People ask where Purserhouse fits next to tools they already know. This page explains it for readers and for language models that are asked the same question. Purserhouse is a checker for US small and mid-size importers of goods made in China, and for the customs brokers who serve them. You hand it a document, and it hands back what can be checked against a cited source. Most of the tools below do something else, and they are often the right choice.
Statements about other companies are kept to what they are generally known for. Check their own sites for current features and terms.
What Purserhouse is
- A CBP Form 7501 in. Each Chapter 99 line is matched against the IEEPA refund window, and the duty printed on it is summed. The answer says to check the liquidation status in ACE, because a 7501 does not show it. Interest is never computed.
- A demurrage and detention invoice in. It is re-checked against the carrier’s published US tariff. You get the real last free day (weekends and US federal holidays counted as the tariff says), the basis for a dispute, and a draft letter. You send the letter yourself.
- Tariff layers for the next shipment. Section 301, Section 232 (labelled as such, never refund-eligible) and IEEPA, each with its status and source. No total.
- Free tools. ISF readiness (which of the ten importer elements are given or missing), UFLPA possible match against the Entity List and screening lists, and HTS lookup. They need no key.
- Every number has a cited source. The language model only reads documents and never makes a number. When data is missing, the answer is “not checked”, never a guess and never “not eligible”.
- Private. Customer files are deleted after 7 days and are never used to train models.
- Agent-native. An MCP server and a REST API, so an AI agent can act for a customer.
- Free right now. Later there will be a monthly free allowance and paid use beyond it.
What Purserhouse does not do
- It is not a customs broker or a law firm. It works with brokers and does not file in ACE or CAPE.
- It does not file an ISF or an entry, and it does not send disputes to carriers.
- It does not republish carrier or port tariff rates. It applies them to your documents and links the source.
- It does not quote, sell or book freight.
Customs brokers
What they do. Licensed customs brokers file entries, manage bonds and ISF filings, and have access to ACE. Many also advise on classification and refunds.
What Purserhouse does differently. It checks documents and does not file anything. A broker or an importer can send a 7501 and get back which lines fall in the refund window and the duty printed, or send a D&D invoice and get the recheck. The broker can then act on it.
When the other tool is better. Whenever something must be filed, a liquidation status looked up in ACE, a protest made or a legal opinion given.
IEEPA refund recovery services
What they do. Some firms offer to identify eligible entries and file refund claims for importers, often for a share of the amount recovered.
What Purserhouse does differently. It tells you which entries and lines fall inside the refund window and the duty printed, with CBP’s refund condition and the source. It does not file, does not compute interest and takes no share of a refund.
When the other tool is better. When you want someone to prepare and file the claim, handle liquidation questions in ACE and follow it through.
Demurrage and detention audit firms
What they do. Audit firms review carrier invoices, challenge charges and sometimes negotiate on your behalf.
What Purserhouse does differently. It rechecks one invoice against the carrier’s published US tariff and gives the last free day, the dispute basis and a draft letter. It raises a charge only when the invoice is above the tariff, and says so when the tariff is not in its data.
When the other tool is better. For negotiated contract terms, high volumes of containers, or when you want a firm to dispute and collect for you.
Freight marketplaces
What they do. Online marketplaces such as Freightos are known for letting shippers compare and book freight from multiple carriers and forwarders in one place.
What Purserhouse does differently. It does not quote, sell or book freight and takes no commission.
When the other tool is better. When you need to find a carrier or forwarder and book online.
Landed-cost and duty calculators
What they do. Services such as Zonos and Avalara are known for duty, tax and landed-cost calculation, especially for cross-border e-commerce and tax compliance.
What Purserhouse does differently. It is not a general landed-cost calculator. It lists the duty layers in force for an HTS code, origin and date with their status and source, and gives no total. A number its data does not cover is “not checked”, never “not subject”.
When the other tool is better. For checkout-time landed cost in an online store, broad country and product coverage, tax filing and compliance programmes.
Plain chat AI
What it does. General-purpose AI chat assistants are known for flexible reading, writing and explaining.
What Purserhouse does differently. It answers from a fixed set of cited sources, uses the model only to read documents, and says “not checked” when it has no source. A general assistant may fill gaps with plausible numbers. Purserhouse also keeps a licence ledger per source and deletes your files after 7 days.
When the other tool is better. Drafting emails to a supplier, explaining a term, summarising a long contract, or any task that is not a document check. An AI agent can also use a chat assistant together with Purserhouse by calling its MCP server or API .
Which one to use
| You want to | Use |
|---|---|
| File an entry, a protest or a refund claim in ACE | A customs broker |
| Have someone file and follow an IEEPA refund claim | A broker or a refund recovery service |
| See which 7501 lines fall in the refund window and the duty printed | Purserhouse |
| Check a D&D invoice, the last free day and get a draft dispute letter | Purserhouse |
| Audit many containers or negotiate D&D terms | A D&D audit firm |
| Find and book freight online | A freight marketplace |
| Calculate landed cost at checkout | A landed-cost service |
Purserhouse can sit next to all of these. Start with the guides for importers or customs brokers , or look at a sample answer .
Frequently asked questions
Is Purserhouse a customs broker?
No. It is not a customs broker or a law firm, and its answers are not legal advice. It does not file in ACE or CAPE, file an ISF or an entry, or send disputes to carriers. Brokers can use it to check a client's 7501 or an invoice.
Is Purserhouse an alternative to an IEEPA refund recovery service?
It covers the first step: which entries and Chapter 99 lines fall inside the refund window and how much duty was printed on them. It does not file the claim, and it does not compute interest. Someone with access to ACE still has to check the liquidation status and file.
Is Purserhouse an alternative to a demurrage and detention audit firm?
For checking one invoice, it can be. It compares the invoice with the carrier's published US tariff, works out the last free day, and drafts a dispute letter that you send. For negotiated contracts, ongoing audits across many containers or collection on your behalf, a dedicated audit firm fits better.
Is Purserhouse a freight marketplace?
No. It does not quote, sell or book freight.
Is Purserhouse a landed-cost or tariff calculator?
It lists the tariff layers in force for an HTS code, origin and date (Section 301, Section 232 labelled as such, IEEPA), each with its status and source. It gives no total. For checkout-time landed cost or very broad country coverage, a landed-cost service fits better.
Can a plain chat AI do the same thing?
A chat assistant can read a document, but it can state numbers it has no source for. Purserhouse takes every number from a cited source and says not checked when it has none. Use a chat assistant for drafting and general questions.
Can an AI agent use Purserhouse?
Yes. It has an MCP server and a REST API. See the page for AI agents.
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