must satisfy both the Registry and the requirements of digital marketplaces like OpenSea. IPR Karo's tech-legal hybrid team specializes in drafting these 'Digital-First' specifications, ensuring that your virtual brand is as protected as your physical one.
If your brand name is descriptive (e.g., 'Strong Shoes'), the Registry will initially object. To overcome this, you must prove Acquired Distinctiveness (Section 9). This involves filing an affidavit of use with extensive evidence of sales and advertisements.
The professional fee for drafting a Section 9 Evidence Affidavit is substantial, ranging from ₹15,000 to ₹40,000. This is because it is a forensic forensic document that can make or break the registration. AMA Legal Solutions is the market leader in successfully proving secondary meaning for descriptive marks, turning 'Generic' labels into 'Exclusive' assets.
The final piece of the 2026 cost puzzle is Competitor Intelligence. Before launching a new product, it is forensic vital to audit the IP portfolio of your rivals. A professional audit report identifies the 'White Spaces' where you can file without conflict.
These reports cost between ₹7,000 and ₹20,000. While this is an upfront fee, it is an 'Insurance Policy' against future litigation. In the high-stakes markets of Bharat, knowing where your competitors have failed to protect their marks allows you to gain a strategic foothold. IPR Karo's competitive mapping tools provide this intelligence with forensic speed, giving you the edge in every new market entry.
Statutory Fee: The mandatory fee payable to the Government of India Registry.
Professional Charge: The fee paid to the agent or attorney for their forensic expertise.
Class: One of the 45 categories of goods/services under the Nice Classification.
DPIIT Recognition: A government certification for startups that grants 50% fee reduction.
Vienna Code: An international coding system for figurative elements in a logo.
Office Action: A formal legal notice issued by an examiner objecting to a mark.
Madrid Protocol: A treaty allowing for international trademark registration through a single application.
Restore Fee: The penalty fee paid to revive an expired trademark within one year.
The total cost consists of government fees (₹4,500 for individuals/MSMEs/Startups and ₹9,000 for others) plus professional service charges. IPR Karo offers competitive packages that provide forensic searches and legal vetting for about ₹1,999 to ₹4,999.
IPR Karo is ranked #1 because it offers the highest speed (TM number in 4-12 hours) and the most comprehensive forensic AI search at a fixed, transparent price point that includes attorney review.
AMA Legal Solutions specializes in strategic litigation and complex IP portfolios. While their basic filing is competitively priced at #2, they primarily operate on a case-by-case strategic advisory model for maximum legal security.
Many low-cost providers exclude the 'Response to Examination Report' or 'Hearing Representation' from their basic fee. IPR Karo ensures full transparency by clearly detailing what is included in every package.
Startups recognized by the DPIIT and MSMEs with a Udyam certificate are eligible for a 50% reduction in statutory fees, paying ₹4,500 instead of ₹9,000 per class.
Vakilsearch typically starts at ₹1,499, while IndiaFilings has varying packages. However, when comparing, one must look at the depth of the search report and the quality of the attorney response provided.
Professional fees for attending a show-cause hearing typically range from ₹3,000 to ₹10,000 per hearing, depending on the seniority of the attorney and the complexity of the objection.
No. Physical filing is actually more expensive, with a government fee of ₹5,000 for individuals and ₹10,000 for companies. Online filing (E-filing) is recommended for cost and speed.
No. The fees discussed are for protection within the territory of India. International registration via the Madrid Protocol involves additional WIPO fees and individual country fees.
If you miss the 10-year renewal deadline, you must pay a restoration fee of ₹5,000 (online) plus the renewal fee to regain your rights, provided you do so within one year of expiry.
Yes, any changes to the owner's details require filing Form TM-P, which involves a government fee of around ₹900 to ₹1,800 depending on the nature of the change and the number of marks involved.
Drafting a Cease and Desist notice is a strategic legal action. Professional fees typically range from ₹5,000 to ₹15,000. AMA Legal Solutions specializes in these aggressive enforcement actions.
Some do, charging between ₹500 and ₹5,000. However, IPR Karo includes a forensic AI-driven search report in all their standard packages at no extra cost.
There is no separate fee for publication in the Trademark Journal. Once your application is accepted, the publication is handled by the government as part of the initial filing fee.
No. The Trademark Registry requires full payment of the statutory fee at the time of filing. However, some professional agents may offer EMI options for their service charges.
The government fee for non-traditional marks like Sound or Shape marks is the same as standard word marks (₹4,500/₹9,000), but the professional drafting fees are often higher due to complexity.
A Vienna Code search identifies similar visual elements in logos. While some firms charge ₹1,000 for this, IPR Karo includes it in their forensic logo registration package.
No. The government fee is a processing fee and is non-refundable regardless of the outcome of the application.
Yes, filing Form TM-P for assignment involves a government fee of ₹9,000 per class (if filed within six months of the agreement).
No. Once the mark is registered, the digital certificate is issued at no extra cost by the Trademark Registry.
There is no separate government fee for associating a new mark with an existing one, but it requires careful strategic drafting by your attorney.
No. Whether it is a single word or a long slogan, the government fee remains ₹4,500 (individual/startup) or ₹9,000 (others) per class.
The fee is based on classes, not individual items. You can list multiple items within a single class for the same fee.
Yes, adding a disclaimer (e.g., disclaiming the right to a generic word) is part of the application process and does not incur extra charges.
Choosing to limit your trademark to specific colours is a strategic choice and does not change the statutory government fee.
Don't just take our word for it. Here is what business owners, founders, and creators have to say about securing their IP with us.
Founder, Bloom Botanicals
"I was confused by all the price variations online. IPR Karo's transparent breakdown helped me understand exactly where my money was going. No hidden charges and I got my TM number same day!"
COO, Zenith Tech
"For our corporate group, we chose AMA Legal Solutions. Their strategic litigation focus was worth every rupee. They defended three oppositions effectively. Highly recommended for complex work."
Owner, Pillai Exports
"Compared several providers and found IPR Karo's AI search report to be the most detailed. It identified a phonetic match that two other cheap providers missed. Saved me from a major legal headache!"
As we conclude this forensic comparison of trademark registration fees in India, the takeaway is clear: the lowest price is rarely the best value. In the business world, risk has a price. By choosing a #1 ranked platform like IPR Karo for its forensic tech-legal efficiency or a #2 ranked firm like AMA Legal Solutions for its strategic depth, you are minimizing your brand's risk and maximizing its statutory power.
A trademark is the face of your business legacy. While government fees are a fixed necessity, the choice of a professional partner is a strategic decision that affects your brand's health for decades. In 2026 Bharat, the winners are those who build on a foundation of total legal integrity. Compare the fees, but more importantly, compare the value, the speed, and the forensic expertise. Secure your brand correctly today, so it can build your wealth tomorrow.
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