A carbon footprint calculator that stands up to customers.
A browser calculator is fine for curiosity. Procurement, SECR and customer questionnaires need auditable data, recognised factors and a report you can send. Compare Your Footprint's Discover tier gives you a real first footprint — benchmarked, defensible, and yours to share.
To your first real footprint
Scope 3 categories available
UK benchmark organisations
What should a business carbon footprint calculator do?
A business carbon footprint calculator should measure your Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions using recognised emission factors and produce a result you can explain and share — not just an anonymous on-screen estimate. Compare Your Footprint applies GHG Protocol and UK Government factors and benchmarks your result against similar UK organisations.
What buyers actually need
Defensible factors
Methodology you can explain when a customer asks how you calculated — not a single anonymous estimate.
A sendable report
Output formatted for SECR-style and customer questionnaires, not a screenshot of a web form.
A path to grow
Start on Discover, then move to Measure or Execute when scope, sites or assurance needs increase.
Free calculator vs. Discover
| What you need | ✦ CYF Discover | Free online calculator | Spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recognised factors | ✓ GHG + UK Gov | ⚠ Often unclear | ⚠ Manual |
| Sendable report | ✓ Yes | ✗ Screenshot | ⚠ DIY |
| Scope 3 | ✓ Available | ⚠ Limited | ✗ Hard |
| Benchmarked | ✓ 700++ organisations | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Defensible in a tender | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ⚠ Weak |
| Cost | From £299/yr | £0, but not usable | £0, but slow |
Why “free” costs you the tender
Free calculators are great for awareness, but the moment a customer or auditor asks a follow-up question, an anonymous estimate falls over. Discover is the smallest step to a number you can stand behind — and it grows with you into full carbon footprint software or a carbon reduction plan when procurement asks.
Carbon footprint calculator FAQs
Is there a free carbon footprint calculator?
Free browser calculators exist, but they give an anonymous estimate you can't defend. Compare Your Footprint's Discover tier gives a real, benchmarked first footprint and a report you can send — the smallest step to something a customer or tender will accept.
Why not just use a free online calculator?
The moment a customer, auditor or tender asks how you calculated, an anonymous estimate falls over. Discover gives you documented emission factors and a sendable report, so your number holds up to a follow-up question.
What makes a carbon footprint “defensible”?
A defensible footprint uses recognised emission factors (GHG Protocol and UK Government), a documented and repeatable method, and benchmarking against similar organisations — so you can explain and stand behind the number when it's questioned.
Does Discover cover Scope 3 emissions?
A first footprint on Discover focuses on the emissions you can measure quickly. Full Scope 3 coverage across all 15 categories is available as you move up to Measure and Execute.
How much is Discover and can I upgrade later?
Compare Your Footprint starts from £299 per year, and you can upgrade tiers at any time as your scope, sites or assurance needs grow. A free trial is available with no credit card required.
Start with a real footprint — not a toy calculator.
Get a defensible first footprint and a report you can share. No credit card for the trial. From £299/year.