The short answer
Comstock & Holt is one of the oldest full-service duty drawback specialists in the US, running its own software and carrying deep credibility with CBP and drawback rulings. Stable is a modern, flat-license drawback platform for the broker channel, with a global-optimization matching engine you run under your own POA. Choose Comstock for a white-glove legacy specialist to run drawback for you; choose Stable to own the capability in-house on modern tooling and keep the margin.
Key takeaways
- Comstock & Holt is a legacy full-service specialist with proprietary software and deep CBP credibility; Stable is software your brokerage runs.
- A full-service specialist runs recovery for you, importer-direct, and holds the relationship.
- Stable centers a modern global-optimization matching engine and MPF capture, on a flat license under your own POA.
- Full-service drawback is commonly priced as a share of recovery; a flat license keeps that margin in-house.
Stable vs Comstock & Holt at a glance
| Feature | Stable | Comstock & Holt |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Flat-license software you run | Full-service, done for you |
| Who files | Your brokerage, under your POA | Comstock & Holt, importer-direct |
| Tooling | Modern platform, own ABI filing | Proprietary in-house software |
| Pricing | Flat license | Service fee (commonly a share of recovery) |
| Matching | Global optimization | Specialist process |
| Relationship owner | Your brokerage | Comstock & Holt |
| Best-fit customer | Brokers and importers running drawback in-house | Importers wanting a legacy specialist |
Choose Stable if
You want drawback owned inside your brokerage on modern, flat-license software, with your team and your POA running the work and keeping the margin.
Choose Comstock & Holt if
You want a long-established, white-glove specialist with deep CBP relationships to run drawback for you as a service.
What is Comstock & Holt best known for?
Longevity and credibility. Comstock & Holt is among the oldest drawback specialists in the country, runs its own software, and is deeply versed in drawback rulings and CBP practice. If you want an experienced firm to run the program for you, that track record is real. The trade-off is the outsourced model: the work and the relationship sit with the specialist.
How Stable is different
Stable is software, not a service. Your brokerage runs it under its own POA, with a modern matching engine, optimized MPF capture, and its own ABI filing. The expertise is built into the platform rather than delivered as a done-for-you service, so the client and the margin stay with you.
Legacy software versus a modern engine
Both Comstock and Stable use their own software, so the question is the engine and the workflow. Stable is built around global optimization across the claim window rather than older first-fit approaches, with a modern review queue and audit trail. On large datasets, optimized matching recovers more duty and fees from the same data than a first-in-first-out default; Stable can benchmark the difference on your own history.
How pricing affects economics
Full-service drawback is generally priced on success, as a percentage of recovery. A flat license caps the cost, so at volume the in-house model keeps materially more of the recovered duty.
Which should you choose?
Choose Comstock & Holt if you want a long-established specialist to run drawback for you. Choose Stable if you want to own drawback in-house on modern, flat-license software and keep the relationship and margin. See the DutyCalc alternatives guide for the full field.
Related
Frequently asked questions
Is Comstock & Holt software or a service?
Comstock & Holt is a full-service drawback specialist that runs its own software to file recovery for importers. Stable is flat-license software your own brokerage runs under its POA.
Does Stable have the drawback expertise of a legacy specialist?
Stable builds the expertise into the platform, the matching engine, MPF capture, and filing, so your team runs drawback in-house rather than relying on a done-for-you service.
Does Stable take a percentage of recovery?
No. Stable is flat-license, so you keep the margin. Full-service specialists are commonly priced as a share of recovery.
Who owns the client relationship?
With a full-service specialist, the work and relationship sit with the provider. With Stable, the drawback book stays inside your brokerage.