Tired of paying for the same lead as four other contractors? Here's the honest comparison between shared lead platforms and exclusive building-permit data.
See exclusive permit leads →They can work — but Angi and HomeAdvisor sell the same homeowner request to 3–5 contractors, so you compete on price from the first call and pay $50–$100+ per shared lead. Building-permit leads are exclusive public records — you reach the project first, and the data is free to access (tools like PermitRadar just make it fast and filtered).
| Angi / HomeAdvisor | Permit leads (PermitRadar) | |
|---|---|---|
| Exclusivity | Shared with 3–5 contractors | Exclusive — public record, you reach out first |
| Cost | $50–$100+ per lead | Flat $49/mo, unlimited |
| Timing | After the homeowner submits a request | The day the permit is filed — earlier |
| Source | Homeowner web form (intent varies) | Government permit record (real project) |
| Competition | Instant price war | You're often the first to call |
| Best for | Quick volume, any trade | Subs & suppliers targeting real new projects |
Permit leads aren't a magic bullet — they don't come with a phone number attached, so you reach out via the address or the general contractor on the city record. But they're exclusive, earlier, and far cheaper per opportunity, which is why more subs and suppliers are adding them to the mix.
A homeowner fills out an Angi form when they're ready to shop around. A permit gets filed before work starts — often before the GC has lined up every subcontractor and supplier. That timing gap is the whole edge: you can be the first call instead of the cheapest bid.
City feeds: Seattle · Chicago · San Francisco · or read the full guide to finding permits.
Exclusive building-permit data is a popular one — leads aren't shared and catch the project earlier. PermitRadar pulls the city's live permit feed daily, filtered by trade, for a flat monthly fee instead of per-lead charges.
Typically $15–$100+ each depending on trade and job size — and often sold to multiple contractors. Permit-data tools charge a flat monthly fee (e.g., $49/mo) for unlimited access.
No — and any tool claiming guaranteed homeowner phone numbers is overstating it. You get the real public record (address, scope, value, status, and a link to the city file that lists the applicant/contractor), and reach out from there. It's exclusive and earlier, which is the advantage.
Seattle, Chicago & San Francisco. No per-lead fees.
Open PermitRadar →