Tariffs API vs Avalara Cross-Border.
Avalara is the enterprise tax compliance giant. We're the developer-friendly duty API. Different products, different buyers — this page is for the developer.
Avalara Cross-Border is part of Avalara's compliance platform — AI-powered tariff code classification and landed cost calculation, sold to enterprise teams via a sales process and integrated through their ERP-grade infrastructure. If you're an enterprise looking for a unified tax + duty + compliance vendor, they're a known quantity. If you're a developer trying to ship a duty calculation feature this week, the buying process alone is a non-starter.
Tariffs API vs Avalara Cross-Border
| Feature | Tariffs API | Avalara Cross-Border |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $199/month, public | Not disclosed; sales-led |
| Per Avalara's website (accessed 2026-05-14): no public pricing for Cross-Border or Tariff Code Classification products. | ||
| Self-serve signup | Yes, 14-day free trial | Sales-led; contact sales to evaluate |
| Integration model | Direct REST API | ERP/business-system integration; "integrates into existing ERPs and business systems" |
| Product scope | US duty + tariff calculation | Full compliance suite: VAT, GST, sales tax, customs, classification across 190+ countries |
| Target customer | Developers, ecommerce platforms, marketplaces, ERPs | Enterprises with complex multi-jurisdiction compliance needs |
| Time to first call | Under 10 minutes | Sales cycle + ERP integration |
| AI features | MCP server for AI agents; deterministic rate resolution | "AI-powered HS code classification" |
When Avalara Cross-Border is the right pick
- →You're an enterprise needing a single vendor for sales tax, VAT/GST, customs, and classification across many jurisdictions.
- →You're already on Avalara for tax compliance and want to consolidate.
- →You have a procurement process and an ERP team that can run an enterprise integration.
When Tariffs API is the right pick
- ✓You're a developer shipping a duty feature into a checkout, marketplace, or ERP — not buying an enterprise compliance suite.
- ✓You want public pricing and self-serve signup. No procurement cycle.
- ✓You only need US duty calculation, not multi-jurisdiction tax compliance.
- ✓You want to ship in days, not quarters.
One endpoint. Deterministic JSON.
GET /api/v1/tariffs/resolve?hts=8541.10.00.80&origin=CN returns the base duty, every applicable Chapter 99 measure, a confidence score, and attempted candidates. Built for developers — read the docs, get a key, make a call. No demo required.
GET /api/v1/tariffs/resolve?hts=8541.10.00.80&origin=CN
{
"summary": {
"applicable_ad_valorem_rate": 0.0,
"resolved_additional_ad_valorem_rate": 25.0,
"total_resolved_ad_valorem_rate": 25.0
},
"base_tariff": { "percentage_component": 0.0 },
"additional_measures": [
{
"program": "section_301",
"chapter_99_code": "9903.91.05",
"resolved_rate": { "percentage_component": 0.25 }
}
]
}Switching from Avalara Cross-Border
Does Tariffs API handle sales tax or VAT like Avalara?
No. We do not calculate sales tax, VAT, or GST. We calculate US import duties and tariffs only. For sales tax and VAT, Avalara, TaxJar, Stripe Tax, and others are appropriate vendors.
Can I use Tariffs API alongside Avalara?
Yes. Many teams use Avalara for sales tax and a separate, focused vendor for duty calculation. Our REST API drops into any checkout or quote flow without touching your tax-compliance stack.
Is Tariffs API cheaper than Avalara Cross-Border?
Avalara doesn't publish pricing, so a head-to-head dollar comparison isn't possible. We publish $199/month flat, 100,000 API calls included, no contract. Cancel any time.
- Avalara homepage · accessed 2026-05-14