Comparison
Lookups or a feasibility study: Envelope vs. NYC Zoning AI
NYC Zoning AI is a subscription tool that returns the key zoning values for a New York City lot as an Excel workbook, with a free address check, an ADU eligibility checker, and drawn-area property search. Envelope runs a single lot to a feasibility-grade report: every development scenario, per-floor sketch plans, 3D massing, and Building Code analysis. Both start with a free check and both have a $149 entry point, and that $149 buys very different things.
The short version
NYC Zoning AI is built for volume: hundreds of searches and a dozen or more tabular reports per month, delivered as Excel, for a monthly fee. Envelope is built for depth: one lot, every legal path modeled as an actual building with drawings, citations, and code analysis, for a per-report price with no subscription. If you need to look up FAR and height limits on many lots quickly, the subscription model fits. If you need to know what can actually be built on one lot before you bid, design, or lend, that is what Envelope is for.
Who each tool is for
Envelope
For feasibility-grade decisions on a specific lot
- Developers and brokers underwriting an acquisition or an assemblage who need every scenario (as-of-right, UAP / City of Yes, MIH, Tower-on-Base, SRO, Shared Housing) modeled, not just the base numbers.
- Architects who want a per-edge yard diagram, sky-exposure plane in 3D, dormer and PBA logic, and a Building Code (Chapter 5) pass before schematic design.
- Lenders, appraisers, and attorneys who need a citable web report and PDF with a full ZR section table behind every number.
- Anyone whose lot sits in a special district, is split-zoned, or depends on bonus FAR, where a tabular lookup stops short.
NYC Zoning AI
For fast, repeatable zoning lookups
- Homeowners checking ADU eligibility on their own property.
- Brokers, researchers, and analysts who run many addresses a month and want the answers in Excel.
- Site-finders who want to draw an area on a map and export a list of underbuilt or vacant lots.
- Users who prefer a monthly subscription with a predictable search and report allowance.
| Capability | Envelope | NYC Zoning AI |
|---|---|---|
| Free address check, no sign-up | Free preview at /start | Free address check |
| Output format | Live web report + PDF | Excel workbook |
| ZR section citations | ||
| Development scenarios modeled | 8 paths, each massed: as-of-right, UAP, MIH, CF, SRO, Tower-on-Base, Shared Housing, mixed use | As-of-right values by tab |
| Bonus FAR (UAP, MIH, IH) | Not yet included (per FAQ) | |
| Per-floor sketch plans | ||
| 3D massing | Yes, with cross-sections | |
| Building Code (Chapter 5) analysis | Not listed | |
| Special districts | Not yet supported (per FAQ) | |
| Split-zoned lots | Weighted envelope across districts | Separate results per district (per FAQ) |
| Yard requirements | Resolved per lot edge | Possible conditions listed; user excludes those that do not apply (per FAQ) |
| Sky-exposure plane | Modeled in 3D | Not listed |
| Parking, including non-residential | Yes, with waivers | Residential only for now (per FAQ) |
| Flood zone | Identified and analyzed | Identified, not yet analyzed (per FAQ) |
| Tax programs (485-x, 421-a, ICAP, J-51) | Not listed | |
| Air rights analysis | ||
| Lot combination / assemblage | ||
| ADU eligibility checker | ||
| Drawn-area property search → lot list | Advanced Suite (enterprise) | Yes, exported to Excel |
| White-label reports | Enterprise tier | |
| Pricing model | Per report, or unlimited annual | Monthly subscription, 7-day trial |
Based on publicly available information as of September 16, 2026. Features change: verify current capabilities with each vendor.
What $149 buys
Same entry price, different products.
Both tools have a $149 line on their pricing page. Compare what it actually gets you rather than the number.
Envelope: $149, one report
- One complete feasibility report on a lot up to 6,999 buildable SF ($349 to 69,999 SF, $499 above that).
- Every development scenario, per-floor sketch plans, 3D massing with cross-sections, full ZR citation table, and Building Code analysis, in one deliverable.
- Live web report plus PDF. No subscription, no expiry.
- Need many? Unlimited reports for $4,990 a year, or $649 month to month.
NYC Zoning AI: $149, one month of Starter
- 1,000 searches and 12 Excel reports, renewing monthly. Professional is $399 a month for 10,000 searches and 50 reports; Enterprise is custom.
- Free 7-day trial with 3 reports and 500 searches (email sign-up, no credit card).
- ADU and QRS lot lists per ZIP as an add-on, $0.25 to $1.00 per address.
- No annual plan listed.
Per report, NYC Zoning AI is far cheaper if what you need is a dozen tabular lookups a month. Per lot decided, Envelope is the one that produces a study you can design, underwrite, or lend against. Pick by what you need to do with the output, not by the headline number.
Where Envelope wins
- Every legal path modeled as a building: as-of-right, UAP / City of Yes, IH/MIH, CF, SRO, Tower-on-Base, Shared Housing, and mixed use, each with sketch plans and 3D massing.
- Resolves the conditions instead of listing them: per-edge yards, sky-exposure plane, dormers, PBA detection, and parking waivers are computed for the lot rather than left for you to pick through.
- Handles the cases NYC Zoning AI's FAQ lists as still under development: special districts, split-zoned lots, bonus FAR, non-residential parking, flood analysis.
- Building Code (Chapter 5) and tax programs (485-x, 421-a, ICAP, J-51) in the same report, so zoning and economics are read together.
- Buy one report for $149 with no subscription, or go unlimited for $4,990 a year. White-label available.
Where NYC Zoning AI is stronger
- Volume pricing: 1,000 searches and 12 reports for $149 a month is a low per-lookup cost if you run many addresses.
- Excel output that drops straight into a spreadsheet workflow.
- A dedicated ADU eligibility checker aimed at homeowners.
- Drawn-area property search with an exportable underbuilt / vacant lot list, available on the standard plans rather than an enterprise tier.
- Reports structured to be inserted into DOB filing sets, per their FAQ, with ZR references throughout.
Frequently asked
Is Envelope an alternative to NYC Zoning AI?
For anyone who needs a feasibility-grade answer on a specific NYC lot, yes. NYC Zoning AI returns the key zoning values as an Excel workbook on a monthly subscription; Envelope returns a full report with every development scenario, sketch plans, 3D massing, ZR citations, and Building Code analysis for a per-report price. If you only need quick tabular lookups across many lots, NYC Zoning AI's subscription is the more economical fit.
Which one handles special districts and split-zoned lots?
Envelope does. NYC Zoning AI's FAQ lists special districts as still under development and states that split lots currently get separate results per district without an Article VII, Chapter 7 evaluation. Envelope models special districts and overlays and builds a weighted envelope across a split-zoned lot.
Does either tool include City of Yes and other bonus FAR?
Envelope models UAP / City of Yes, MIH and IH bonuses as separate scenarios with their own massing. NYC Zoning AI's FAQ lists bonus FAR among the items not yet included in its reports.
What do I actually receive from each?
NYC Zoning AI delivers an Excel workbook with tabs for site information, floor area, density, height, yards, parking, and use groups, with ZR citations. Envelope delivers a live web report and a PDF: per-floor sketch plans, 3D massing with cross-sections, a full ZR citation table, Building Code analysis, tax programs, and air rights and assemblage where relevant.
Can I try both for free?
Yes. NYC Zoning AI offers a free address check with no sign-up and a 7-day trial (3 reports, 500 searches) with an email. Envelope offers a free preview of any NYC lot at /start with no account; you only pay when you generate the full report.
Which is cheaper?
It depends on what you count. NYC Zoning AI's Starter plan is $149 a month for 1,000 searches and 12 reports, which is much cheaper per lookup. Envelope is $149 to $499 for one full report priced by buildable SF, with no subscription, or $4,990 a year for unlimited reports. If you need one lot resolved to a decision, a single Envelope report is usually the cheaper path; if you need many quick lookups a month, the subscription is.
Check any NYC lot free, then decide.
Put a real address into Envelope and see the free preview before you pay for anything. Full reports start at $149 with no subscription.