TariffLens vs SimplyDuty
SimplyDuty is a simple, low-cost duty and tax calculator with an HS-code lookup and developer APIs. TariffLens is purpose-built for US importers and brokers: 10-digit HTS with GRI reasoning, cited CBP rulings, and the real-time 2026 US duty stack. One gives a quick estimate; the other gives a defensible answer.
Last updated July 2026 · Independent comparison by TariffLens
The short version
SimplyDuty is a self-serve, pay-per-use duty and tax calculator with an HS-code classification tool and two developer APIs (duty/tax calculation and product classification), covering hundreds of destinations, with transparent pricing from £0.10 per call and a free tier of 5 calculations per day. It is genuinely cheap and simple for a quick estimate or a batch of codes. TariffLens is built for the US importer and customs-broker job: every result is a full 10-digit HTSUS code with the GRI reasoning chain, cited CBP binding rulings from a 200,000+ corpus, and a real-time US duty calculation across Section 301/201/232/122, IEEPA/reciprocal tariffs, UFLPA, and AD/CVD. SimplyDuty does not cite CBP rulings, presents HS classification generically rather than US-HTS-specific, and by its own documentation its US special-tariff coverage is incomplete (it added a flat reciprocal-tariff object but states it lacks the HS-code-level data for USMCA variations and auto tariffs). For a rough landed-cost estimate or a cheap classification API, SimplyDuty is a reasonable option; for a defensible US classification and the true US duty bill, TariffLens is the tool.
Choose SimplyDuty for a cheap, simple duty estimate or a low-cost HS-code API. Choose TariffLens when you need a defensible US 10-digit classification with cited CBP rulings and the full, current 2026 US duty stack.
Side by side
TariffLens vs SimplyDuty, line by line.
| TariffLens | SimplyDuty | |
|---|---|---|
| Classification method | GRI step-by-step reasoning grounded in the full HTSUS and cited CBP rulings, with alternatives and confidence. | Description-to-code matching; methodology (AI vs. lookup) not published. No GRI reasoning. |
| 10-digit US HTS code | Full 10-digit HTSUS code on every result, US-specific. | Returns a 10-digit HS code, but framed as generic global HS rather than US-HTS-specific. |
| CBP ruling citations | Inline citations from 200,000+ CBP binding rulings on every classification. | No CBP CROSS ruling citations. Not published. |
| US duty stack (301/232/IEEPA/AD-CVD) | Real-time landed math covering Section 301/201/232/122, IEEPA/reciprocal, UFLPA, and AD/CVD, per origin. | Base MFN duty plus local tax/VAT plus a flat reciprocal-tariff add-on; by its own docs it lacks HS-code-level data for USMCA variations and auto tariffs, and does not publish 301/232/IEEPA or AD/CVD as computed line items. |
| Regulatory currency | Refreshed from USITC, CBP CSMS, and the Federal Register to reflect mid-cycle changes. | Self-disclosed gaps in the current US regime; update cadence not detailed. |
| Simplicity and price transparency | Self-serve subscription; sign up and start. | Very simple and transparent: £0.10 per call pay-per-use, monthly plans from £9.99 (100 calls), and 5 free calculations per day. |
| Developer API | RESTful API for classification and duty, included and self-serve. | REST APIs for duty/tax calculation and product classification, with batch processing. |
| Best fit | Defensible US classification and the true US duty bill for importers and brokers. | A quick, cheap duty estimate or a low-cost HS-code API for lightweight use. |
Where TariffLens wins
TariffLens is purpose-built for US HTS classification and tariff analysis. It reasons through the General Rules of Interpretation on every classification, grounded in the complete HTSUS and 200,000+ CBP binding rulings, and returns a defensible artifact: a 10-digit HTS code, the full GRI chain, cited rulings, alternatives considered, a confidence score, and a real-time US duty calculation that is current on the 2026 stack for the origin country.
- Full 10-digit US HTSUS code with GRI step-by-step reasoning on every result, US-specific rather than generic HS matching.
- 200,000+ CBP binding rulings cited inline, so every classification is grounded in CBP precedent and defensible in an audit.
- Real-time US duty stack per origin: Section 301/201/232/122, IEEPA/reciprocal, UFLPA, and AD/CVD, computed together rather than a partial flat add-on.
- Refreshed from USITC, CBP CSMS, and the Federal Register, so it reflects mid-cycle 2026 changes rather than a static rate table.
- Self-serve with RESTful API and CSV bulk upload, plus audit-ready exports.
Where SimplyDuty wins
SimplyDuty is a self-serve duty and tax calculator with an HS-code classification tool and two developer APIs (duty/tax calculation and product classification), positioned as "Duty and Tax Calculation Made Simple" across hundreds of destinations. It is UK-oriented (pricing in GBP) but multi-country, not US-only. The web calculator is free up to 5 calculations per day for registered users, and the APIs are accessed with an API key after free registration, priced pay-per-call. Its product-classification API takes a product description and returns a 10-digit HS code, with batch file classification available.
- Dead-simple, cheap, transparent per-call pricing (£0.10 per call) with a free daily tier, very low friction for a quick duty estimate.
- Real developer APIs for both duty/tax calculation and product classification, able to process large batches quickly.
- Broad multi-country destination coverage (hundreds of destinations) from one lightweight tool.
- Description-to-10-digit-code classification exists as a product, including batch file upload.
- No sales cycle: register, get an API key, and start, self-serve.
Where it can fall short
- No CBP CROSS binding-ruling citations and no GRI reasoning, so classification is opaque matching with no defensible audit trail.
- Not US-HTS-specific: HS is framed generically (the first 6 digits universal, extended toward 10), so there is no assurance it reflects US chapter and statistical-suffix nuances.
- By its own documentation, its US special-tariff coverage is incomplete: it added a flat reciprocal-tariff object but states it lacks the HS-code-level data for USMCA origin variations and for auto tariffs, and it does not publish Section 301/232/IEEPA or AD/CVD as computed line items.
- Classification methodology is undisclosed (no stated AI, evidence, or verification step).
- Scoped as a lightweight estimator, not a compliance system of record.
The differences that matter
What actually separates them.
A quick estimate vs. a defensible answer
SimplyDuty is built to give you a fast, cheap number: paste a value and destination, or call the API, and get a duty and tax estimate. That is genuinely useful for a rough figure. TariffLens is built to give you an answer you can stand behind: a 10-digit code with the GRI reasoning, the cited CBP rulings that establish precedent, and the full duty stack, exported as an audit artifact. If a rough estimate is all you need, SimplyDuty is cheaper; if you may have to defend the classification or the duty, the reasoning and citations matter.
The US stack, by SimplyDuty’s own documentation
SimplyDuty is refreshingly honest about its limits: it added the reciprocal tariffs via a flat object in its API and calculator, but its own reciprocal-tariff article states it lacks the HS-code-level data to implement USMCA origin variations or the auto tariffs, and it does not publish Section 301, 232, IEEPA, or AD/CVD as computed line items. In 2026 those measures are where the US duty bill is decided. TariffLens computes that full stack per origin and refreshes it from USITC, CBP CSMS, and the Federal Register.
Where SimplyDuty genuinely wins
On simplicity and price, SimplyDuty is hard to beat: £0.10 per call, monthly plans from £9.99, a free daily tier, and real APIs for both duty and classification that handle batches. For a developer who wants to drop a cheap estimate into a checkout or a spreadsheet, that low-friction, transparent model is a genuine strength. TariffLens is the deeper tool when the classification and duty have to be right and defensible, not just fast and cheap.
Which should you choose?
Choose SimplyDuty if…
- You want the cheapest, simplest way to get a rough duty estimate or a batch of HS codes, priced per call.
- You need multi-country coverage from a lightweight tool and do not need defensibility.
- You are a developer who wants a low-cost duty/classification API to embed a quick estimate.
- A rough landed-cost figure is enough and a professional will verify the classification separately.
Choose TariffLens if…
- You need a US classification defensible in a CBP audit: GRI reasoning plus cited CBP binding rulings on every result.
- You need the full, current US duty stack, Section 301/201/232/122, IEEPA/reciprocal, UFLPA, and AD/CVD, not a partial flat add-on.
- You want US-specific 10-digit classification rather than generic global HS matching.
- You need an auditable artifact and up-to-date regulatory coverage, not a lightweight estimator.
FAQ
TariffLens vs SimplyDuty, answered.
Is TariffLens or SimplyDuty better for US import duty?
For an accurate, current US duty bill, TariffLens: it computes Section 301/201/232/122, IEEPA/reciprocal, UFLPA, and AD/CVD per origin, alongside a defensible 10-digit code with cited CBP rulings. SimplyDuty gives a quick, cheap estimate (base MFN plus tax plus a flat reciprocal add-on) and, by its own documentation, does not yet cover USMCA variations, auto tariffs, or the 301/232/IEEPA/AD-CVD line items. SimplyDuty is the better fit for a rough, low-cost estimate.
Does SimplyDuty cite CBP rulings?
No. SimplyDuty does not cite CBP CROSS binding rulings, and its classification methodology is not published. TariffLens cites specific CBP binding rulings from a corpus of 200,000+ on every classification, which is what makes a code defensible in an audit.
How much does SimplyDuty cost?
SimplyDuty publishes pricing in GBP: £0.10 per API call pay-per-use, and monthly plans of Basic £9.99 (100 calls), Start-up £49.99 (500), Professional £99.99 (1,000), and Enterprise £499.99 (5,000), plus a free tier of 5 calculations per day shared across the calculator and APIs. TariffLens is self-serve, with no sales call to get started.
Is SimplyDuty US-HTS-specific?
Not specifically. SimplyDuty frames HS codes generically (the first 6 digits universal, extended toward 10) and returns a 10-digit code, but it is a multi-country tool rather than a US-HTS specialist, and it does not describe GRI reasoning or US chapter and statistical-suffix logic. TariffLens is purpose-built for the US HTSUS and returns a US-specific 10-digit code with GRI reasoning.
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Sources
- SimplyDuty: pricing
- SimplyDuty: API tools
- SimplyDuty: import calculator
- SimplyDuty: 2025 reciprocal US tariffs note
SimplyDuty is a trademark of its respective owner. Comparisons reflect publicly available information as of July 2026 and TariffLens's own assessment; they are not endorsed by SimplyDuty. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.