> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.shovels.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Which Shovels Plan Is Right for Me?

> Pick a Shovels plan by what you need: how far back your data goes, whether you export, how many records you pull each month, and how many seats you need.

**Most people can pick a plan by answering four questions: how far back you need data, whether you need to export it, how many records you pull each month, and how many people need access.** Every plan includes every interface, so you are not choosing between the web app, the API, the CLI, and Charlie — you get all of them either way.

## Start With These Four Questions

### 1. How far back do you need permits to go?

In Shovels Online, the Free plan covers the **last 12 months**. Paid plans open the full history — on average 25 years or more, depending on the jurisdiction.

Through the API this limit doesn't apply: every plan, including Free, can query the full historical dataset.

### 2. Do you need to export records?

CSV export from Shovels Online **requires a paid plan**. On Free you can search, filter, view details, and use the map, but the export action is unavailable.

If your work ends in a spreadsheet, a CRM, or a list you hand to someone else, you need a paid plan. If you are answering questions on screen, Free may be enough.

### 3. How many records will you pull each month?

Plans are sized in credits, and one credit is one record — spent when you retrieve records through the API or export them from Shovels Online. Browsing and asking Charlie don't spend credits.

Estimate the records, not the queries: a single export of 5,000 contractors costs 5,000 credits, while a month of searching costs nothing. See [shovels.ai/pricing](https://www.shovels.ai/pricing) for each plan's monthly allowance.

### 4. How many people need their own login?

Free and Basic are single-seat. Pro covers a small team, and Enterprise is sized to your organisation. Current seat counts are on [shovels.ai/pricing](https://www.shovels.ai/pricing).

## What Doesn't Vary by Plan

These are the same whichever plan you choose, so they shouldn't drive the decision:

* **Every interface.** Shovels Online, the API, the CLI, and Charlie are included on all plans and share one credit balance.
* **The full dataset.** No dataset is gated behind a higher plan.
* **Data freshness.** Every plan gets the same twice-monthly refresh.
* **Security posture.** Every plan runs on the same SOC 2 Type II audited infrastructure.

## When a Plan Isn't the Answer

GIS layers are also outside the plan lineup. Hosted feature layers for ArcGIS or QGIS are scoped and provisioned by the Shovels GIS team rather than switched on by a plan — [talk to us](https://www.shovels.ai/contact) about the geographies and permit types you need.

If you need the **entire dataset in your own warehouse** — every permit, contractor, property, and resident record, including fields the API doesn't expose — that is an [Enterprise Data License](/docs/knowledge-base/edl/overview), not a plan. It is a contract rather than a subscription, so it starts with a conversation: [sales@shovels.ai](mailto:sales@shovels.ai).

See [Should I use the API or an EDL?](/docs/knowledge-base/getting-started/api-vs-edl) if you're weighing the two.

## Still Not Sure?

Start on Free. It doesn't expire, needs no credit card, and you can upgrade once you know which limit you hit first — that limit usually tells you which plan you need.

## Related Articles

* [How much does Shovels cost?](/docs/knowledge-base/getting-started/pricing-structure)
* [What's included in the Free plan?](/docs/knowledge-base/getting-started/free-trial-guide)
* [Should I use the API or an EDL?](/docs/knowledge-base/getting-started/api-vs-edl)
* [How do API credits work?](/docs/knowledge-base/api/basics/request-counts)