While most SaaS founders chase shiny AI features, Cloudpermit built a $13.1M empire on the unsexy bedrock of civic bureaucracy. This isn't a growth-hacking story—it's a masterclass in dominating a vertical where 65% of traffic is direct, proving that in government tech, retention beats virality every time.

"Cloudpermit's 65% direct traffic isn't an accident—it's proof they've become the default utility for municipal offices, not just another software option."

Their tech stack reveals a pragmatic approach: jQuery and Bootstrap for stability, Tailwind for modern UI, and Google Analytics for tracking. No flashy frameworks that would alienate government IT departments with strict security reviews. They're building for longevity, not impressing Hacker News. The lack of a Trustpilot rating isn't a weakness—it's expected. Government clients don't leave public reviews; they sign multi-year contracts.

• The 90-person team is perfectly sized: big enough for enterprise contracts, nimble enough to pivot
• Revenue per employee ($145K) beats most B2G SaaS benchmarks
• Direct traffic dominance creates an unassailable moat
• They own the entire stack: permitting, licensing, planning, zoning, code enforcement