Trade Finance Calculators
Model the true cost of Letters of Credit, standby LCs, bank guarantees, usance interest and forfaiting - with the same day-count and fee conventions your bank uses.
Trade finance charges are notoriously opaque. A sight LC quote of 0.125% per quarter looks cheap until you add confirmation, negotiation, discrepancy, courier and reimbursement fees - often doubling the headline number. Our calculators break every line item down against the fee schedules banks actually publish, so exporters and importers can compare quotes on a like-for-like basis.
Every tool here applies the correct day-count convention per currency: ACT/360 for USD, EUR, AED, JPY and CHF, and ACT/365 for GBP, INR and other Commonwealth pairs. Usance interest, forfaiting discount and deferred-payment calculations quietly diverge by 1.4% just from that switch - enough to swing a deal.
Calculations reference UCP 600 (documentary credits), URDG 758 (demand guarantees), ISBP 821 (LC examination practice) and SWIFT MT700/MT760 field structure. Article citations appear on every tool page.
Frequently asked questions
Are SSLT Global calculators really free?
Yes. All 50+ tools are free with no login required for basic use. Results are computed in your browser and shareable via encoded URLs.
How often is the tariff and port data updated?
We maintain live datasets including US HTS 2026 Revision 15.1, India Port/ICD codes (360+ entries), and EU TARIC. Our admin dashboard tracks source updates weekly.
What is the difference between a sight LC and a usance LC?
A sight LC pays the beneficiary upon presentation of compliant documents. A usance (or deferred) LC pays a fixed number of days after shipment or presentation - commonly 30, 60, 90 or 180 days. The beneficiary bears the time-value cost, which our Usance Interest Calculator models using the correct ACT/360 or ACT/365 basis for the LC currency.
Is an SBLC governed by UCP 600 or URDG 758?
Both are possible. A standby LC issued under UCP 600 behaves like a documentary credit; one issued under ISP98 or URDG 758 behaves like a demand guarantee. The choice affects presentation rules, expiry-place requirements and cure periods - we flag which regime applies on the SBLC Fee Estimator.
How does forfaiting differ from LC discounting?
Forfaiting is the without-recourse purchase of medium-term receivables (typically 6 months to 7 years), usually backed by an avalized bill of exchange or a bank guarantee. LC discounting is short-term (up to 180 days) and can be with or without recourse. The forfaiting discount rate typically embeds country, bank and tenor risk premia over LIBOR / SOFR / EURIBOR.