Why we built Import Cost Desk
Most importers price off the supplier's FOB number. Then the duty bill lands, the broker invoice arrives, freight and FX costs show up — and the real cost per unit turns out to be 20–37% higher than the number the pricing was built on.
The people who catch this are the finance teams: the controller reconciling a customs invoice against the PO, the bookkeeper asking why the "4% duty" came out at 31%, the CFO who has to explain a margin that wasn't a margin. We built Import Cost Desk for them.
What the tool does
You tell it what you're importing, where it comes from, what you paid, and how many units are in the shipment. It applies the current duty stack for your origin — base rate plus the special tariffs in force — adds MPF, HMF, and typical brokerage, and gives you the true landed cost per unit. About two minutes, no signup to see your numbers.
Why it's free
The single calculation is free, forever. The free account — sign in with Google or Microsoft, no credit card — adds what one calculation can't do alone: rate-change alerts on your routes, a bulk SKU calculator, saved work, PDF reports, and error flags. That's the whole model. We never sell your data.
What we are — and what we're not
Import Cost Desk is an educational software tool. We are not a licensed customs broker, not a law firm, and not a government agency. We don't file entries, we don't classify your goods, and we don't give customs advice. The estimate tells you what the number should look like; the exact duty on your shipment depends on your HTS classification and is determined by CBP. For filings and classifications, use a licensed customs broker.
Contact
Questions, corrections, or a data deletion request: [email protected]. We reply within 48 hours.