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Permit Ledger vs Construction Monitor: Pricing & Alternatives (2026)

Permit Ledger and Construction Monitor both deliver building-permit data on a regular cadence, but they serve different audiences. Construction Monitor is a long-established national provider whose data skews toward new construction and commercial activity for suppliers, manufacturers, and lenders. Permit Ledger focuses narrowly on residential renovation and remodel permits for local contractors. Here's a clear-eyed comparison.

Permit Ledger vs Construction Monitor at a glance

Construction Monitor details are based on publicly available information as of July 17, 2026 and may have changed, always verify current pricing and features on Construction Monitor's own site. Construction Monitor is a trademark of its respective owner; Permit Ledger is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Construction Monitor.

How much does Construction Monitor cost?

Construction Monitor does not list a public price. It sells permit data on custom subscriptions quoted by territory and data volume, so the cost tracks how much coverage you need. Based on publicly available information as of 2026, subscriptions typically start around $200 to $800 per month and rise with add-ons and broader coverage, usually on an annual term. Construction Monitor also runs a self-serve shop where you can buy permit data for a single jurisdiction month to month, currently limited to a handful of states, which is the lowest-commitment way to try it. Permit Ledger works differently for renovation and remodel contractors: the weekly insights are free to browse, and the all-access dashboard (top ZIP codes, the most-active contractors, and a Monday email across every city) is a flat $39/mo with no contract. Always verify current Construction Monitor pricing on their own site.

Where each one fits

Permit Ledger: Permit Ledger is built for renovation and remodel contractors who want a simple weekly read on residential permit activity in their own city, free to browse, with a $39/mo dashboard for the detail, and no annual commitment.

Construction Monitor: Construction Monitor has aggregated national permit data for decades and offers broad coverage with a focus on new construction and commercial projects. For building-product manufacturers, lenders, and national data teams that need wide market coverage, that breadth is the draw.

Data feeds compared

Construction Monitor: Construction Monitor sells permit data as regional subscriptions quoted by territory, plus an online shop with permit data products for single metros, for example a monthly permit file covering a whole metro at a listed price. Coverage is national and the model is built around territories and metro bundles, typically on an ongoing subscription.

Permit Ledger: Permit Ledger sells a weekly CSV feed per city: every permit with site address, permit type, date issued, and contractor or owner names where the city publishes them, filtered to your trades. $250 a city per month, dropping to $150 a city at five or more. Month to month, no contract, and every file states its freshness date and any known coverage gaps.

Sources: Construction Monitor shop · Construction Monitor subscriptions

Permit data feeds for teams →

Frequently asked questions

Is Permit Ledger a good Construction Monitor alternative?

For a renovation or remodel contractor focused on residential leads in a specific city, yes, Permit Ledger filters to renovation work and is free to browse, with a $39/mo dashboard. If you need national coverage of new construction and commercial activity for market research or supplier outreach, Construction Monitor is built for that.

Is Permit Ledger cheaper than Construction Monitor?

For renovation-focused contractors, yes. Construction Monitor uses custom, usually annual subscriptions priced by territory and volume, while Permit Ledger is free to browse with a flat $39/mo all-access dashboard and no contract (see 'How much does Construction Monitor cost?' above). Construction Monitor's strength is broad national coverage of new construction and commercial activity; Permit Ledger trades that breadth for an affordable, renovation-only weekly read.

Does Permit Ledger include new construction like Construction Monitor?

No. Permit Ledger intentionally filters to residential renovation, remodel, and addition permits, not new construction or commercial. Construction Monitor's data skews toward new construction. If renovation leads are your target, the narrower focus is the point; if you track new builds nationally, Construction Monitor covers more.

Does Construction Monitor have a free trial?

Yes. As of 2026, Construction Monitor offers a free one-week trial of its web tool, so you can preview coverage for your territory before subscribing. Permit Ledger takes a different route: every city insight page is free to browse with no trial or signup, and the $39/mo all-access dashboard has no contract, so you can cancel any month.

What is the cheapest Construction Monitor alternative?

For residential renovation and remodel work, Permit Ledger is one of the lowest-cost alternatives: city insight pages are free, and the all-access dashboard is a flat $39/mo with no annual commitment. Construction Monitor subscriptions typically start around $200 to $800 per month, usually on annual terms. If you need national new-construction or commercial coverage, a broader and pricier service may still fit better.

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