EnergySage built a clever marketplace UX but the underlying mechanic is the same as every other aggregator: the homeowner gets matched with multiple installers. PermitGrab is structurally exclusive — one paid subscriber per zip code, no resale, ever. Pulling permit data instead of buying form-fills.
Real permits filed in the last 7 days. Contractor names and phone numbers unmask on the trial.
| Date | City | Trade | Contractor | Phone | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Long Beach, NJ | General Construction | H••• U••••••• INC | (888) •••-••87 | — |
| 2026-06-30 | Long Beach, NJ | HVAC | C••••••• T••••••• INC | (562) •••-••65 | — |
| 2026-06-30 | Long Beach, NJ | General Construction | A•••••• G•••• LLC | (800) •••-••90 | — |
| 2026-06-30 | Long Beach, NJ | General Construction | M••••• W•••• | (310) •••-••60 | — |
| 2026-06-30 | Long Beach, NJ | HVAC | M••••••• B••••••• C••••••• INC | (949) •••-••83 | — |
| 2026-06-30 | Long Beach, NJ | HVAC | V•••• C••••••• LLC | (310) •••-••79 | — |
Cancel anytime. Your leads aren't resold to four competitors like Angi or HomeAdvisor.
EnergySage shows each homeowner 3-5 installer quotes side-by-side. You're competing on price comparison from the first interaction. Close rates drop to 5-12% and margins compress. Permit data lets you reach the homeowner BEFORE they get on a marketplace.
Slightly — EnergySage qualifies harder and the audience skews higher-intent. But the shared-marketplace dynamic still caps your close rate. You're fighting on quote price, not relationship.
EnergySage at $60 avg × 8-10% close = $600-750 per customer. PermitGrab at $149/mo unlimited pulling 30 permits/mo + closing 2 = $75 per customer. See <a href="/blog/how-much-do-solar-leads-cost-2026">2026 solar lead pricing</a> for the full breakdown.
Yes for many installers. The optimal 2026 mix is permit data (cheap outbound) + Google LSAs (high-intent inbound) + one form-fill aggregator (EnergySage or Modernize) for volume in slow weeks. See <a href="/blog/solar-lead-sources-compared-2026">all solar lead sources compared</a>.
Yes — CSV export from any city or filter view. Most subscribers pull a daily morning CSV into HubSpot, Salesforce, or Aurora's CRM. API access is on the Enterprise tier.