How to Compare Online Site Plan Services (7 Checks Before You Pay)
Quick answer
Before paying any online site plan service, check seven things: the revision policy in writing, what exactly is drawn, where the property lines come from, whether a human drafts it, real delivered samples, all-in pricing, and a checkable track record. Our answers: free revisions until acceptance, county GIS + satellite boundaries, real drafters, $89 to $259 published pricing, 3,400+ plans at a 98% first-submission approval rate.
Comparison shopping is the right instinct here. Online site plan services all look similar from the outside, the same aerial screenshots, the same promises of speed, and the differences that matter only show up after you have paid: what happens when the city wants a change, where the property lines actually came from, what the file is missing. Several established services draw permit site plans online, My Site Plan, SitePlansOnline, GetASitePlan and others, alongside newer instant-generation tools. Rather than a table of claims about other companies' current prices and terms, which change and go stale, here are the seven checks that separate the good ones from the template mills, with our own answers on the record for each.
The seven checks, with our answers on the record
1. What happens when the city asks for changes? The single most important line in any service's terms. Rejections are usually small, a missing dimension, a label, and you should not pay twice to fix them. Our answer: free revisions until your building department accepts the plan, usually turned around within one business day. Basic includes 1 free revision, Standard 2, Premium unlimited, and the approval guarantee backs all three: if your jurisdiction cannot be satisfied, full refund within 30 days.
2. What exactly is on the drawing? Property lines with lot dimensions, existing structures, your project drawn and dimensioned, setback distances labeled, easements, north arrow, scale, parcel ID. Ask to see the list in writing. Our answer: all of the above on every tier, itemized on each product page, and summarized in the Pre-Submission Checklist we publish for everyone, customers or not.
3. Where do the property lines come from? GIS parcel records plus satellite imagery is the professional standard for non-certified residential plans. A service that cannot name its boundary source is tracing pictures. Our answer: county GIS parcel data and high-resolution satellite imagery, stated plainly on the site. If you have an existing survey, upload it with your order and we draft on top of it for surveyed accuracy at drafting prices.
4. Is a human drafting your plan? Instant generators pull a parcel outline and stop; a permit-ready plan needs your project drawn, dimensioned, and placed correctly, which requires someone reading your project details. Our answer: real drafters draw every plan. That is why delivery is measured in hours, not seconds, 24 to 48 hours by tier, 31 hours on average.
5. Can you see real delivered plans before paying? Mockups prove nothing. Redacted real plans that went through real reviews prove the product. Our answer: real, address-redacted delivered plans are on every product page and throughout the site.
6. What do the price and the turnaround actually cover? Watch for prices that only appear at checkout, revision fees, and per-file charges. Our answer: $89, $169, or $259, published on the pricing section with delivery time, revision count, and files (PDF and JPG) listed per tier. No charges beyond the tier price.
7. Is there a track record you can check? Volume, states served, an approval rate, and reviews with names attached. Our answer: 3,400+ plans delivered across all 50 states, a 98% first-submission approval rate, and a 4.9/5 average from 1,200+ homeowners, with individual reviews quoted on the site.
Red flags, whoever you buy from
- No written revision policy, or revisions priced per round
- No real delivered samples, only rendered mockups
- The price appears only at checkout
- No named boundary-data source
- "Instant" delivery on a document that is supposed to reflect your specific project
- No refund terms anywhere
When we are honestly not the right buy
Three cases, and what to do instead:
- Your city's checklist says "certified survey" or "stamped by a licensed surveyor." No online drafting service can provide that, including us. Hire a licensed surveyor in your state, then keep the survey; it makes every future drawing better, and we can draft on top of it whenever the next project comes.
- Your project needs an engineer's or architect's stamp. Our plans are unstamped, like nearly all online site plans. Confirm with your building department first; if a stamp is required, contact us and we can refer you to a stamping partner.
- You genuinely enjoy drafting. Then the six-step DIY walkthrough and the software breakdown are yours, free, with the same checklist we use.
For everything else, decks, fences, sheds, patios, garages, and the small residential projects that make up most permit applications, the Permit-Ready Starter Pack from $89 is built to be the answer to all seven checks at once.
Frequently asked questions
Is a paid online site plan worth it on a tight budget?
Usually yes, if the alternative is a surveyor or a risky DIY attempt. The genuine budget path is drawing it yourself on graph paper, which costs an afternoon and carries resubmission risk if anything is mislabeled. At $89 with free revisions until acceptance, a drafted plan is the cheapest professional option in the market by a wide margin; surveyors start around $400 and are only necessary when your city requires certified boundaries.
Are online site plans legitimate for permits?
Yes, for most small residential projects. Building departments across all 50 states routinely accept scaled site plans based on county GIS and satellite data for decks, fences, sheds, patios, and garages. The exceptions are jurisdictions requiring a certified survey or stamped plans for a specific project type, which is worth a two-minute check with your building department before ordering from anyone.
How do I compare online site plan services?
Check seven things before paying: the revision policy in writing, exactly what appears on the drawing, the boundary-data source, whether a human drafts it, real delivered samples, all-in pricing with turnaround, and a checkable track record. A service that answers all seven plainly is safe to buy from; a service that hides any of them is telling you something.
What is the difference between a drafted site plan and an instant generated one?
Instant tools pull your parcel outline from records and hand it back, which is a base map. A permit application needs your proposed project drawn to scale in its exact location with dimensions and setback distances labeled, and that requires a drafter working from your project details. Reviewers reject base maps with nothing proposed on them.
Permit requirements vary by city, county, and state. The information in this guide provides general guidance based on common building codes and practices across the US. Always verify requirements with your local building department before starting your project.