PermitSnag vs CampScanner
CampScanner comes from the Harvest Hosts RV network and covers a huge swath of campgrounds, timed entry permits, and day passes on annual plans. It does not touch wilderness permit lotteries. PermitSnag exists for that half of the problem, plus campsite tracking with unlimited watches instead of a metered scan count.
As of July 16, 2026, CampScanner, built by Harvest Hosts, scans 200,000+ campsites across 9,600+ campgrounds and 2,000+ national and state parks on annual plans from $39 to $79 a year. PermitSnag tracks 623 US wilderness permits with lottery tooling, group pools, and Fast Lane booking links.
Facts checked against CampScanner's public site on July 16, 2026. See every tool we compare on the PermitSnag alternatives hub.
Feature comparison
| Feature | PermitSnag | CampScanner |
|---|---|---|
| Core focus | Wilderness permits + lotteries, plus 118,000+ campsites | Campsite, timed entry permit, and day pass availability alerts |
| Coverage | 623 US permits + 3,900+ campgrounds | 9,600+ campgrounds, 200,000+ campsites, across 2,000+ national and state parks |
| Lottery support | Lottery calendar, open/close/result reminders, group pools, published odds pages | No lottery tooling, scanning only |
| Pricing | Free tier with 1 alert (hourly scans). Pro $7.99/mo or $79.99/yr with about 1-minute scans, unlimited watches, SMS included. A la Carte $12 for a single permit. | Annual plans: Basecamp $39/yr (5 scans, 15-min), Trailhead $49/yr (10 scans, 10-min), Summit $79/yr (15 scans, 5-min) |
| Concurrent watches | Unlimited on Pro | 5-15 concurrent scans depending on plan |
| Scan speed | About every minute on Pro | 5 to 15 minutes depending on plan tier |
| Alert channels | Push, SMS, email, and browser notifications | Text message alerts |
| Booking flow | Fast Lane deep links with your dates pre-selected | Links to the reservation site |
Choose PermitSnag if…
- You are chasing a wilderness permit lottery, not just a campground. CampScanner has no lottery calendar, reminders, or pools.
- You want unlimited watches instead of paying more for a higher scan count.
- You want faster scanning: about a minute on Pro, versus 5-15 minutes on CampScanner's tiers.
Choose CampScanner if…
- You are an RV traveler already in the Harvest Hosts ecosystem and want one account across camping tools.
- You need day passes or timed entry alerts alongside campsites, at a flat low annual price.
Try PermitSnag free
One free alert, no card required. See the lottery calendar, browse 623 permits, and set your first watch in under a minute.
Common questions
Is PermitSnag or CampScanner better for wilderness permits?
PermitSnag. CampScanner is a campsite, timed entry, and day pass scanner with no lottery tooling. PermitSnag tracks 623 US wilderness permits including full lottery calendars, deadline reminders, group pools, and odds pages.
How does CampScanner's pricing compare to PermitSnag?
CampScanner's annual plans run $39 to $79 a year for 5 to 15 concurrent scans. PermitSnag Pro is $7.99/month (or $79.99/year) with unlimited watches, SMS included, and roughly one-minute scans.
Does CampScanner cover permit lotteries?
No. CampScanner scans for availability only, on campsites, timed entry permits, and day passes. It has no lottery calendar, application reminders, or group pools.