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Comparison · 2026

Looking for a Crystal Roof alternative?

Last updated 11 August 2026 · Know My Postcode

The short version. Crystal Roof is the biggest neighbourhood data platform in the UK and now owns StreetCheck. It has a real free tier. But full access is a subscription, and its own pricing page lists "access to blurred data" among the things you pay for. Know My Postcode covers the same core ground with nothing gated and no account.

How we compared: feature by feature against each provider's own public pages, checked on 11 August 2026. Prices are quoted from the provider's pricing page on that date. We have no affiliate or commercial relationship with any service named here. Where a competitor does something better than us, it says so.

Check any UK postcode free

Full report in about 30 seconds. No sign-up, no card, nothing blurred.

Worth knowing before you start. Crystal Roof's homepage describes the service as free — the words are "We are free", "Our service is 100% free for all our visitors" and "100% FREE TO USE". Its own pricing page sells weekly, monthly and quarterly subscriptions, and the first line under What's included is:

Access to blurred data

Both statements are on the site today. The free tier is real and genuinely broad for browsing; some sections are blurred until you subscribe. We think that is worth knowing up front rather than discovering at the point you need a number. Check the pricing page yourself — figures observed 11 August 2026.

Know My Postcode vs Crystal Roof, feature by feature

FeatureKnow My PostcodeCrystal Roof
Price✓ Free, no paid tierFree tier; £7.99/week, £12.99/month or £29.99/3 months for full access
Sign-up required✓ None — no account, no card✗ Account and subscription for the gated sections
Any data blurred or gated✓ Nothing is gated✗ "Access to blurred data" is listed as a paid feature
Crime (Police UK)✓ Live, by type, vs regional baseline
Schools (Ofsted / DfE)✓ Within 1.5km, with ratings
Flood risk (Environment Agency)✓ Zone and annual risk
House prices (Land Registry)✓ Sold prices and 12-month trend
Rental prices✓ Included
Census 2021 demographics✓ Age, ethnicity, qualifications
Housing type and tenure✓ Owned / rented split, property type
Deprivation (IoD 2025)✓ All seven domains✓ Affluence and deprivation
Noise and road exposure✓ Included✓ Dedicated noise section (paid)
Air quality✓ Open-Meteo CAMS
Broadband and mobile coverage✓ Ofcom and thinkbroadband✓ Broadband
Council tax and representatives✓ Included
Walkability score✓ Included
Mortgage and stamp duty calculators✓ Built in✗ Not available
Commute calculator✓ Built in✗ Not available
Shareable report link✓ Free✗ Listed as "coming soon"
Side-by-side area comparison✗ Not yet✗ Listed as "coming soon"
Resident reviews✗ Not available✓ Dedicated section (paid)
Food hygiene ratings✗ Not yet
API and widgets for business✗ Not available

Where we think we are better

Where Crystal Roof is the better choice

If you want resident reviews, food hygiene ratings, or an API and embeddable widgets for your own site, Crystal Roof has those and we do not. It also covers the whole UK, while our Census demographics are England and Wales only and our flood zones and deprivation data are England only. Its free tier is genuinely broad for browsing across many postcodes.

The honest summary is that we draw on much the same official data. The differences that matter are what is visible without paying, and which extras each of us has built on top.

What this page cannot tell you

A postcode report is an area reading, not a survey, a valuation or a set of conveyancing searches. If you are buying, you will still need those at the right stage. Our crime comparison uses a sample point roughly 2km away as a regional baseline, which is an approximation rather than an official boundary figure. Census figures are from 21 March 2021 and describe the neighbourhood (MSOA, around 7,500 people) rather than the street. Competitor prices and claims on this page were observed on 11 August 2026 and are dated inline; if they change, this page gets updated.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to Crystal Roof?
Yes. Know My Postcode gives a full neighbourhood report for any UK postcode with no account, no card and nothing blurred — crime, Ofsted schools, flood risk, house prices, Census demographics, housing tenure, transport, amenities and connectivity.
Is Crystal Roof free?
It has a free tier and its homepage describes the service as 100% free. Its pricing page also sells subscriptions at £7.99 a week, £12.99 a month or £29.99 for three months, and lists "Access to blurred data" as one of the things a paid plan unlocks. Browsing is free; some sections are blurred until you pay.
What is the difference between Know My Postcode and Crystal Roof?
Both draw on much the same official UK data. Nothing on Know My Postcode is gated, and it adds a commute calculator, mortgage and stamp duty calculators and shareable report links. Crystal Roof has resident reviews, food hygiene ratings and a business API, and covers the whole UK where some of our datasets are England and Wales only.
Does Know My Postcode cover demographics and noise?
Yes, both. Census 2021 demographics and housing tenure were added on 11 August 2026, and noise and road exposure has been part of the environment section for some time. On Crystal Roof the noise section is listed among the features a paid plan unlocks.
Will Know My Postcode start charging?
There is no paid tier and no plan for one. The site is supported by advertising rather than subscriptions.

Try it on a postcode you know

See whether the picture matches what you already know about the area.

References

  1. Crystal Roof Acquires StreetCheck — Crystal Roof blog, 23 March 2026.
  2. Crystal Roof — Pricing and plans, observed 11 August 2026.
  3. Crystal Roof — homepage, observed 11 August 2026.
  4. Police UK — street-level crime and outcomes.
  5. ONS Census 2021 — demographics, tenure and accommodation type.
  6. HM Land Registry — Price Paid Data.
  7. Environment Agency — Flood Map for Planning.
  8. Ofsted and the DfE register — school ratings.
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