The short answer
Alliance Drawback Services pairs a full-service drawback practice with a cloud optimization product, Apollo, making it the most software-forward of the legacy specialists. Stable is a pure flat-license drawback platform for the broker channel: you run it yourself, under your own POA, rather than engaging a service. Choose Alliance for service-plus-software delivered by a specialist; choose Stable to run your own drawback software in-house and keep the client relationship and the margin.
Key takeaways
- Alliance offers service-plus-software (its Apollo product); Stable is pure flat-license software your brokerage runs.
- Alliance is the most software-forward legacy specialist, but recovery is still delivered as a specialist service.
- Stable centers a global-optimization matching engine and MPF capture, under your own POA.
- Running your own software on a flat license keeps the recovery margin and the client relationship in-house.
Stable vs Alliance Drawback Services at a glance
| Feature | Stable | Alliance Drawback Services |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Flat-license software you run | Service plus software (Apollo) |
| Who files | Your brokerage, under your POA | Alliance |
| Software | You operate the platform | Apollo, delivered with the service |
| Pricing | Flat license | Service and software |
| Recovery margin | You keep it | Shared with the provider |
| Relationship owner | Your brokerage | Alliance |
| Best-fit customer | Brokers and importers running drawback in-house | Importers wanting service-plus-software |
Choose Stable if
You want to run drawback software yourself, in-house, on a flat license under your own POA, keeping the client relationship and the recovery margin.
Choose Alliance Drawback Services if
You want a specialist that combines a full-service practice with its own optimization software and are comfortable engaging that as a service.
What makes Alliance different from the other specialists?
Software. Alliance pairs its full-service drawback practice with a cloud optimization product, Apollo, which makes it the most software-forward of the legacy specialists. That is a genuine step toward productization. The model is still service-led, though: Alliance delivers recovery, with its software behind the engagement, rather than handing you the software to run yourself.
How Stable is different
Stable is software-first, not service-with-software. Your brokerage operates the platform directly under its own POA, with a global-optimization matching engine, optimized MPF capture, and its own ABI filing. You are the operator, not the client of a service, so the relationship and the margin stay with you.
The economics of running it yourself
Service-plus-software is generally priced on success or a blended service-and-software fee. A flat license caps the cost regardless of how much you recover, so at volume the in-house model keeps materially more of the recovered duty. For a broker, that retained margin is the point.
Who owns the drawback book?
When a specialist delivers recovery, even a software-forward one, the client engagement runs through the specialist. Stable keeps the drawback book inside your brokerage, filed under your own POA, so you own the recurring relationship rather than renting it.
Which should you choose?
Choose Alliance if you want a specialist that combines service with its own optimization software. Choose Stable if you want to run the software yourself, in-house, on a flat license, and keep the relationship and the margin. See the DutyCalc alternatives guide for the full field.
Related
Frequently asked questions
Apollo is Alliance Drawback Services’ cloud optimization software, delivered as part of its specialist drawback service. Stable is flat-license software your own brokerage runs directly.