Is a 403(b) the same as a 401(k)?

They are structured almost identically and share the same 2025 employee contribution limit of $23,500 (plus the same catch-ups). The differences are who can offer them — a 401(k) is for private for-profit employers, a 403(b) is for public schools, universities, hospitals, churches and 501(c)(3) non-profits — and a 403(b)'s special 15-years-of-service catch-up. For day-to-day saving they behave the same way.

What is the 2025 contribution limit for a 401(k) and a 403(b)?

Both are $23,500 in employee elective deferrals for 2025. If you are 50 or older you can add a $7,500 catch-up, and at ages 60–63 a higher $11,250 catch-up applies instead. A 403(b) can additionally offer a 15-years-of-service catch-up of up to $3,000 per year ($15,000 lifetime). Source: IRS Notice 2024-80, verified 2026-06-18.

Which is better, a 401(k) or a 403(b)?

Neither is universally better — you generally only have access to one, based on your employer type. Capture the full employer match wherever it's offered. Historically 403(b) plans leaned on annuity products with higher fees, so if you have a 403(b), check the fund menu for low-cost index options. The 403(b)'s 15-year catch-up is a genuine extra for long-tenured non-profit staff.

Does a 403(b) have an employer match?

Sometimes. Employer matching is common in 401(k) plans and only sometimes offered in 403(b) plans, depending on the non-profit. Always check your plan documents — the match is free money and the strongest reason to contribute at least up to the matched amount.

What is the 401(k) vs 403(b): What's the Difference? (2025 IRS Limits)?

Same $23,500 limit, different employers — see exactly how a 401(k) and a 403(b) differ side by side, with the real 2025 IRS rules. It runs free in your browser on Gera Tools, with nothing uploaded.

401(k) vs 403(b): What's the Difference? (2025 IRS Limits)

Name: 401(k) vs 403(b): What's the Difference? (2025 IRS Limits)
Creator: Gera Tools
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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401(k) vs 403(b)

A 401(k) and a 403(b) are near-identical on the number that matters most: both let employees defer $23,500 in 2025 (plus the same $7,500 age-50 and $11,250 age-60–63 catch-ups). The real differences are structural — who offers each, the 403(b)‘s extra 15-years-of-service catch-up, and how each plan tends to invest. This page lays the two accounts side by side so you can see, line by line, where they actually diverge.

The table below compares each account on the rows that actually differ — the 2025 IRS contribution limits, catch-ups, employer match, income limits, early-withdrawal rules and required minimum distributions. It runs in your browser; nothing is sent to any server.

2025 limits used: 401(k)/403(b)/457(b) employee deferral $23,500 (+$7,500 at 50+, +$11,250 at 60–63); IRA $7,000 (+$1,000 at 50+); Roth IRA MAGI phase-out single $150,000–$165,000, MFJ $236,000–$246,000. Source: IRS Notice 2024-80 + IRS Newsroom IR-2024-285, verified 2026-06-18. Always confirm the current year’s figures at irs.gov.