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 682 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.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Enchantments Core Zone were gone within 10 minutes.
Feature comparison
| Feature | PermitSnag | CampScanner |
|---|---|---|
| Core focus | Wilderness permits + lotteries, plus 118,000+ campsites | Campsite, timed entry permit, and day pass availability alerts |
| Coverage | 682 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 $19 for a single permit: unlimited date windows and the whole permit family, until your trip dates pass. | 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 to the exact permit page | Links to the reservation site |
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. Watch one date or thirty, and change them any time before your trip dates pass.
- The whole permit family. For Mount Whitney that is the day hike, the overnight, and the trailhead quotas: six watches in one purchase.
- Checks about every minute. Coverage runs until your trip dates pass.
$19 one permit · $79.99/yr every permit — cheaper from your fifth permit on.
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 682 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 682 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.