West Kite vs CoStar: which should brokers use?
In this article
Short answer: West Kite is the better choice for most independent brokers. It's $149 a month, thousands less per year than CoStar's estimated price, and it takes you from "who owns this building?" to the owner's phone number in one search. Stick with CoStar only if you need lease comps and market analytics every week.
Yes, we make West Kite. Here's why we'd still make the same call if we didn't.
West Kite vs CoStar at a glance
| West Kite | CoStar | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost for one broker, per year | $1,788 | About $5,400 to $6,000 (third-party estimate) |
| Published price | Yes, $149/month | No, quote only |
| Try it | 7 days free, no card, no sales call | Ask sales |
| How you search | Ask in plain English, or filter on a map | Search and filters |
| Find the people behind an LLC | Yes, unlimited | Owner data included |
| Owner phone numbers and emails | About 150 numbers or 300 emails a month included | Owner and tenant data included |
| Email and mail owners | Built in | Not its focus |
| Works in Claude and ChatGPT | Yes | Not listed |
| Lease comps | No | Yes |
| Market analytics | No | Yes |
Why most brokers should pick West Kite
Most brokers don't open CoStar to read a market report. They open it because they need to know who owns a building and how to reach them. West Kite is built for exactly that.
- You can just ask. Type "warehouses in Los Angeles owned by the same family since before 1980", or say it out loud. There are no filters to learn, and it understands terms like NNN and NOI.
- It gets you to a person. West Kite follows the LLC from the deed to the state filing to the person who runs it, and shows you the record behind each step.
- It finds their number. You get their phone and email, and you pay nothing if it doesn't find anything new.
- The outreach is included. Add owners to a pipeline, then email them or send a postcard or handwritten letter without leaving West Kite.
- You can start today. There's no sales call, no contract to negotiate and no card for the trial.
- It works with your AI tools. You can use West Kite inside Claude and ChatGPT.
Here's what that looks like, using an example from our product pages. You ask "who owns 1840 Industrial St?" West Kite comes back with Hadley Brothers LLC, the county deed from 1971, Walt Hadley as managing member from the state filing, and his mobile number. Then you tell it to write to him.
Ask West Kite who owns a building and get their phone number in one search.Try it free ↗What it costs
West Kite is $149 a month. That covers unlimited searches and ownership research, plus about 150 phone numbers or 300 emails a month, or any mix of the two. Go over and it's $1 per phone number and 50 cents per email.
CoStar doesn't publish prices. Third-party estimates put a solo broker at around $450 to $500 a month, usually on an annual contract. If that's close to your quote, West Kite saves you roughly $3,600 to $4,200 a year.
When CoStar is the better buy
Be honest about what you use it for. CoStar makes sense if:
- You quote lease comps and market rents every week. West Kite isn't a lease comp database.
- You need vacancy and rent trends for reports.
- Your clients expect CoStar numbers in a deal package.
- Your firm already pays for it. In that case, add West Kite for owner research rather than switching.
Which should you choose?
If your job is finding owners and starting conversations, choose West Kite. You'll pay far less and spend your time on calls instead of tracing LLCs.
If your job is market data, keep CoStar. See the other best CoStar alternatives too, including CompStak for lease comps.
Frequently asked questions
Is West Kite cheaper than CoStar?
Almost certainly. West Kite is $149 a month. CoStar doesn't publish prices, but third-party estimates for a solo broker are around $450 to $500 a month.
Can West Kite replace CoStar?
Yes, if you mostly use CoStar to find owners and contacts. No, if you depend on lease comps and market analytics.
Does West Kite cover my market?
West Kite has 107 million US parcels across 1,787 counties in 27 states and Washington, DC, including all of California, Florida and Nevada.
Can I try West Kite before paying?
Yes. You get 7 days free, enough for about 15 phone numbers or 30 emails. There's no card, and nothing is charged when it ends.
