VS
Trademark protects brand identity (name, logo). Copyright protects creative works (books, music, code). Different scopes, different filings.
Pick Trademark when
You have a brand name
You have a product / service logo
You have a tagline or slogan
You're building consumer recognition
Pick Copyright when
You write books / articles / blog content
You create music / podcast
You write software / source code
You design artwork / illustrations / photos
Feature
Trademark
Copyright
What it protects
Brand identity (name, logo, slogan)
Creative works (books, music, code, art)
Govt fee
₹4,500 (MSME) / ₹9,000 per class
₹500 per work
Service fee
₹7,999
₹4,999
Validity
10 years (renewable forever)
Life of author + 60 years
Registration time
12-18 months
6-9 months
Symbol usage
™ on filing, ® after grant
© immediately
International protection
Madrid Protocol (separate filing)
Berne Convention (automatic)
Required for protection
Registration recommended
Automatic on creation
Yes for some assets — a logo can be trademark (brand) and copyright (artistic work). Books / songs are usually copyright-only; brand names are trademark-only.
Registration provides legal evidence in disputes. Without it, proving authorship in court is harder. Critical for software, music, and original literary works.
Ready to register?