Trump Tariff Calculator

Are your favorite gadgets from Amazon or Shein about to get expensive? Is your next car repair going to cost double? Well, we looked into that — and there's a high probability that Trump's new tariff policy will cost you.

Our Trump tariff calculator helps you see how the new tariffs might raise the prices of things like phones, clothes, or cars. We've created this tool to help you understand how new policy can affect everyone, one way or another.

President Trump took office promising bold, aggressive trade moves — and now, all of us are feeling the impact.

Trump tariffs are basically new taxes on stuff we import from other countries — clothes, electronics, car parts, you name it. The idea? Make foreign products more expensive so American-made ones look like a better deal.

But here’s the catch — it’s not China or Mexico paying those tariffs — it’s you.

These new tariffs, often called Trump tariffs, raised import taxes from an average of 3% to 10% for most countries and much higher for others. The policy, announced as part of Tariff Liberation Day affects nearly all imported products, from electronics to clothing, and has already shaken global trade.

How did we get here?

It all started before Donald Trump's second term inauguration. By January, President Trump signed the America First Trade Policy and used emergency powers to impose 10% tariffs on all Chinese goods and 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada. The China tariff took effect on February 4th, while tariffs on Mexico and Canada were delayed because of border security deals.

On March 4th, the China tariff doubled to 20%. Mexico and Canada avoided tariffs by meeting US demands. Later, auto tariffs (automobiles & auto parts) of up to 25% were introduced under national security grounds, targeting Japan and the EU.

On April 2nd, President Trump declared a national emergency and imposed a universal 10% tariff on nearly all imports, with country-specific amounts ranging up to 49% (34% for China). Markets panicked, and China hit back with its own 34% tariff. By April 9th, Trump backed down a little bit, which resulted in most countries getting a 90-day pause, but China’s tariffs jumped to 125%.

The situation is extremely fluid — while creating this tool, things were changing so fast that we had to update our calculator several times just to keep it relevant, so even though we’re doing our best to keep the content up to date, some facts may become outdated quickly, as changes are being implemented almost by the hour.

One of the biggest misconceptions about tariffs is the idea that foreign countries, like China, directly pay them. In reality, it's US importers who pay the tariff at the port — and that cost gets passed down the chain until it hits you, the consumer.

That means:

📦 Ordering a $20 top from Shein? With the new tariff rules starting May 2, you might pay $75 extra in import fees — or even $150 after June 1 because of the removal of the de minimis exemption.

🎧 Looking for $15 headphones from Amazon? That price may now include a 90% import tariff.

🚗 Need to replace a $30 set of brake pads for your car? That amount may almost double!

Don't believe us? It already happened in the past. Washing machine prices jumped by over 12% in 2018 after earlier Trump-era tariffs — and we're likely to see similar spikes again.

How do you end up paying the tariffs?

Trump's 2018 tariffs didn't just raise prices on the products they targeted — they also made other things more expensive. Even dryers, which weren't taxed at all, got a lot pricier, so we can't predict what you'll end up paying extra for this time.

Effectively, tariffs are usually passed down the supply chain. Importers raise prices for wholesalers, who raise prices for retailers, and eventually, you, the consumer, pay more for the same product. So when you buy something like a phone, a washing machine, or even clothes, part of that price could now be the result of Trump's new tariffs.

Many of the goods targeted by the new tariffs come from industries where the US doesn't produce enough alternatives or where supply chains are deeply tied to foreign manufacturing, especially in industries like electronics or clothing. So, while it's technically possible for prices to stay flat, in practice, it's very likely that you, the consumer, will feel the cost in your wallets.

Our calculator is here to help you understand how Trump's new tariffs might affect the prices of things you actually buy. It's not just about trade policy — it's about how much more you might pay for a pair of jeans, a smartphone, or a car part. The idea is simple: to show you, in real numbers, how your daily life as a consumer could change.

Start by selecting one of the available product categories from the drop-down list you see on the top of our calculator.

• Popular products — A list of specific items people are familiar with (phones, consoles, etc.);
• Automobiles & auto parts;
• Electronics;
• Clothing and Apparel; and
• Other— Everything else that doesn't fit into the above categories.

If you pick popular products

1. Choose a specific item from our list.
2. You'll see the Trump tariff increase, the current item's price, and the potential new price.

You can manually change the item's current price by ticking the checkbox — for example, if you bought it on sale or with a discount — to see what it would cost now under the new tariff rules.

If you pick any other category

1. Choose the country of origin — where the product was made or assembled and imported from. This is important because different countries are affected by different tariff rates.
2. You'll see the Trump tariff increase.
3. Next, you have to enter the item's current price.
4. You'll see the potential new price.

Additionally, the "Percentage of tariffs passed on to you, the consumer" variable allows you to adjust how much of the tariff's increase is passed down to the consumer. By default, we assume that 100% of the tariff is passed, but this isn't always the case. Importers might absorb part of the cost or shift it elsewhere. You can lower or raise the percentage. Once adjusted, the final post-tariff price will update automatically!

Ready to see the difference on your own shopping list? Try a few products in the calculator — you might be surprised how fast the costs add up.

Tariffs are taxes placed on imported goods. When a product crosses a country's border, the government may charge an extra fee — a tariff — which makes that item more expensive for local buyers. For example, if a car from Germany costs $30,000 and the US imposes a 10% tariff, the importer would have to pay an extra $3000. That cost often gets passed down to the customer, making the final price $33,000 instead of $30,000.

The idea is simple, but tariffs have a complex and somewhat controversial role in global trade. They're not something new. In fact, tariffs have been around for hundreds of years and were once one of the primary sources of income for many governments, especially before the introduction of modern income taxes.

Historically, tariffs have shaped trade routes, influenced political alliances, and even sparked conflicts.

For example, in the 1930s, the US passed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, which raised import duties on thousands of products. Many economists believe it made the Great Depression worse by causing affected countries to impose tariffs on the US and slowing down global trade, and in today's globalized economy, tariffs still have the power to change markets and consumer behaviors and affect geopolitics. Whether they're high or low can influence which products are available, how much they cost, and where companies choose to manufacture their goods.

So now that we know what tariffs are, let's discuss why countries implement them and how this strategy can end.

Governments implement tariffs mainly to protect domestic industries, generate revenue, or fix trade balance between countries. The effectiveness of tariffs isn't easy to predict, as historical examples show both successes and failures.

South Korea's industrial policy

In the latter half of the 20th century, South Korea imposed high tariffs and protectionist measures to try and protect their economy. The tariffs, averaging 40-45 percent on imports, were designed to shield South Korea's companies from foreign competition. This strategy indeed helped major companies like Hyundai and Kia, which later evolved into global leaders in the automotive industry, but it's important to remember that the success of those car manufacturers can't be assigned only to tariffs, as they were only one of the tools used in that complex strategy, which in retrospect — indeed worked out well for South Korean economy.

The 2002 US steel tariffs

The US steel tariffs imposed in 2002 under President George W. Bush had unintended negative consequences. The 10-30 percent tariffs imposed on more than 150 steel products were designed to protect domestic steel producers but led to increased steel prices instead, affecting steel-consuming industries. Around 200 000 jobs were lost in these sectors, more than the total employment in the steel-producing industry at the time. Because of the effects they caused, those tariffs were lifted within two years.​

Looking at these and many other documented cases from around the world, we can establish both the advantages and disadvantages of tariffs.

Advantages of tariffs

• Protection for domestic industries — In some cases, they can help local businesses compete by raising prices on foreign goods.
• Government revenue — A simple and effective way to collect money.
• Trade leverage — Tariffs can be used as a pressure factor during negotiations.

Disadvantages of tariffs

• Higher consumer prices — Imported goods cost more, which almost always translates to higher consumer prices.
• Risk of retaliation — Affected countries often respond with their own tariffs, leading to escalating tensions (as we're currently witnessing).
• Encourages inefficiency — Some industries may become dependent on protection rather than improving their global competitiveness and pushing for innovation.
• Destabilizing economy — Tariffs can delay production, increase logistics costs, and cause market uncertainty.
• Hurts manufacturers who rely on imports.

Yes — and it could get messy. By introducing these new tariffs, the US has gone against many trade agreements it signed with countries around the world. Several nations have already filed complaints with the WTO, and US companies are starting to sue the government, claiming the tariffs are illegal or unfair. Most of this will take years to sort out in court, and it’s likely to keep lawyers and trade officials busy for a long time.

The effects are already showing. Prices for many products are expected to go up soon, especially on everyday items like electronics, clothes, and cars, which, as usual, will affect American families and economically disadvantaged people.