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Permit Ledger vs Shovels: Pricing & Alternatives (2026)
Permit Ledger and Shovels both work with building-permit data, but they're aimed at very different users. Shovels is an API-first platform built for software developers and data teams who want to embed permit data into their own products. Permit Ledger is a ready-made weekly insight tool for renovation contractors who just want leads, not an integration project. Here's an honest comparison.
Where each one fits
Permit Ledger: Permit Ledger is built for renovation and remodel contractors who want this week's residential permit activity delivered as ready-to-use insights — free to browse, with a $39/mo dashboard for ZIP- and contractor-level detail. No engineering team required.
Shovels: Shovels is an API-first platform with a well-structured national dataset, good documentation, and data enrichment. For an engineering team building a product or internal tool on top of permit data, it's a strong, developer-friendly building block.
Permit Ledger vs Shovels at a glance
| Permit Ledger | Shovels | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use case | Free weekly renovation-permit insights + dashboard | Developer API for permit data |
| Data focus | Residential renovation, remodel & addition only | All permit types; API-first, national |
| Delivery | Ready-made web insights + dashboard | API / dashboard (you build the workflow) |
| Coverage | 26 major US cities | National |
| Starting price | Free / $39/mo | ~$300–$1,500/mo |
| Best for | Renovation & remodel contractors | Developers & data teams |
Shovels details are based on publicly available information as of June 9, 2026 and may have changed — always verify current pricing and features on Shovels's own site. Shovels is a trademark of its respective owner; Permit Ledger is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Shovels.
How much does Shovels cost?
Shovels is an API-first platform, so pricing is built around data volume and API usage rather than a single flat fee. Based on publicly available information as of 2026, paid plans typically start around $300 per month and scale into four figures with higher volume and enrichment tiers. Permit Ledger isn't an API — it's a ready-made insight product for renovation contractors: the weekly insights are free to browse, and the all-access dashboard with top ZIP codes, the most-active contractors, and a Monday email for every city is a flat $39/mo, cancel anytime. Always confirm current Shovels pricing on their own site.
Frequently asked questions
Is Permit Ledger a good Shovels alternative?
If you want permit leads without writing code, yes. Permit Ledger delivers ready-made weekly insights and a $39/mo dashboard for 26 cities — no API integration. If you're an engineering team that needs raw permit data via API to build a product, Shovels is purpose-built for that and Permit Ledger is not an API.
Is Permit Ledger cheaper than Shovels?
For a contractor who wants leads without code, yes. Shovels is a usage-based API priced for engineering teams, while Permit Ledger is free to browse with a flat $39/mo all-access dashboard and no contract (see 'How much does Shovels cost?' above). If you specifically need raw permit data via API, Shovels is purpose-built for that; if you want ready-made weekly insights, Permit Ledger is the affordable fit.
Does Permit Ledger offer an API like Shovels?
No. Permit Ledger is a ready-made insight product, not an API — it's designed so a contractor can read weekly permit activity without engineering resources. If you specifically need programmatic API access to national permit data, Shovels is the better fit.
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