PermitSleuth vs Permitlify vs PermitGrab: Three Ways to Buy Permit Data
By PermitGrab Research · Source coverage and publishing cadence vary by jurisdiction
Short answer: PermitSleuth, Permitlify, and PermitGrab all sell permit data at roughly the same price point, but they are different products. Multi-portal search and export, AI-scored daily lead cards, and city-by-city public-record research serve different workflows. Compare what each discloses about source, freshness, and contact fields in your markets before committing.
Quick choice by workflow
- DIY multi-portal search + mail-ready CSV: evaluate PermitSleuth’s current portal list and export fields for your markets.
- Scored morning list with “call first” framing: evaluate Permitlify’s current market coverage and scoring model.
- Source-dated research by city and trade: use PermitGrab’s city checker to inspect available fields before a trial.
- Permit CRM or homeowner follow-up pipeline: evaluate Permitly separately — it is adjacent, not a like-for-like data SKU.
A permit record is evidence of a project, not an exclusive homeowner request for bids. These products deliver that evidence differently.
Why this comparison exists
A search-index query for contractor leads from building permits (September 2026) returned PermitSleuth, Permitlify, Permitly, and Shovels API in the same cluster. That is a different competitive set from the BuildZoom/Shovels/PermitGrab comparison, which covers API, marketplace, and report workflows. This page covers 2026 permit-lead SaaS products that target contractors and supplier sales teams directly.
Side-by-side: public marketing claims
Vendor-stated claims from their websites. PermitSleuth was re-fetched 2026-09-08. Permitlify and Permitly were last observed 2026-09-07; Permitlify’s 2026-09-08 re-fetch returned HTTP 403, so its 2026-09-07 figures are carried forward and are not confirmed as of 2026-09-08. Verify live before acting — plans, pricing, and coverage change.
| Dimension | PermitSleuth | Permitlify | PermitGrab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary motion | Search many government portals; export mail-ready CSV | Daily scored permit cards; “call first” framing | Browse and filter by city + trade in covered markets |
| Coverage claim | “287 live portals / 405 indexed / 32 states” (their homepage) | Trade and geography unspecified in fetched materials — verify | Bounded city directory; inspect source per city |
| Pricing | Starter $79/mo, Pro $149/mo, Growth $297/mo, Agency $497/mo; 200-record no-card trial. Owner enrich $0.10/record (coming soon) | Starter $79/mo, Pro $149/mo, Agency $349/mo; 3-day card-required trial | $149/mo flat Pro; 14-day card-required trial |
| Contact philosophy | Optional paid owner enrich from appraiser records | “Full contact info” / one-tap call (their marketing) | Contractor/phone only if the public source supports it |
| Exclusivity | Public records | “Unlimited permit leads” language — we will not match that claim | Explicitly not exclusive |
| Best fit | Teams that want DIY multi-portal search + mail | Teams that want a scored morning list | Teams that want source-dated research and CSV into their own CRM |
How to choose in one afternoon
- List the exact cities you serve.
- On PermitGrab, open each city page: source, newest record, contractor/phone fields present or not.
- On PermitSleuth/Permitlify, ask (or trial) whether those same cities are included and which contact fields are source-published vs enriched.
- Pick the delivery shape your sales team will actually use (search/export vs morning list vs research UI).
- Measure your conversations and booked work for 30 days — not a vendor’s case study.
Pricing at a glance
Vendor-stated plan tables. PermitSleuth observed 2026-09-08; Permitlify and Permitly observed 2026-09-07 (Permitlify not re-fetchable on 2026-09-08 — HTTP 403). Not independently audited; verify live before committing.
| Product | Plans observed |
|---|---|
| PermitSleuth | Starter $79/mo, Pro $149/mo, Growth $297/mo, Agency $497/mo; 200-record no-card trial. Field Kit $297 / Signature Kit $597 one-time. Owner enrich $0.10/record (coming soon). |
| Permitlify | Starter $79/mo, Pro $149/mo, Agency $349/mo; 3-day trial, card required. |
| Permitly | Price unknown on fetched homepage (demo CTA). |
| PermitGrab | Pro $149/mo flat; 14-day trial, card required. |
Inspect the source and available fields before you decide.
Check one city’s current source date, permit volume, and available contractor-profile count before deciding whether the workflow fits your team.
Check a city’s source coverage →Frequently asked questions
What is PermitSleuth?
PermitSleuth describes a multi-portal search product that lets users query 408+ government permit portals and export mail-ready CSV. Optional paid owner-enrich is cited at $0.10/record from appraiser data. Plans range from Starter $79/mo to Agency $497/mo with a 2-day no-card trial. Verify current terms on their site before committing.
What is Permitlify?
Permitlify describes an AI-scored daily permit-lead card service with a "call first" framing and "full contact info" language. Plans range from Starter $79/mo to Agency $349/mo with a 3-day card-required trial. Their marketing uses broad-coverage and live-feed language that PermitGrab will not match. Verify current terms on their site.
How is PermitGrab different?
PermitGrab is a city-by-city public-record research product. Each city page shows the public source, newest record date, and which fields (contractor, owner, phone, project value) the source actually publishes. Pro is $149/mo flat with a 14-day card-required trial. We do not claim all-US coverage, live-feed freshness, exclusive data, or AI-graded records.
Which has the best price?
All three offer a $149/mo tier (PermitSleuth Pro, Permitlify Pro, PermitGrab Pro). Price parity is not a differentiator. Compare on source-date disclosure, field honesty, city coverage in your markets, and delivery workflow instead.
How should I choose between them?
(1) List the exact cities you serve. (2) On each product, check whether those cities are included and which contact fields are source-published vs enriched. (3) Pick the delivery shape your sales team will actually use — multi-portal search, morning scored list, or research UI. (4) Measure your own conversations for 30 days.
What about Permitly?
Permitly (permitly.io) appeared in the same search cluster but is closer to a permit CRM and homeowner follow-up product. It is adjacent, not a like-for-like data SKU. Evaluate it separately if you need pipeline tooling more than research. Pricing was not visible on the fetched page.
Check market coverage before starting a trial
Source coverage and publishing cadence vary by jurisdiction. Explore available permit, contractor, owner, and violation fields by market. Review disclosed record dates, then choose your research settings before the optional checkout step.
Check markets and choose a workflow → Browse all cities →More Building Permit Reports
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