PermitLookup vs. Shovels.ai
A side-by-side look at pricing, coverage, refresh cadence, and data layers between PermitLookup and Shovels.ai, the building-permit data API used by construction-tech and home-services teams. Facts below are as of September 2026 — check each vendor's own site for current terms.
Comparison
| Feature | PermitLookup | Shovels.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | see /#pricing | $599/mo, sales-gated |
| Free tier | see /#pricing | No |
| Self-serve signup | Yes — API key issued immediately | No — sales call required |
| Coverage | See /v1/coverage for current jurisdiction and record counts | 2,770+ jurisdictions (as of Sept 2026) |
| Permit records | See /v1/coverage | 178M permits (as of Sept 2026) |
| Refresh cadence | Tiered by plan, up to real-time (0-30 day) on higher tiers | Biweekly |
| 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
Shovels.ai is a reasonable fit if you're an enterprise buyer who wants a sales relationship, needs its specific jurisdiction footprint, and doesn't mind a $599/mo floor with no self-serve path. PermitLookup is the better fit if you want to start on a free or low-cost tier without a sales call, need data layers beyond raw permits (flood risk, EPA facilities, demographics, valuations, septic, or filed-permit-based hail leads for Texas roofers), or want programmatic access via a documented API and MCP server from day one. Neither is strictly better across every axis — check current coverage and pricing for your specific jurisdictions before deciding.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is PermitLookup cheaper than Shovels.ai?
- As of September 2026, Shovels.ai starts at $599/mo and is sales-gated. PermitLookup's current self-serve pricing, including a free tier, is published live at /#pricing (see GET /v1/plans for exact tiers).
- How does Shovels.ai's coverage compare to PermitLookup?
- As of September 2026, Shovels.ai reports 2,770+ jurisdictions and 178M permits, refreshed biweekly. PermitLookup's current counts are live at /v1/coverage, plus data layers Shovels.ai doesn't offer.
- Can I sign up for Shovels.ai without talking to sales?
- No — its $599/mo entry tier is sales-gated as of September 2026. PermitLookup offers self-serve signup with an API key issued immediately.