Compare · Updated 2026

Carbon Border vs consultants vs DIY spreadsheets

Three ways to get CBAM-compliant in 2026. Here's what they actually cost, how long they take, and what breaks when the regulation changes.

Capability	Carbon Border Automated SaaS	Big-4 consultants EY, PwC, KPMG, Deloitte	DIY spreadsheets Excel + email
Setup cost	€1,499 one-time	€15,000–€40,000	Staff time only
Ongoing cost	€299/mo	€3,000–€8,000/mo retainer	1-2 FTE
Time to Authorised Declarant status	30 min	4-8 weeks	8-16 weeks (if ever)
NCA application pack auto-generated		Manual drafting
Supplier emissions portal (drops 10% markup)
Quarterly certificate procurement	Automatic via EU CCP	Manual per quarter
5-year audit trail (Reg. (EU) 2023/956 Art. 10)	Automatic	Client's problem
Live ETS price + liability dashboard
Handles CBAM regulation updates	Included	Change order
UK CBAM (from 2027) covered
Cancel anytime		12-24 mo retainers

Best for

10-1000 shipments a year. Want to be compliant, not staff a compliance team. Cancel anytime.

Best for

Global compliance programs, board-level reporting, bespoke integrations. Six-figure budgets.

Best for

Under 50 t/year — you're below the de minimis threshold. Skip CBAM entirely; you're not in scope.

Try both. See which is faster.

Carbon Border gets you application-ready in 30 minutes. Consultants send you a scoping call invite.