Key takeaways
- HQTS and Clear To Load both score 10 of 18 on our rubric, for different reasons.
- HQTS wins on reach (40+ countries), certifications (CNAS, CMA), lab testing, social audits and Gulf certificates of conformity.
- Clear To Load wins on price transparency: it publishes US$249 per man-day and a travel band for every Indian city. HQTS publishes no price.
- Both state reports within 24 hours. HQTS's FAQ adds that the verified report comes the next business day.
Clear To Load vs HQTS at a glance
Disclosure: Clear To Load publishes this page and is one of the two companies compared. Every statement about HQTS comes from HQTS's own website, checked on 14 Oct 2026 and listed under Sources. If anything here is out of date, email hello@cleartoload.com and we will correct it.
| Criterion | HQTS | Clear To Load |
|---|---|---|
| Who they are | HQTS Group, founded in 1995; inspection, audit, testing and certification in 40+ countries; regional offices in 16 countries | Independent inspection company in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, founded 2017 |
| India presence | In the Indian market since 2008; India regional office in New Delhi; names New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Jaipur and Kolkata, and says it can cover the whole country | Head office in Jodhpur; inspectors based in Jodhpur, Jaipur, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Delhi NCR and Kolkata; every city covered through travel bands |
| Inspection types | Pre-production, during production, pre-shipment, piece-by-piece and container loading inspection | Pre-production, during production and pre-shipment inspection, container loading supervision |
| Audits and testing | Supplier and factory audits, social compliance audits; product testing (RoHS, REACH, CPSIA, Prop 65) in laboratories | Capability and quality factory audit; lab testing coordinated with an outside accredited lab (no own lab) |
| Booking | Contact form, phone or email; a coordinator agrees dates with the supplier; inspector on site within three working days of the order (during production page) | Online booking request, confirmed within 24 hours |
| Report | Detailed report with photos within 24 hours; the FAQ says an initial report may come the same day and the verified report the next business day | Within 24 hours after supervisor review, ending in Cleared to load, Hold or Not cleared |
| Published price | None on the pages checked | US$249 per man-day; travel fee outside Jodhpur (see pricing) |
| Accreditation and approvals | Names CNAS and CMA; appointed by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards; issues Saudi certificates of conformity and helps with SASO and SABER certificates. ISO/IEC 17020 not stated on the pages checked | Not yet accredited; ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation in progress |
Scored on our published rubric
We use the same six-point rubric as our list of quality inspection companies in India. Each criterion scores 0 to 3, from what the company publishes on its own website and, for accreditation, India's NABCB register (checked 14 Oct 2026).
| Criterion | HQTS | Clear To Load |
|---|---|---|
| Accreditation | 1: CNAS and CMA named; ISO/IEC 17020 not stated | 0: not yet accredited |
| India presence | 3: New Delhi office and named cities | 3: Jodhpur office and named cities with inspectors |
| Price transparency | 0: no price published | 2: day rate published, travel extra outside Jodhpur |
| Booking | 1: contact form, phone or email | 2: online request, confirmed within 24 hours |
| Report speed | 2: within 24 hours stated | 2: within 24 hours |
| Reach | 3: 40+ countries | 1: India only |
| Total | 10 / 18 | 10 / 18 |
The rubric scores what a buyer can check before booking. It does not measure inspector skill or report quality; test those with a sample report and a first order.
Where HQTS is the better choice
- You source from several countries. HQTS works in 40+ countries, with regional offices in China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Turkey and others. Clear To Load works in India only.
- You need lab testing from the inspection company. HQTS offers product testing to RoHS, REACH, CPSIA and Prop 65 and names CNAS and CMA. Clear To Load has no lab; see lab testing coordination.
- You need social compliance audits. HQTS lists social compliance audits. Clear To Load's factory audit includes only basic social-compliance observations and is not a SMETA or amfori BSCI audit.
- You export to Saudi Arabia or Uganda. HQTS issues Saudi certificates of conformity, helps with SASO and SABER certificates and is appointed by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards. Clear To Load does not issue certificates of conformity. See SASO and SABER.
- Your factories are in the metros. HQTS has its India regional office in New Delhi and names Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Bangalore among the cities it serves.
Where Clear To Load fits better
- You want the price before you ask. Clear To Load publishes its man-day rate and the travel band for every Indian city. HQTS publishes no price.
- Your factory is in Rajasthan or a craft cluster. Clear To Load is based in Jodhpur, with inspectors in Jaipur, Saharanpur and Moradabad. HQTS names Jaipur but not Jodhpur, Saharanpur or Moradabad. See inspections in Jodhpur.
- You want a clear recommendation. HQTS's FAQ says it does not decide whether goods can ship; that decision is the buyer's. Clear To Load also leaves the decision with you, but every report states a verdict: Cleared to load, Hold or Not cleared. See the published sample reports.
- You want inspectors paid only by you. No fee from factories, the same fee pass or fail, and reports go to the buyer only.
- You buy furniture or handicrafts. All six of Clear To Load's published sample reports are furniture inspections in Jodhpur and Jaipur. See furniture inspection in India.
Clear To Load is weaker on reach, accreditation, testing, social audits and Gulf certification.
Price: what each company publishes
HQTS does not publish a price on the pages we checked; ask for a quote with your factory's city and order size.
Clear To Load charges US$249 per man-day, report included. There is no travel fee in Jodhpur, US$99 per man-day in Jaipur, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Delhi NCR and Kolkata, and actual travel cost elsewhere, quoted before you book. A reinspection is US$149. Compare the total for your order. See our inspection cost guide.
Choose HQTS if… Choose Clear To Load if…
Choose HQTS if you source from several countries; you need testing, social audits or certificates of conformity from the same company; you export to Saudi Arabia and need SASO or SABER support; or your factories are in the metros HQTS names.
Choose Clear To Load if your goods are made in India only, especially furniture, home décor or handicrafts; your factory is in Rajasthan, Saharanpur, Moradabad or another craft cluster; you want a published price and a verdict on every report; and accreditation is not a contract requirement for you today.
How this comparison was made
We checked HQTS's own pages on 14 Oct 2026: its India page, home page, during production inspection page and FAQ. We used no third-party reviews. Clear To Load facts come from our own company record. Scores use the rubric from our scored list, and we re-check every cell each quarter.