PermitSnag vs PermitAlert
PermitAlert is free, checks every permit on Recreation.gov every 60 seconds, and covers river and rafting permits that a lot of tools skip. If a free text alert on any Rec.gov permit is what you need, it works well. PermitSnag adds push, email, and browser alerts, campsite tracking, a booking shortcut, and lottery tools that PermitAlert does not build.
As of July 16, 2026, PermitAlert is a free, donation-supported Rec.gov monitor that scans every permit, including river and rafting permits, every 60 seconds and texts you when a spot opens. PermitSnag tracks 754 US wilderness permits with cancellation alerts, group pools, and Fast Lane booking links.
Facts checked against PermitAlert's public site on July 16, 2026. See every tool we compare on the PermitSnag alternatives hub.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Enchantments Core Zone were gone within 10 minutes.
Feature comparison
| Feature | PermitSnag | PermitAlert |
|---|---|---|
| Core focus | Wilderness permits + lotteries, plus 118,000+ campsites | Free cancellation alerts across every Rec.gov permit, including river and float permits |
| Coverage | 754 US permits (Rec.gov, CA/UT state parks, BLM, NPS) + 3,900+ US campgrounds | 20+ regions on Recreation.gov, covering essentially any permit on the platform |
| Lottery support | Lottery calendar, open/close/result reminders, group pools, published odds pages | No lottery tooling, cancellation alerts only |
| Pricing | Free tier with 1 alert (hourly scans). Pro $9.99/mo or $79.99/yr with about 1-minute scans, unlimited alerts, SMS included. A la Carte $19 for a single permit: unlimited date windows, until your trip dates pass. | Free, with optional $5, $10, or $15 donations to help cover SMS costs |
| Account required | Free account, used to manage alerts and receive push/email alerts | No account needed for a basic text alert |
| Scan speed | About every minute on Pro (hourly on free) | Every 60 seconds, 24 hours a day |
| Alert channels | Push, SMS, email, and browser notifications | SMS only, with an optional once-daily digest text |
| Booking flow | Fast Lane deep links open the exact permit page, not a search | You book manually on Recreation.gov |
What one purchase covers
$19 is 1 to 2% of the trip it unlocks. The price is set against what you lose if the permit never opens, which is the trip.
- Unlimited date windows on that permit. Track one date or thirty, and change them any time before your trip dates pass.
- One purchase, one permit. Where one permit is sold as several rows, like Mount Whitney or the Enchantments, the purchase covers all of them.
- Checks about every minute. Coverage runs until your trip dates pass.
$19 for the permit you want, $5 for each one after · $9.99/mo for every permit you are hunting.
Choose PermitSnag if…
- You want cancellation alerts on permits and campsites in one place, with lottery calendars, group pools, and real odds data alongside.
- You want more than a text alert. Push, email, and browser notifications, plus a Fast Lane link straight to the permit page that opened.
- You are tracking campsites too, not just permits.
Where PermitAlert fits
- PermitAlert is free and texts you when a Rec.gov permit opens, river and rafting permits included. What the text does not carry is the lottery side: application calendars, deadline reminders and group pools.
- It also asks for no account, where PermitSnag does, because the lottery tools and the campsite alerts sit behind one login.
Try PermitSnag free
One free alert, no card required. See the lottery calendar, browse 754 permits, and set your first alert in under a minute.
Common questions
Is PermitAlert really free?
Yes. PermitAlert runs on optional donations ($5, $10, or $15 suggested) instead of a subscription. PermitSnag also has a free tier (one alert, hourly scans), and its paid plans fund the lottery calendar, campsite tracking, and Fast Lane booking that PermitAlert does not offer.
Does PermitAlert cover river or rafting permits?
Yes, and it covers them better than most alternatives. If a river or float permit is all you're chasing, PermitAlert is worth using. PermitSnag's permit list leans toward backcountry and wilderness permits rather than river trips.
Can I use PermitAlert and PermitSnag together?
Yes. Some people run PermitAlert for free river permit texts and PermitSnag for wilderness permits, lotteries, and campsites. They don't overlap much.