PermitLookup vs. Construction Monitor
A side-by-side look at pricing model, metro coverage, permit volume, and access model between PermitLookup and Construction Monitor, a territory-licensed building-permit data provider. Facts below are as of September 2026 — check each vendor's own site for current terms.
Comparison
| Feature | PermitLookup | Construction Monitor |
|---|---|---|
| Price range | see /#pricing | $96 to $960/mo, by metro population |
| Free tier | see /#pricing | No |
| Pricing model | Flat self-serve tiers, nationwide | Territory licensing, per metro |
| Self-serve signup | Yes — API key issued immediately | Not published as self-serve |
| Coverage | See /v1/coverage for current jurisdiction and record counts | ~70 metros (as of Sept 2026) |
| Permit records | See /v1/coverage | 17M permits (as of Sept 2026) |
| Extra data layers | FEMA flood, EPA facilities, census demographics, property valuations, septic systems, TX hail leads (filed-permit based, not estimated roof age) | Permit data only |
| MCP server | Yes — llms.txt + MCP server in this repo (mcp/permitlookup_mcp) | Not published |
When to Pick Each
Construction Monitor fits buyers who want deep, purpose-built coverage of a specific metro and are comfortable with per-territory licensing costing $96 to $960/mo depending on population. PermitLookup fits buyers who want a single API key with nationwide reach, a self-serve free tier to start, and data layers beyond raw permits — flood risk, EPA facilities, demographics, valuations, septic records, or filed-permit-based hail leads for Texas roofers. If your business is concentrated in one metro Construction Monitor already licenses well, its depth there may be worth the cost; if you operate across multiple markets or need more than permit records, PermitLookup's flat nationwide pricing is likely the better economics.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How does Construction Monitor's pricing work?
- As of September 2026, it prices $96 to $960/mo by metro population, with territory licensing — you buy access to specific metros, covering roughly 70 metros and 17M permits.
- Is PermitLookup nationwide, unlike Construction Monitor's metro licensing?
- PermitLookup's current coverage is published live at /v1/coverage rather than sold as per-metro territory licenses.
- Does Construction Monitor offer data layers beyond permits, like PermitLookup?
- As of September 2026, Construction Monitor is permits-only (~17M across ~70 metros). PermitLookup adds FEMA, EPA, demographics, valuations, septic, and TX hail-lead layers.