Software · head to head
CityView vs ShotSpotter
The short version
- Each has a real cost: CityView high implementation and licensing costs for smaller municipalities; ShotSpotter shotSpotter now trades as SoundThinking and shotspotter.com redirects to soundthinking.com
- They diverge on capability: CityView covers Building Permits, ShotSpotter covers Gunshot Detection.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CityView and ShotSpotter actually diverge.
| Attribute | CityView | ShotSpotter |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $10000/year | $5000/month |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 1976 | 1996 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 ShotSpotter
- Gunshot Detection
- Location Triangulation
- Real-time Alerts
- Forensic Analysis
- Historical Data
- CAD Systems
- 911 Centers
- Camera Systems
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
CityView
- Citizen Servicesnot ShotSpotter
- Records Managementnot ShotSpotter
- Public Safetynot ShotSpotter
- Civic Engagementnot ShotSpotter
ShotSpotter
- Gunshot detection and location alerting for police departmentsnot CityView
- Directing patrol response to outdoor firearm dischargesnot CityView
- Building incident data for law enforcement analysisnot 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
ShotSpotter
- ShotSpotter now trades as SoundThinking and shotspotter.com redirects to soundthinking.com
- No pricing is published; the site routes to contact and demo requests with no published rate, minimum or cost driver
- The service depends on an acoustic sensor array installed across a defined coverage area rather than being software alone
Pricing, plan by plan
CityView
$10000/yearNo published plan breakdown. See the CityView review.
ShotSpotter
$5000/month- Detection Service$5000/month
- Gunshot Detection
- Real-time Alerts
- Forensic Reports
Which should you pick?
Choose ShotSpotter if
- You need gunshot detection.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want location triangulation.
Questions people ask
- Is CityView or ShotSpotter better?
- Neither clearly leads. CityView starts at $10000/year and ShotSpotter at $5000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CityView or ShotSpotter?
- CityView starts at $10000/year and ShotSpotter at $5000/month.
- Does CityView or ShotSpotter run on more platforms?
- CityView runs on Web. ShotSpotter runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- 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 ShotSpotter is typically brought in for.
- What can CityView do that ShotSpotter cannot?
- CityView covers Building Permits, Business Licensing, Code Enforcement, Inspections Management. ShotSpotter covers Gunshot Detection, Location Triangulation, Real-time Alerts, Forensic Analysis. Both handle Web 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.
SourceCityView: 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.
SourceCityView: 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.
SourceCityView: 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.
SourceRelated pages
More on ShotSpotter
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