Three free CBAM tools help EU importers answer the three most urgent compliance questions in 2026: Is my product covered? What will it cost? What is the certificate price today? Each tool runs in the browser with no registration required and no data submitted to any server.
CBAM obligations became enforceable on January 1, 2026 under Regulation (EU) 2023/956. The EU CBAM guide provides the regulatory foundation if you need to understand the mechanism before using these tools. The first annual declaration is due September 30, 2027, covering all imports made during calendar year 2026. These tools are built for the importers and customs brokers who are calculating that obligation now, before the certificate purchase window opens on February 1, 2027.
Image brief: Three browser-based tool panels in a dashboard layout. Left panel shows a CBAM cost calculator with sector dropdown and year-by-year bar chart. Center panel shows a CN code search input with a "Covered" result card. Right panel shows a live EU ETS price chart with annotations. Text overlay: "Free CBAM Compliance Tools". Branded illustration with cbamguide.com logo. Blue and white color palette matching cbamguide.com.
3 Free CBAM Tools for EU Importers and Exporters
The three CBAM compliance tools on this site cover every stage of the compliance process, from product classification through cost forecasting to live certificate pricing. All three tools share a common data layer and cross-link so that output from one pre-fills the inputs for the next.
CBAM Cost Calculator
The CBAM Cost Calculator computes your certificate obligation for every year from 2026 through 2034. Enter your sector, production route, country of origin, annual import volume, and the tool returns the full 9-year cost forecast.
The calculator uses the official EU benchmark emission factors from Implementing Regulation 2025/2621 and applies the CBAM factor schedule exactly as published: 2.5% in 2026, rising to 100% in 2034. The default emission values include the punitive mark-up that applies when suppliers have not submitted verified actual emissions data: 10% above the benchmark in 2026, 20% in 2027, and 30% from 2028 onward.
Five output panels are provided:
| Panel | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Annual certificate cost | Year-by-year obligation in euros and number of certificates |
| Bar chart | 2026-2034 costs visualized with the CBAM factor schedule shown below |
| Certificate inventory | Quarterly holding requirement and annual surrender schedule |
| Sensitivity analysis | How your cost changes if the ETS price moves ±€20 |
| Data sources | The exact regulation articles and default values used in the calculation |
The calculator reads the live EU ETS price (updated hourly via the OilPriceAPI endpoint) so that all cost figures reflect the current market price, not a fixed assumption.
CBAM CN Code Lookup
The CBAM CN Code Lookup answers the first question every importer asks: is my product covered by CBAM?
Enter an 8-digit CN code from your customs declaration or describe your product in plain language. The tool checks the code against the full Annex I coverage list from Regulation (EU) 2023/956 and returns the coverage status, the CBAM sector, the emissions scope (direct only, or direct and indirect), and the applicable default emission values for the country of origin you specify.
Two search modes are available:
- Search by CN code: accepts 4, 6, or 8 digit codes; returns all matching Annex I entries for partial codes
- Search by product description: token-based fuzzy matching against 500 curated trade terms maps your product language to the correct CN code
The tool also runs the de minimis check. The 50-tonne annual threshold introduced by Regulation (EU) 2025/2083 (the Omnibus amendment) means imports below 50 tonnes per year are outside CBAM scope. The de minimis panel shows whether your stated import volume is below, within 20% of, or above the threshold, with a color-coded visual indicator.
When a covered CN code is found and a country of origin is entered, the tool shows the applicable default emission values from IR 2025/2621 and a direct link to the calculator pre-filled with those parameters.
CBAM Certificate Price Tracker
The CBAM Certificate Price Tracker shows two prices that EU importers need to monitor throughout 2026: the live EU ETS carbon price and the official CBAM certificate price published quarterly by the European Commission.
The EU ETS price is fetched hourly and displayed with 24-hour, 7-day, and 30-day change figures. The official CBAM certificate price, which sets the value of certificates covering each calendar quarter's imports, is scraped from the European Commission's CBAM page within hours of each quarterly publication. The first official price, covering Q1 2026, was published April 7, 2026.
The tracker includes a 12-month historical ETS price chart with annotated reference lines for the key CBAM regulatory milestones, a sector table showing what the current ETS price means in per-tonne cost for each of the six covered sectors, and a quick inline estimator for users who need a fast cost figure without opening the full calculator.
How to Use These 3 Tools in Sequence
Image brief: A horizontal three-step workflow diagram on white background. Step 1: "Check coverage" with CN code input icon. Step 2: "Calculate cost" with bar chart icon. Step 3: "Track price" with line chart icon. Arrows connect each step. Text overlay: "CBAM 3-Step Compliance Workflow". Branded illustration, cbamguide.com blue color scheme.
The three tools are designed to be used in order. The sequence below covers the full compliance workflow from first check to ongoing monitoring.
Step 1: Confirm your products are in scope
Use the CN Code Lookup first. The 50-tonne de minimis threshold means importers below that annual volume are outside scope entirely. For importers above 50 tonnes, the lookup confirms the sector, the emissions scope, and whether direct emissions only or both direct and indirect emissions must be declared.
If you import from multiple countries or in multiple product forms, run the lookup for each CN code. The related codes panel shows all other 8-digit codes in the same chapter so you can check adjacent products at once.
Step 2: Calculate your 2026-2034 certificate obligation
After confirming coverage, open the Calculator with the sector and country pre-filled from the lookup result. Adjust the emission factor toggle to "default values" if your supplier has not yet submitted verified data to the CBAM Operators Portal. The default values with the punitive mark-up represent the worst-case cost. Use the sensitivity panel to see how much the obligation changes if the ETS price moves before the February 2027 certificate purchase window opens.
Step 3: Monitor the certificate price
The official CBAM certificate price is published quarterly in 2026 and weekly from 2027 onward. Bookmark the Price Tracker and check it after each quarterly publication. The price published for Q1 2026 on April 7, 2026 is the reference price for all certificates covering January 1 through March 31, 2026 imports. The price is set as the arithmetic mean of the daily EU ETS auction clearing prices during that quarter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these tools free to use? All three tools are free and require no registration. The calculator, CN lookup, and price tracker run entirely in the browser. No import data is stored or transmitted.
How accurate are the cost calculations? The calculator uses the official benchmark emission factors from IR 2025/2621 and the regulatory CBAM factor schedule. The ETS price input updates hourly from market data. Actual costs depend on whether your supplier submits verified emissions data: suppliers who submit actual emissions values below the benchmark will reduce your certificate obligation accordingly.
Do these tools cover all six CBAM sectors? Yes. All six sectors covered by Regulation (EU) 2023/956 are included: iron and steel, cement, aluminium, fertilizers, electricity, and hydrogen. Each tool covers all sectors and all production routes within each sector.
When do CBAM certificate sales begin? Certificate sales open February 1, 2027. The first annual declaration, covering all 2026 imports, is due September 30, 2027. From Q2 2027 onward, a quarterly minimum holding requirement of 50% of cumulative embedded emissions applies.