Best HTS code lookup

Best HTS Code Lookup Tools

Compare HTS code lookup tools for product classification, tariff-rate checks, CROSS ruling research, and broker workflows.

Checked Published by US Tariff Rates, one of the products compared

How this comparison was made

This page compares HTS code lookup tools on what each documents: description search, access to the legal tariff text, ruling research and the duty consequence of a code. Each statement about another tool links the page it was read from.

  • Every statement about another product restates that product's own public page as read on October 8, 2026, and links it. Where a vendor does not publish a fact, the table says so.
  • Statements about US Tariff Rates come from its published plans and API documentation, linked the same way.
  • Limits: we did not buy or test the paid tiers of other products; prices and features change after the check date; we publish US Tariff Rates, so weigh our own row accordingly.

What each option is compared on

Searches product descriptions and HTS numbers.
Keeps the user close to official HTS language and chapter notes.
Shows duty consequences after the code is selected.
Supports ruling research when a classification is ambiguous.

Side-by-side facts

As published by each product on October 8, 2026. Each cell links the page it was read from.

ProductPublished priceFree accessAPIUS duty layers statedCoverage
US Tariff Rates

US import tariff lookup, landed-cost calculator and REST API for HTS codes. Each duty program is returned as its own layer rather than one combined rate.

Free $0.00; Pro $49.00 a month or $399.00 a year; Team $199.00 a month or $1,590.00 a year; Enterprise quoted. sourceFree plan: 50 API requests a month, 10 rows per bulk lookup, 5 watchlist alerts. sourcePublic REST documentation and an OpenAPI 3.1 file. Hosted MCP server at mcp.ustariffrates.com, authenticated with the same API key. sourceLookup responses return a rate_stack of per-program duty layers (for example, base_mfn, section_122, section_232 and section_301), plus total_additional_pct and total_estimated. sourceUS imports only (US HTS). source
USITC HTS search and HTS REST API

The official online Harmonized Tariff Schedule, maintained by the USITC Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements.

No fee stated; search and API answered without login or key. sourcePublic, no account. sourceREST API at hts.usitc.gov/reststop answered without a key: /search returns JSON; /exportList returns JSON or CSV. sourcePublishes Chapter 99 headings (for example 9903.88.15) as separate HTS entries; does not compute a combined duty for a product. sourceUS only. source
CBP CROSS

Searchable database of published CBP rulings.

No fee stated; public search without login. sourcePublic, no account. sourceNo published API documentation. sourceNot applicable: searches ruling text; no duty calculation. sourceUS only; published rulings. source
Gaia Dynamics

AI tools for HTS classification and tariff calculation for customs brokers and importers.

Billed yearly: Free $0; Starter $99 a month; Pro $379 a month; Advanced $1,399 a month; Enterprise custom. Credit-based. sourceFree plan (30 credits a year) and a 14-day trial without a card. sourceAPI documentation is granted on request. sourceStates trade remedy duties under Sections 201, 232 and 301; Chapter 99 not named. sourceNo country count stated; HS lookup is for goods imported into the United States. source

Options by job

US Tariff Rates HTS code lookup

Use when: You have a product description and need candidate HTS codes with their duty layers.

Search HTS codes

Documented

  • Searches HTS codes by plain-English product description.
  • Shows base duty and each additional duty program for the selected code.
  • The same lookup is available through the calculator, bulk lookup, API and watchlist.

Limits

  • Complex product decisions should be checked against official notes and rulings.
  • Not a binding classification ruling; only CBP issues those.
  • AD/CVD results (risk_layers) are screening context with the underlying orders, not entry liability. source

USITC HTS search

Use when: You need the official HTS language, headings and chapter notes.

Open source

Documented

  • Official tariff schedule maintained by the USITC.
  • Headings, subheadings, chapter notes, duty text and a documented REST API.

Limits

  • Search is by keyword or number; it does not suggest codes from a product description.
  • Does not combine classification, landed cost, and alerts.
  • The search site renders in the browser with JavaScript. source

CBP CROSS

Use when: You need prior CBP classification rulings for similar products.

Open source

Documented

  • Searches published CBP ruling letters.
  • Shows how Customs analyzed similar merchandise.

Limits

  • Rulings are fact-specific and may not apply to a different product configuration.
  • Not a tariff calculator or current-rate modeling tool.
  • Covers published rulings only. source

Gaia Dynamics

Use when: You are evaluating AI-assisted HTS classification with a free plan or trial.

Open source

Documented

  • Published price tiers and a free plan.
  • States Section 201, 232 and 301 trade remedy duties.

Limits

  • API documentation is granted on request.

Broker classification review

Use when: The product is ambiguous, regulated, or carries high duty.

Documented

  • Adds professional judgment around General Rules of Interpretation and product facts.
  • Precedes binding ruling requests or high-value imports.

Limits

  • Usually slower and more expensive than self-serve lookup for early screening.

Official sources to verify

Use these primary sources when a tariff decision needs legal, operational, or audit review.

FAQ

What is the best HTS code lookup tool?

Use the tool that matches the question. US Tariff Rates searches by product description and shows the duty layers of each code. USITC HTS is the official tariff schedule text. CBP CROSS searches prior classification rulings.

Is an HTS lookup different from an HS code lookup?

Yes. HS codes are the international six-digit base. HTS codes are the US ten-digit classification used for US import duty, statistical reporting, and many special tariff measures.

Should I search CROSS before choosing an HTS code?

For common products, an HTS search may be enough to screen the likely code. For ambiguous or high-value products, CROSS rulings can reveal how CBP has treated similar merchandise.

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