Short answer
- Pick the official USITC search for US rates, and CBP CROSS to see how customs classified goods like yours.
- Pick Dutiable or Accio for quick lookups by hand across the US, EU, UK and more markets.
- Pick EU TARIC for EU duty rates and measures from the official source.
- Pick the HMRC MCP if an agent needs UK tariffs from the official source.
- Pick tariff-resolver if US Chapter 99 layers and fees must be in the answer.
- Pick Tariff & HS Code Duty Finder if an agent needs UK and US code candidates and duty rates with no key; it has no Chapter 99 duties.
The tools side by side
| Tool | Named in 18 AI answers | Right in our test | Runs as | Key or account | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USITC HTS search | 16 of 18 | Not tested | Web app and API | No | Free |
| Avalara Classification MCP | 11 of 18 | Not tested | Remote MCP | Avalara account | Paid only |
| EU TARIC (European Commission) | 10 of 18 | Not tested | Web app and SOAP web service | No | Free |
| UK Trade Tariff MCP (HMRC) | 5 of 18 | Not tested | Remote MCP | Trade Tariff Hub credentials | Free |
| HS Code Classifier MCP | 5 of 18 | Not tested | Local MCP, also hosted | Two API keys | Free, paid plans |
| tariff-resolver | 5 of 18 | Not tested | Local MCP | No | Free |
| Dutiable | 3 of 18 | 2 of 5; 3 not answered | Web app | No for web lookups; API key on the Business plan | Free, paid plans |
| Accio HS Code Lookup | 3 of 18 | Not tested | Web app | No | Free |
| CBP CROSS rulings search | 3 of 18 | Not tested | Web app | No | Free |
| Tariff & HS Code Duty Finder (ours) | 1 of 18 | 5 of 5 | Remote MCP | No | Free |
What each tool covers
| Tool | Suggests HS codes | US duty rates | UK duty rates | EU duty rates | US Chapter 99 layers (Section 301, 232) | Binding rulings | Agent can call it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USITC HTS search | Partly | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Avalara Classification MCP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| EU TARIC (European Commission) | Partly | No | No | Yes | No | Partly | Partly |
| UK Trade Tariff MCP (HMRC) | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| HS Code Classifier MCP | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| tariff-resolver | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Partly | Yes |
| Dutiable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Partly |
| Accio HS Code Lookup | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| CBP CROSS rulings search | Partly | No | No | No | No | Yes | Partly |
| Tariff & HS Code Duty Finder (ours) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
Our test
We asked every hosted tool we could call without an account, a key or an install the same question, with the same inputs. Where that left our tool with no rival, we also ran the rivals a person can use, in their web form, their chat app or their API. Each tested row says how it was run. We wrote down the official answer for each input first, then scored each tool against it on . The official source an answer comes from is not scored against itself, and an input outside a tool's job is not sent to it, so that tool is scored on the inputs in its scope.
The question: What is the US general (MFN) duty rate for this 10-digit HTS code? An answer counts when its US general (column 1) rate equals the rate the USITC HTS gives for the code; a 10-digit statistical line takes the rate of its 8-digit parent line. Chapter 99 additions are left out because most tools here, ours included, do not return them, so the test would rank only one tool; the coverage table shows which tools have them, and ours does not.
- 8507.60.00.10 (lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles): 3.4%. Official record: hts.usitc.gov.
- 6109.10.00.12 (men's cotton T-shirts): 16.5%. Official record: hts.usitc.gov.
- 8471.30.01.00 (laptops under 10 kg): Free. Official record: hts.usitc.gov.
- 8703.23.01.90 (used cars, 1,500 to 3,000 cc): 2.5%. Official record: hts.usitc.gov.
- 6404.11.90.20 (textile-upper sports shoes, higher value): 20% (harder: heading 9902 lines list temporary 12.6% and 14.9% rates for similar shoes). Official record: hts.usitc.gov.
- Dutiable: 2 of 5 right, 2 answered, median 3.4 s. Right for 8507.60.00 and 6109.10.00; 8471.30.01, 8703.23.01 and 6404.11.90 have no page (404), and its API needs a Business plan key. How it was run: Web page fetch https://dutiable.io/hts/<code with dashes> (8-digit pages listed in its sitemap).
- Tariff & HS Code Duty Finder (ours): 5 of 5 right, 5 answered, median 8.3 s. All 5 general rates were right, read straight from the 10-digit code, with special and column 2 rates too. How it was run: Remote MCP tools/call get_duty_rate (code, country US) at https://tariffs.openkrill.app/mcp.
Not tested:
- USITC HTS search: It is the official record the truth comes from, so it is not scored against itself.
- Avalara Classification MCP: Needs an account and API credentials.
- EU TARIC (European Commission): The test asks for US rates, and TARIC holds EU rates only.
- UK Trade Tariff MCP (HMRC): Needs an account (Trade Tariff Hub credentials), and it covers UK rates only.
- HS Code Classifier MCP: Needs 2 API keys, and it returns codes, not duty rates.
- tariff-resolver: Local install only.
- Accio HS Code Lookup: Web app with no API: lookups go through the page's own backend.
- CBP CROSS rulings search: Returns ruling letters, not duty rates.
Every input, official answer and result is in the test data as JSON.
Each tool in detail
USITC HTS search
The official US tariff schedule with every rate column and Chapter 99. Use it to confirm any US rate another tool gives you.
Good at: Official US schedule with general, special and column 2 rates and chapters 98 and 99; a free JSON API needs no key.
Limit: US only; you need the right words or code to search.
Data: USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule
License: US government service
Avalara Classification MCP
For companies that already buy trade compliance from Avalara and want HS code suggestions in an agent. Access goes through sales.
Good at: Instant HS code suggestions and checks from a large trade compliance vendor.
Limit: Needs an Avalara account and API credentials; the price is set through sales.
Data: Avalara classification engine, Avalara Trade and Tariff Library
License: Proprietary. MCP tools: 4
Connect: https://mcp.avalara.com/classification
EU TARIC (European Commission)
Good at: The official EU source: third-country duty, preferences, anti-dumping and other measures for a 10-digit code and an origin, updated daily.
Limit: EU only; its web service is SOAP with XML replies, and a text search lists codes for you to choose, not one answer.
How to run the check: Open the TARIC consultation page and enter a code and a country; the goodsMeasForWs web service returns the same measures to a program.
Data: EU integrated tariff (TARIC)
License: Not stated
Connect: https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/taric/taric_consultation.jsp
UK Trade Tariff MCP (HMRC)
Good at: Official HMRC MCP with 16 tools for UK and Northern Ireland tariffs.
Limit: UK only; needs Trade Tariff Hub credentials.
Data: UK Trade Tariff (UK and Northern Ireland services)
License: MIT (Crown copyright). MCP tools: 16
Repo: trade-tariff/mcp, 0 stars, last commit 2026-10-12
Connect: https://mcp.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/
HS Code Classifier MCP
AI code suggestions across US, Singapore, Canada and Australia schedules. It returns codes, not duty rates.
Good at: AI classification across US, Singapore, Canada and Australia schedules.
Limit: Returns codes, not duty rates; 10 free calls a month, then paid call bundles; code validation is paid.
Data: USITC, Singapore Customs, CBSA, Australian Border Force
License: MIT. MCP tools: 2
Repo: OjasKord/hs-code-classifier-mcp-server, 0 stars, last commit 2026-09-07
Connect: https://hs-code-classifier-mcp-server-production.up.railway.app/mcp
tariff-resolver
Good at: Includes Chapter 99 layers and MPF/HMF fees in US duty scenarios.
Limit: US only; a bundled snapshot that can go stale; no AD/CVD.
Data: bundled USITC HTS snapshot
License: MIT. MCP tools: 5
Repo: opsloft/tariff-resolver, 3 stars, last commit 2026-09-07
Connect: npx -y tariff-resolver
Dutiable
Good at: Free US, EU and UK lookups with no account.
Limit: No MCP; the REST API needs a key from the Business plan; free AI code lookups are capped and only 3 watched codes are free.
Data: USITC HTS, EU TARIC, UK Global Tariff
License: Closed source
Accio HS Code Lookup
Good at: Free, no signup; six markets, Section 301/232, and CSV batches up to 500 rows.
Limit: Not an MCP; data sources and update dates are not stated.
Data: tariff data for US, EU, UK, DE, AU and CA
License: Closed source
CBP CROSS rulings search
Good at: Searches CBP's binding ruling letters, so you can see how CBP classified goods like yours before you pick a code.
Limit: US only; returns ruling letters, not duty rates, and a ruling covers the goods it describes, which may differ from yours.
Data: CBP ruling letters
License: US government service
Tariff & HS Code Duty Finder (ours)
Good at: No-key HS code candidates and duty rates from official UK and US data.
Limit: Closed source from one small vendor, no SLA stated; UK and US only, codes are candidates, no US Chapter 99 duties.
Data: UK Trade Tariff API, USITC HTS REST API
License: Closed source. MCP tools: 2
Repo: n/a (no public repo)
Connect: https://tariffs.openkrill.app/mcp
How we compared
On we asked ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude (API with web search) six questions about HS code and tariff tools, three "what is the best tool" questions and three "which MCP server should I use" questions:
- What is the best tool to find the HS code and customs duty rate for a product?
- Which tool should I use to look up import duty and HTS codes for the US, UK or EU? Give me your top 3.
- What are the best HS code lookup and tariff calculator tools right now?
- Which HS code or tariff MCP server should I use with my AI agent?
- What is the best MCP server for HS codes and customs duty rates for Claude or ChatGPT?
- I want my AI agent to classify products and find duty rates. Which MCP should I install?
18 answers came back with text we could read. "Named in AI answers" counts the answers that named the tool in their text or linked to it; pages an app read but did not cite do not count. The rows are the tools those answers named most, plus tools a reader would expect that the answers missed.
"Right in our test" comes from the measured test above. Every other fact comes from the tool's own page, docs or GitHub repo on the same day. Stars and commit dates change every week, so check the repo before you decide.
OpenKrill makes one of the tools on this page. Its row is sorted by the same count, tested with the same inputs and its limits are listed the same way.
Frequently asked questions
Can an AI tool classify my product for customs?
It can suggest candidate codes. The importer is responsible for the final code, so check it in the official schedule, in CBP rulings or with a customs broker.
Why does the US duty on a product differ from the HTS general rate?
Extra duties such as Section 301 and 232 sit in Chapter 99 of the HTS. A tool that skips Chapter 99 shows only the base rate.
Is there an official tariff MCP server?
Yes, HMRC runs one for the UK Trade Tariff. It needs Trade Tariff Hub credentials.
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OpenKrill builds live-data tools for AI agents, with a human check on the result.