New Permit Alerts vs Thumbtack

	New Permit Alerts	Thumbtack
Where the name comes from	A public building-permit record filed with the county	Customers search or post a job, pros send quotes, and pros pay when a customer contacts them or a match is made, depending on the category.
Did the homeowner ask to hear from you?	No. You reach out first, by mail or in person, following contact laws.	Yes, they asked for quotes.
How many companies get the same name	At most 5 per trade per county	Often several
How you pay	Flat monthly price per county, no per-lead fee	Per lead or per contact; see their current pricing
What you know about the project	Type of project, date, and value where the county publishes it	What the customer wrote in the request
Timing	Days after the permit, often before the owner shops	When the customer is already shopping

Thumbtack is the better fit when

Your service is something people search for on demand, like a one-off cleaning or a repair.

A permit list is the better fit when

Your best customers come right after a specific project (a new pool, a new roof, a new house) and you want to know about that project first.

What this data is, and how to use it. These are public-record building permits that counties publish, not opt-in leads: the homeowner did not ask to be contacted, and a permit is a signal, not a guaranteed customer. Market to them the way the law allows. Mail and in-person visits are the common channels where local rules permit. Calls and texts are covered by the TCPA, the National Do Not Call Registry, Florida's Telephone Solicitation Act (s. 501.059) and Florida's Do Not Call list. We do not sell phone numbers or owner names. Licensed professionals (insurance agents, inspectors) should also follow their license's advertising rules. This is not legal advice.

Descriptions of Thumbtack are general and based on how the service presents itself publicly; pricing and terms change, so check their current site. Angi, HomeAdvisor and Thumbtack are trademarks of their owners. We are not affiliated with them.

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Questions

Should I stop using Thumbtack?

Not necessarily. Your service is something people search for on demand, like a one-off cleaning or a repair. Many companies use both: a marketplace for people already shopping, and a permit list to reach the next projects first.

Is a permit list a lead?

It is a public record of a project, not a request for contact. That is why it costs less per address and why outreach must follow contact laws.