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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.
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.
Permit Ledger vs Construction Monitor at a glance
| Permit Ledger | Construction Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use case | Free weekly renovation-permit insights + dashboard | National new-construction & permit-filer data |
| Data focus | Residential renovation, remodel & addition only | New construction, commercial; broad permit types |
| Coverage | 26 major US cities | National |
| Refresh | Computed weekly from official city feeds | Regular new-permit updates |
| Starting price | Free / $39/mo | ~$200–$800/mo |
| Contract | None — cancel anytime | Typically annual |
| Best for | Renovation & remodel contractors | Suppliers, manufacturers, lenders, analysts |
Construction Monitor details are based on publicly available information as of June 9, 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 sells permit data on custom subscriptions rather than a single public price, so the figure depends on the territory and data volume you need. Based on publicly available information as of 2026, plans typically start around $200–$800 per month and rise with add-ons and broader coverage, usually on an annual term. Permit Ledger is built 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.
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.
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