About UtilityPilot
UtilityPilot takes you from a product description to its HS classification, tariff exposure, freight cost, landed cost and selling margin. Instead of hunting for the right calculator, you describe your import problem in plain language — and Pilot maps it to the right deterministic tool.
UtilityPilot was built because getting a reliable import answer usually means knowing which calculator to open and how to fill it in correctly. Pilot removes that step: describe the product and shipment, and it works out which tool applies.
AI is used only to interpret your wording — to understand intent, pull out the numbers you gave, and spot what is missing. It never performs the arithmetic and never invents a rate, code, fee or figure. Every result is produced by a deterministic engine you can verify.
The platform covers the whole import costing journey: classifying goods with an HS/HTS code, estimating import duty and taxes, calculating freight from shipment volume and chargeable weight, building the true landed cost, and checking the selling margin that remains.
Every answer shows the assumptions it made, a confidence level, what still needs checking, and the sources to verify against — so you understand the result, not just the number. Each calculator also remains available as a focused, standalone tool.
Who is behind UtilityPilot?
UtilityPilot was founded by Onno C. P. Boots, a Singapore-based global logistics and business executive with more than three decades of experience across freight, aviation services, supply chains, cross-border trade and business transformation. The tools are designed around practical commercial questions encountered by importers, exporters and trade teams.
Always Free
Every calculator on UtilityPilot is free to use. No account, no paywalled results, no ads disguised as tools.
Accurate & Transparent
All calculations are built on published customs and freight formulas. We explain the maths behind every result so you can check it yourself.
Built for Importers
Designed around the real import workflow: HS classification, tariffs and duty, freight, landed cost and selling margin.
Fast & Focused
No clutter. Each tool gives you a clean form, a clear result, and an explanation — nothing more.
Methodology & Data Sources
How we build and maintain our calculators
Tariff & duty sourcing
Duty rates and commodity codes reference the official tariff schedules of each jurisdiction (US HTS, UK Trade Tariff, EU TARIC) and the WCO Harmonized System. Rates change frequently, so every duty result is presented as an estimate to confirm against the official schedule for your goods and origin.
Freight & valuation methodology
Freight calculations follow standard volumetric and chargeable-weight conventions, and customs value follows CIF/FOB valuation practice. The Incoterm you choose determines which costs sit with the buyer and which with the seller — this is shown explicitly in the split.
Calculation formulas
All formulas are shown on each calculator page so results can be independently verified. Duty, VAT, landed cost, margin and markup follow the universally accepted definitions, and the assumptions behind each figure are documented inline.
How your data is handled
Deterministic calculations run in your browser. When you use Ask Pilot, your question may be sent to our servers so AI can interpret the wording; the maths still runs on the deterministic engine. We use privacy-safe analytics and show advertising on content pages. See our Privacy Policy for the full detail, and avoid entering confidential information you do not need to share.
Primary Data Sources
| Category | Source |
|---|---|
| US tariff schedule | U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) & USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule |
| UK Trade Tariff | GOV.UK — Trade Tariff: look up commodity codes, duty and VAT rates |
| EU tariff (TARIC) | European Commission — TARIC consultation and combined nomenclature |
| Harmonized System | World Customs Organization (WCO) — Harmonized System nomenclature |
| Singapore customs | Singapore Customs — duties, GST and valuation |
| Australia imports | Australian Border Force — importing goods and tariff classification |
| UK import VAT | HMRC — VAT rates on different goods and services |
| Incoterms | International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) — Incoterms 2020 rules |
Rate data is informational only. Always verify with the official authority before filing customs entries. See our Disclaimer for full details.
How importers use UtilityPilot
The tools are used across the import workflow — below are some examples of how different teams use them.
Buyer classifying a new product
A sourcing manager has a supplier quote for a new product line. They use the HS Code & Duty Calculator to find the commodity code and duty rate, then feed that into the Landed Cost Calculator to see the true cost before committing to an order.
Logistics team quoting an LCL shipment
An import manager needs to quote freight for a mixed cargo shipment. They enter the outer carton dimensions into the CBM Calculator to get the total cubic metres, then use the Freight Cost per Kg Calculator to convert a carrier quote into a per-kilogram rate.
Finance checking the margin on an import
A finance analyst wants to confirm a product still makes money after duty and freight. They use the Landed Cost Per Unit Calculator to get the fully-loaded unit cost, then the Margin Calculator to check the margin at the planned selling price.
Ops team planning a container load
A warehouse lead needs to know whether an order fits one container. They use the Pallet Calculator and the Container Load Calculator to plan the load before booking the freight.
Seller pricing for a VAT-registered market
A UK-based seller is launching an imported product at £80 net. They use the VAT Calculator to confirm the VAT-inclusive retail price is £96, after checking the landed cost so the margin still holds.
UtilityPilot calculators are practical support tools for planning and estimation purposes. Results should be verified before use in customs entries or financial filings. See our Disclaimer for details.
Explore the workflow
Every stage of the import journey has a dedicated hub.