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Government & Public Sector · head to head

OpenCities vs American Legal Publishing

OpenCities logo

OpenCities

Government & Public Sector

Digital Government Experience Platform

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
A

American Legal Publishing

Government & Public Sector

Municipal Code Solutions

From
$150/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OpenCities population-based pricing model limits scalability for growing municipalities; American Legal Publishing a 2019 recodification contract between American Legal Publishing Corporation and the City of Dry Ridge, Kentucky, publicly posted by a separate Kentucky municipality as a model agreement, sets a base codification cost of $9,485 (USD) plus per-page increase rates of $18 (single column) and $21 (dual column) once the code exceeds the estimated page count, a one-time $550 setup fee to put the code in a searchable online format, $495 per year to host the code online after that, and a five-year supplement plan billed at $18-21 per reprinted page plus $200 per annual statutory update. This is one specific signed municipal contract, not a general price list, and actual costs for other municipalities will scale with code length.
  • They diverge on capability: OpenCities covers Website Management, American Legal Publishing covers Code Codification.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenCities and American Legal Publishing actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenCities and American Legal Publishing differ
AttributeOpenCitiesAmerican Legal Publishing
Starting price$500/month$150/month
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb
Founded20081912

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Government & Public Sector).

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 OpenCities

  • Website Management
  • Digital Forms
  • Search Optimization
  • Accessibility Compliance
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Analytics

Only in American Legal Publishing

  • Code Codification
  • Online Publishing
  • Print Services
  • Editorial Support
  • Code Search
  • Legislative Systems
  • Document Management
  • Public Portals

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

OpenCities

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

American Legal Publishing

  • 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.

OpenCities

  • Population-based pricing model limits scalability for growing municipalities
  • No self-hosted or on-premises deployment option
  • Limited code customization without vendor support

American Legal Publishing

  • A 2019 recodification contract between American Legal Publishing Corporation and the City of Dry Ridge, Kentucky, publicly posted by a separate Kentucky municipality as a model agreement, sets a base codification cost of $9,485 (USD) plus per-page increase rates of $18 (single column) and $21 (dual column) once the code exceeds the estimated page count, a one-time $550 setup fee to put the code in a searchable online format, $495 per year to host the code online after that, and a five-year supplement plan billed at $18-21 per reprinted page plus $200 per annual statutory update. This is one specific signed municipal contract, not a general price list, and actual costs for other municipalities will scale with code length.

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenCities

$500/month
  • Government Platform$500/month
    • Website CMS
    • Digital Forms
    • Accessibility

American Legal Publishing

$150/month
  • Online Code$150/month
    • Online Publishing
    • Code Updates
    • Search

Which should you pick?

Choose OpenCities if

  • You need website management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want digital forms.
OpenCities review

Choose American Legal Publishing if

  • You need code codification.
  • You also want online publishing.
American Legal Publishing review

Questions people ask

Is OpenCities or American Legal Publishing better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenCities starts at $500/month and American Legal Publishing at $150/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenCities or American Legal Publishing?
OpenCities starts at $500/month and American Legal Publishing at $150/month.
Does OpenCities or American Legal Publishing run on more platforms?
OpenCities runs on Web, Mobile. American Legal Publishing runs on Web.
What is OpenCities best used for?
OpenCities is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement.
What can OpenCities do that American Legal Publishing cannot?
OpenCities covers Website Management, Digital Forms, Search Optimization, Accessibility Compliance. American Legal Publishing covers Code Codification, Online Publishing, Print Services, Editorial Support. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OpenCities: Does OpenCities work offline?

No, OpenCities is a cloud-based SaaS platform that requires an internet connection. All editing and management is done through web browsers.

Source
OpenCities: What accessibility standards does OpenCities meet?

OpenCities is maintained to comply with WCAG AA requirements, ensuring equitable access to government services and information for all residents.

Source
OpenCities: Can I integrate OpenCities with other government systems?

Yes. OpenCities integrates with Google Analytics, govDelivery for notifications, EngagementHQ for feedback collection, Legistar for meeting management, and Active Directory for intranet workflows.

Source
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Related pages

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