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OpenCities vs PublicInput

OpenCities logo

OpenCities

Software

Digital Government Experience Platform

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PublicInput logo

PublicInput

Software

Inclusive Community Engagement

From
$400/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OpenCities population-based pricing model limits scalability for growing municipalities; PublicInput all three plans, Listen, Engage and Engage Plus, are listed as Request Pricing with no published rate, minimum or cost driver
  • They diverge on capability: OpenCities covers Website Management, PublicInput covers Virtual Public Meetings.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenCities and PublicInput actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenCities and PublicInput differ
AttributeOpenCitiesPublicInput
Starting price$500/month$400/month
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20082014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 OpenCities

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

Only in PublicInput

  • Virtual Public Meetings
  • Online Surveys
  • Comment Management
  • Multi-language Support
  • Engagement Analytics
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams
  • GovDelivery

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

OpenCities

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

PublicInput

  • Running public comment and community engagement programmes for local governmentnot OpenCities
  • Collecting resident feedback across surveys, interactive maps and project websitesnot OpenCities
  • Compliant public meeting management for transit agencies, DOTs and MPOsnot OpenCities

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

PublicInput

  • All three plans, Listen, Engage and Engage Plus, are listed as Request Pricing with no published rate, minimum or cost driver
  • HTML and CSS customization, custom workflows and approvals, and external system integration with Accela and ESRI are listed as Enterprise Capabilities rather than core platform features
  • Public meetings functionality is sold under a separate Meetings plan rather than being included with the Engagement plans
  • Getting a plan requires booking a consultation and a tailored demo rather than self serve signup

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenCities

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

PublicInput

$400/month
  • Enterprise$400/month
    • Virtual Meetings
    • Surveys
    • Comment Management

Which should you pick?

Choose OpenCities if

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

Choose PublicInput if

  • You need virtual public meetings.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want online surveys.
PublicInput review

Questions people ask

Is OpenCities or PublicInput better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenCities starts at $500/month and PublicInput at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenCities or PublicInput?
OpenCities starts at $500/month and PublicInput at $400/month.
Does OpenCities or PublicInput run on more platforms?
OpenCities runs on Web, Mobile. PublicInput runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is OpenCities best used for?
OpenCities is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what PublicInput is typically brought in for.
What can OpenCities do that PublicInput cannot?
OpenCities covers Website Management, Digital Forms, Search Optimization, Accessibility Compliance. PublicInput covers Virtual Public Meetings, Online Surveys, Comment Management, Multi-language 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

More on OpenCities

More on PublicInput

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