FirstDig vs The Permit Sheet

Real-time permit alerts within minutes in 17 US cities, from a free weekly digest to $149 a month. How it compares with FirstDig for local service businesses, from both sites (checked Oct 31, 2026).

	FirstDig	The Permit Sheet
Built for	Home-service businesses and contractors (pool, roofing, solar, HVAC, plumbing, remodel and more) who want the new jobs in their own service area.	Roofers, solar installers, electricians, HVAC, general contractors and investors.
Coverage	100 city and county permit feeds in 29 states and DC; 113,450 permits in the last 30 days. Any other city can be requested.	17 cities: San Francisco Bay Area cities, Marin County, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, Chicago, Columbus, New York, Boston, Pittsburgh and Washington DC.
How fresh	City feeds read about every hour; the matching permits arrive by email every morning (Pro), within the hour (Business) or weekly (Free).	Checks every 10 minutes during the day; paid alerts usually within 10 minutes of the city publishing; the free plan is 7 days late.
Alerts	Draw your service area on a map and pick your trades; plus job-finished alerts, ready dates, busy streets and a route planner. Works inside ChatGPT and Claude too.	Real-time alerts filtered by permit type, value, keywords and priority (5 or 15 alerts by plan); the free plan is a weekly digest.
Homeowner names	Never: owner and applicant names are removed before anything is saved. Alerts go to businesses.	Says it never sells owner names or mailing addresses.
Contractor details	The contractor's business name on each permit; the busiest builders in your area (Business).	On Pro, the contractor's licence, classification and business phone.
Exports and API	No exports; connect ChatGPT or Claude to ask about your permits (Pro and Business).	CSV export (Starter) and a CRM-ready export with contacts (Pro); no API mentioned.
Price	Free (weekly, one area, one trade); Pro $49 a month, Business $99 a month. Every account starts with 14 days of Pro, no card.	Free (1 alert, 1 city, 7-day delay); Starter $49; Pro $149 a month; a 14-day Pro trial with a card.

Choose The Permit Sheet if

You work in one of its 17 cities and want each permit within minutes.
You want contractor phone numbers and CSV exports.

Choose FirstDig if

You work in cities it doesn't cover (FirstDig reads 100 city and county feeds in 29 states and DC).
You want your whole service area on a map, with job-finished alerts, ready dates, busy streets and a route planner.

Questions

What is the difference between FirstDig and The Permit Sheet?

FirstDig: Home-service businesses and contractors (pool, roofing, solar, HVAC, plumbing, remodel and more) who want the new jobs in their own service area. The Permit Sheet: Roofers, solar installers, electricians, HVAC, general contractors and investors.

How much does The Permit Sheet cost compared with FirstDig?

The Permit Sheet: Free (1 alert, 1 city, 7-day delay); Starter $49; Pro $149 a month; a 14-day Pro trial with a card. FirstDig: Free (weekly, one area, one trade); Pro $49 a month, Business $99 a month. Every account starts with 14 days of Pro, no card.

Does The Permit Sheet or FirstDig include homeowner names?

The Permit Sheet: Says it never sells owner names or mailing addresses. FirstDig: Never: owner and applicant names are removed before anything is saved. Alerts go to businesses.

Start free with FirstDig (14 days of Pro, no card needed).

Sources

The Permit Sheet's side comes from its own website, read on Oct 31, 2026; prices and features may have changed since. FirstDig's side is live. Spotted a mistake? Write to support@firstdig.net.