Softwr

Government · head to head

CityView vs DemandStar

CityView logo

CityView

Government

Community Development Software

From
$10000/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DemandStar logo

DemandStar

Government

Bid distribution network that is free for government agencies and charges the suppliers instead

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DemandStar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CityView high implementation and licensing costs for smaller municipalities; DemandStar coverage is opt-in by agency, so a supplier paying for a state tier receives only participating agencies and must still monitor other portals for the rest.
  • They diverge on capability: CityView covers Building Permits, DemandStar covers Free for agencies.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CityView and DemandStar actually diverge.

Attributes where CityView and DemandStar differ
AttributeCityViewDemandStar
Starting price$10000/yearFree
Pricing modelUnknownFree for agencies, per year by geographic coverage for suppliers
Free tierNoYes
Founded1976Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Government).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CityView

  • Building Permits
  • Business Licensing
  • Code Enforcement
  • Inspections Management
  • Online Citizen Portal
  • Esri ArcGIS
  • Microsoft Office
  • Payment Gateways

Only in DemandStar

  • Free for agencies
  • Commodity code matching
  • eBidding
  • Plan holder lists
  • Supplier registration
  • Geographic subscription tiers

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CityView

  • Citizen Servicesnot DemandStar
  • Records Managementnot DemandStar
  • Public Safetynot DemandStar
  • Civic Engagementnot DemandStar

DemandStar

  • A city purchasing officer who wants wider bid distribution without running a procurement to buy softwarenot CityView
  • A contractor who works in three adjacent counties and wants notifications only for that footprintnot CityView
  • An agency needing sealed electronic bid submission to replace paper deliveries to the clerknot CityView
  • A supplier testing whether public sector work is viable before committing to a national subscriptionnot CityView

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CityView

  • High implementation and licensing costs for smaller municipalities
  • Complex setup and customization requiring expert assistance

DemandStar

  • Coverage is opt-in by agency, so a supplier paying for a state tier receives only participating agencies and must still monitor other portals for the rest.
  • The free supplier tier charges around 5 US dollars per bid document download, which turns an apparently free plan into a metered one as soon as you actually pursue opportunities.
  • State pricing ranges from roughly 100 to 1,499 US dollars with the variation driven by agency density, so suppliers cannot predict cost from geography alone.
  • Because agencies pay nothing, they have little leverage over the roadmap and features are driven by what makes supplier subscriptions sell.
  • The brand is being folded into Euna OpenBid following the Euna Solutions consolidation, so suppliers and agencies should expect the name and portal to change.

Pricing, plan by plan

CityView

$10000/year

No published plan breakdown. See the CityView review.

DemandStar

Free
  • Government agencyFree
    • Post unlimited solicitations
    • Access the supplier network
    • eBidding and plan holder lists
  • Supplier freeFree
    • Bid notifications for one agency of your choice
    • Bid document downloads charged around 5 USD each
    • Supplier profile and registration
  • Supplier county$60/year
    • All participating agencies within one county
    • Unlimited bid document access for that county
    • Approximate rate, varies by county
  • Supplier state$100/year
    • All participating agencies within one state
    • Priced from around 100 to 1,499 USD depending on agency density

Which should you pick?

Choose CityView if

  • You need building permits.
  • You also want business licensing.
CityView review

Choose DemandStar if

  • You need free for agencies.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want commodity code matching.
DemandStar review

Questions people ask

Is CityView or DemandStar better?
Neither clearly leads. CityView starts at $10000/year and DemandStar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CityView or DemandStar?
DemandStar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10000/year for CityView and Free for DemandStar.
Does CityView or DemandStar run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use DemandStar for free?
Yes. DemandStar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CityView starts at $10000/year.
What is CityView best used for?
CityView is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what DemandStar is typically brought in for.
What can CityView do that DemandStar cannot?
CityView covers Building Permits, Business Licensing, Code Enforcement, Inspections Management. DemandStar covers Free for agencies, Commodity code matching, eBidding, Plan holder lists.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CityView: Is CityView cloud-based or on-premise?

CityView offers both cloud-based SaaS deployments and on-premise options depending on municipality preference and requirements.

Source
DemandStar: Is DemandStar free for governments?

Yes, entirely. Agencies post solicitations and access the supplier network at no cost; suppliers fund the platform.

CityView: What modules are included?

CityView Suite includes Property Information, Permits and Inspections, Planning, Code Enforcement, Licensing, Animal Licensing, Service Requests, Rental Housing, Cemetery Management, Parking Management, and Cashiering modules.

Source
DemandStar: What do suppliers pay?

Free for one agency with roughly 5 USD per document download, about 60 USD a year per county, 100 to 1,499 per state, and 2,699 for national coverage.

CityView: How long has CityView been in the market?

CityView has over 40 years of experience serving local governments with community development and municipal land management solutions.

Source
DemandStar: Who owns DemandStar?

Euna Solutions, the public sector portfolio formerly known as GTY Technology, which also absorbed Bonfire and Ion Wave.

CityView: What is the pricing structure?

CityView pricing ranges from $10,000 to $75,000+ per year for mid-sized municipalities, or approximately $100 to $250 per user per month for SaaS deployments, depending on modules selected.

Source
DemandStar: Does it cover every agency?

No. Only agencies that have opted in, which is the main limitation for suppliers buying wide coverage.

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