Best AI Tools for Customs Brokers (2026)

Best AI tools for customs brokers in 2026, by job

The best AI tool for a customs broker depends on the job: entry preparation (Amari for US brokers, Digicust and Nabu for Europe), classification and tariff checks (Gaia Dynamics), document extraction (Shipamax, Raft), or post-entry and drawback work (Pax AI). Most of these tools assist the broker and do not file entries on their own. Gaia Dynamics, Digicust and CustomsCity publish prices; the rest are quote-based.

Independent list. No vendor paid to be included. Facts checked against each linked source on October 27, 2026.

Quick comparison table

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How we picked these tools

Every tool here is listed in the Freight Agent Index, and customs brokers are part of its audience or its work touches the broker's file. We only state facts we could find on a public page, and each one links to its source. "Not published" means the vendor does not post a price on its site; you will need to ask for a quote. "Not disclosed" means we found no public funding round. We do not rate or rank tools, accept payment for placement, or repeat vendor performance claims such as hours saved or accuracy rates. If something here is wrong or out of date, send a correction.

AI for US customs entry preparation

Amari

Amari builds AI agents for US customs brokers. According to TechCrunch, it is meant to automate entry data entry and paperwork, and its agents monitor trade rules and update their reasoning when the rules change. Amari's own site describes taking shipment documents to a review-ready entry inside the team's existing workflow, so the broker still reviews before anything is filed (amari.ai).

• Who it is for: US customs brokers
• Job: entry data entry, document work, trade rule tracking
• Pricing: not published
• Funding: Seed, $4.5M (Feb 2026), co-led by First Round Capital and Pear VC

CustomsCity

CustomsCity is customs brokerage and filing software rather than a standalone AI tool. Its site describes filings across the US and Canadian borders and offers a free trial. It also lists add-on modules named CustomsAI HTS Classification, CustomsAI Duty Calculation and CustomsAI Docs (customscity.com). Brokers who already file through it can look at those modules before adding a separate AI product.

• Who it is for: customs brokers, carriers and importers in North America
• Pricing: published per filing type, for example ISF plans from $0 to $999 a month (customscity.com); free trial offered

AI for customs declarations in Europe

Digicust

Digicust is an Austrian company whose AI customs agents cover declarations, tariff classification, export control, audits and master data, with output prepared for handoff to the customs software a team already uses (digicust.com). Its funding announcement says the product is in use in several European countries (Digicust).

• Who it is for: customs brokers and logistics companies in Europe
• Pricing: credit based, EUR 5.00 per credit pay per use, or yearly packages from EUR 4,500 (digicust.com)
• Funding: Pre-Series A, EUR 2.3M round (Dec 2025), with Jet Investment and Look.AI Fund

Nabu

Nabu turns client documents and instructions into customs declarations and automated clearance workflows. It was founded in 2022 and operates between Paris and Strasbourg (Tech.eu). Its May 2026 round of EUR 3M included Getlink.

• Who it is for: freight forwarders, customs brokers and traders in Europe
• Pricing: not published

iCustoms

iCustoms sells AI-assisted customs declaration and trade compliance software, with product lines for UK, Ireland and EU customs (icustoms.ai). We list it for customs agents, traders and carriers in the UK and EU. Pricing is not published.

AI for HS classification and tariff checks

Gaia Dynamics

Gaia Dynamics covers Harmonized System classification, tariff calculation, customs entry audits and compliance across 48 countries, according to its seed announcement. It publishes its prices: Free at $0 with 30 credits a year, Starter $99, Pro $379 and Advanced $1,399 a month, all billed yearly, plus a custom Enterprise plan (pricing page). That makes it one of the easiest to try before talking to sales.

• Who it is for: importers, exporters, customs brokers, trade consultants and law firms
• Funding: Seed, $7M (Sep 16, 2026), led by Corazon Capital. Based in Palo Alto, CA

Descartes

Descartes is a long-standing logistics software vendor. Its trade compliance lineup includes customs compliance, denied party screening and export controls (descartes.com). Brokers usually meet it as filing and screening infrastructure that sits next to newer AI tools. Pricing is not published.

A practical note on classification tools: treat their suggestions as research. The licensed broker should pick and stand behind the final code. See Can customs brokers use AI? below.

AI for broker documents and back office

Shipamax

Shipamax extracts data from documents for freight forwarders and customs brokers. It became part of WiseTech Global in November 2022. At the time WiseTech described it as converting PDFs, scans and images, including those arriving by email, into machine-readable data used to create and manage forwarding and customs brokerage jobs (WiseTech Global). Shipamax's own site now redirects to WiseTech Global. Pricing is not published.

Raft

Raft, formerly Vector.ai, automates document handling and workflows. Its site lists freight forwarders and customs brokers among the verticals it serves, with work such as customs preparation and AP matching (raft.ai).

• Pricing: not published
• Funding: Series B, $30M (Jul 2023), led by Eight Roads (TechCrunch)

Magaya

Magaya is a digital freight platform for forwarding, warehousing, accounting, visibility and compliance. Its site lists customs brokerage and NVOCC among the industries it serves and offers a customs compliance product for filings (magaya.com). It suits brokerages that also forward freight and want one system. Pricing is not published.

AI for post-entry, audits and duty recovery

Pax AI

Pax AI describes itself as an AI trade compliance control tower covering duty drawback, audits and foreign-trade zones, and its site also lists IEEPA refund assistance (paxai.com). It is built for US importers and their compliance teams, not brokers, so brokers are more likely to see clients use it for post-entry work and refunds.

• Funding: Seed, $4.5M (Apr 2025), led by Initialized Capital (Pax AI)
• Pricing: not published

Altana

Altana runs an AI network that maps global supply chains for trade compliance, sourcing risk and customs use cases. Its main audience is enterprises, logistics providers and government agencies. It closed a $200M Series C in July 2024 that valued it at $1 billion (Altana). Pricing is not published.

Container status for broker teams

Brokers who track containers for clients can look at Terminal49, a container tracking dashboard and API whose audience includes customs brokers. It has a free tier; paid tiers are on request or via demo, and Essential also offers pay-as-you-go. Prices are not published. For a side-by-side with a similar API, see Vizion vs Terminal49.

Two tools in the index are left out on purpose: Zonos and Hurricane Commerce handle cross-border duty, tax and classification mainly for ecommerce and cross-border shippers rather than brokers, so we left them out of this list.

Can customs brokers use AI?

Yes, as long as the licensed broker makes the decisions. In ruling HQ H350722 (January 16, 2026), CBP said an AI tool that suggests HTSUS subheadings beyond the six-digit level generally requires a customs broker's license if the result will or may be used for an entry. It added that a tool is not a "person" under the regulations, so the actual classification decision must be made by a licensed customs broker. A disclaimer did not make the tool acceptable where its codes fed entries. A disclaimer can be acceptable only if the tool operates separately from the portal connecting importers to brokers, does not direct either party on the classification that should appear on an entry, and the disclaimer is meaningfully implemented.

The NCBFAA's policy paper on AI in customs brokerage takes a similar line: brokers should be able to use third-party AI tools for data extraction, formatting and classification, provided they exercise responsible supervision and control.

This is not legal advice.

FAQ

What is the best AI tool for customs brokers?

It depends on the job. For US entry preparation, Amari is built for US customs brokers. In Europe, Digicust and Nabu prepare declarations. For classification and tariff checks, Gaia Dynamics has a free tier.

Do any AI customs tools publish their prices?

Three of them do. Gaia Dynamics: Free $0 (30 credits a year), Starter $99, Pro $379 and Advanced $1,399 a month, billed yearly (pricing). Digicust: credit based, from EUR 5.00 per credit (pricing). CustomsCity: monthly plans per filing type (pricing), plus a free trial. The rest do not publish prices.

Can customs brokers legally use AI for classification?

CBP ruling HQ H350722 (January 16, 2026) says that deriving HTSUS subheadings beyond the six-digit level for merchandise that will be entered is generally customs business that requires a license. Brokers can use AI tools, but the licensed broker must make the classification decision. This is not legal advice.

Which AI customs tools are built for Europe?

Digicust (Austria), Nabu (France) and iCustoms (UK, Ireland and EU).

Which of these tools raised money recently?

Gaia Dynamics (Seed, $7M, Sep 2026), Nabu (EUR 3M, May 2026), Amari (Seed, $4.5M, Feb 2026) and Digicust (EUR 2.3M round, Dec 2025, with Jet Investment and Look.AI Fund). See all rounds on the funding page.

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