What is the key difference between Permits and Apollo.io?

Permits belongs to the Customer Data Platforms category with local stdio execution, while Apollo.io belongs to the Customer Data Platforms category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution.

How do I install Permits or Apollo.io in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Permits and Apollo.io free or paid?

Permits operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Apollo.io operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Permits lists 6 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars. Apollo.io lists 12 tools with 1 views and 25 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Permits and Apollo.io together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Permits vs Apollo.io

In-depth architectural comparison of the Permits and Apollo.io MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Permits

Customer Data Platforms · Local stdio

Quality: 52/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Apollo.io

Customer Data Platforms · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 55/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Permits if you need specialized Customer Data Platforms tools running via a local process. Choose Apollo.io if your workspace requires Customer Data Platforms integration with remote web transport. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Permits when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Customer Data Platforms domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: search_permits, list_sb9_inventory, list_adu_leads.

Explore Permits Details

Choose Apollo.io when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Customer Data Platforms domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: apollo_mixed_people_api_search, apollo_mixed_companies_search, apollo_people_match.

Explore Apollo.io Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Permits Customer Data Platforms	Apollo.io Customer Data Platforms
Summary	SF Peninsula building permits and parcel buildability: SB 9, ADU and redevelopment leads.	Prospect, enrich leads, and manage outreach sequences with Apollo.io.
Category & Scope	Customer Data Platforms	Customer Data Platforms
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Permits Tools (6)

search_permits

What construction has actually been permitted at an address or in a city? Filters on city, keyword (address, project type, scope description, contractor, architect, permit number) and minimum valuation.

list_sb9_inventory

Which active listings can be split or duplexed under SB 9, and what blocks the ones that can't?

list_adu_leads

Which parcels have room for an ADU, and how many units / how much square footage?

list_redevelopment_leads

Which parcels are underbuilt against their allowable envelope (scrape-and-rebuild or expansion)?

list_market_signals

Which listings score highest for teardown or flip potential?

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Permits Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "permits": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "addressintel-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Apollo.io Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apollo-io": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apollo.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Permits is categorized under Customer Data Platforms and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Apollo.io belongs to Customer Data Platforms using remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. Select Permits when you need capabilities focused on customer data platforms and Apollo.io when you require tools for customer data platforms.

More alternatives to Permits More alternatives to Apollo.io Customer Data Platforms category hub Canonical compare URL