Softwr

Government · head to head

CityView vs OnBase

CityView logo

CityView

Government

Community Development Software

From
$10000/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OnBase logo

OnBase

Government

Enterprise Information Platform

From
$400/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CityView high implementation and licensing costs for smaller municipalities; OnBase pricing starts at 2,000 USD per month, making it expensive for small agencies
  • They diverge on capability: CityView covers Building Permits, OnBase covers Content Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CityView and OnBase actually diverge.

Attributes where CityView and OnBase differ
AttributeCityViewOnBase
Starting price$10000/year$400/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
Founded19761991

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 OnBase

  • Content Management
  • Workflow Automation
  • Case Management
  • Records Management
  • Intelligent Capture
  • Microsoft 365
  • Salesforce
  • Epic

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Desktop support

What people use each for

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

CityView

  • Citizen Services
  • Records Management
  • Public Safety
  • Civic Engagement

OnBase

  • Citizen Services
  • Records Management
  • Public Safety
  • Civic Engagement

Both are used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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

OnBase

  • Pricing starts at 2,000 USD per month, making it expensive for small agencies
  • Complex implementation and configuration required for government-specific workflows
  • Requires significant IT resources for deployment and ongoing management

Pricing, plan by plan

CityView

$10000/year

No published plan breakdown. See the CityView review.

OnBase

$400/month
  • Government$400/month
    • Content Management
    • Process Automation
    • Case Management

Which should you pick?

Choose CityView if

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

Choose OnBase if

  • You need content management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want workflow automation.
OnBase review

Questions people ask

Is CityView or OnBase better?
Neither clearly leads. CityView starts at $10000/year and OnBase at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CityView or OnBase?
CityView starts at $10000/year and OnBase at $400/month.
Does CityView or OnBase run on more platforms?
CityView runs on Web. OnBase runs on Web, Mobile.
What is CityView best used for?
CityView is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement.
What can CityView do that OnBase cannot?
CityView covers Building Permits, Business Licensing, Code Enforcement, Inspections Management. OnBase covers Content Management, Workflow Automation, Case Management, Records Management. Both handle Web support, Desktop support.

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
OnBase: What is OnBase used for in government?

OnBase is used for digital permitting, inspections, and plan review processes. Government agencies use it to streamline workflows, enable online forms, automate approvals, and provide citizen access to application status.

Source
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
OnBase: Does OnBase support mobile access?

Yes. Mobile access is a key feature of OnBase, allowing users to manage documents and cases on the go.

Source
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
OnBase: What document management capabilities does OnBase provide?

OnBase provides centralized document storage with version control, search and retrieval tools, records management across physical and electronic lifecycles, and compliance with policies and regulations.

Source
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
OnBase: Can OnBase workflows be customized?

Yes. OnBase is flexible and configurable with user-defined workflows for case management, streamlining processes like accounts payable, employee onboarding, and contract management.

Source
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