— Comparison · Beacon vs PDI
Political Data Inc pairs its voter file with desktop-era canvassing tools, and the dependency on that pairing is the reason teams come looking for a PDI alternative. Beacon is a cloud-native canvassing platform that's voter-file-agnostic, so a campaign can bring any list, any party, and any organization. Real-time GPS is available at the Growth tier, AI Script Coach is a $29/mo add-on, pricing starts at $59/mo, and every plan includes unlimited canvassers.
— Quick verdict
— Feature by feature
| Feature | Beacon | PDI |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud-native platform | IncludedBuilt for the cloud from day one; no installs | HybridDesktop-first architecture with web options |
| Voter-file-agnostic | IncludedAny voter file, any CSV — L2, Aristotle, PDI export, your own | PDI data onlyTools paired tightly with PDI's voter file product |
| AI Script Coach | $29/mo add-onPersonalized talking points per door, on any tier | Not availableData only, no AI coaching layer |
| Real-time GPS tracking | Growth+Live canvasser positions, geofence alerts; on Growth ($129) and up | Not availableNo real-time tracking layer |
| Works without cell signal | IncludedKnocks saved on the phone, sent to the server when signal returns | LimitedLimited mobile capabilities |
| Data enrichment | IncludedBuilt-in append; phone, email, demographics at $0.10/record | Some dataVoter-file fields included; limited enrichment beyond |
| Route optimization | IncludedAuto-orders the walk by street, with priority weighting | Not available |
| Modern UI / UX | IncludedBuilt modern, works on any phone | FunctionalDesktop-oriented design |
| Gamification | IncludedBadges, streaks, team leaderboards | Not available |
| Custom surveys | IncludedFive question types, works without cell signal | Included |
| Same-day setup | MinutesImport CSV, draw turfs, walk same day | LongerSales-assisted onboarding typical |
| API & webhooks | IncludedFull REST API + signed webhooks with retry | LimitedLimited integration options |
| Pricing model | Flat tiersFrom $59/mo by contact volume; unlimited canvassers; on the website | Custom quoteSales call required, opaque pricing, long-term contracts typical |
— The five real differences
PDI's canvassing tools are designed to work with PDI's voter file. Beacon is voter-file-agnostic, so a campaign can bring L2, Aristotle, NationBuilder, a secretary-of-state export, or a custom CSV. The data model accommodates any source, with no data vendor lock-in.
PDI was built in the desktop era. Beacon is cloud-native from day one and deployed on modern infrastructure with automatic scaling. There are no desktop installs, no IT department to involve, and no server maintenance, and updates ship continuously.
PDI does not offer real-time GPS tracking. Beacon streams canvasser positions every 30 seconds with a live activity feed of interactions as they happen, so field directors can see the whole operation on one dashboard and reassign on the fly.
PDI provides voter data. Beacon adds an intelligence layer on top — AI Script Coach generates personalized talking points using demographics, past interactions, and the campaign's script, and predictive lead scoring ranks the walk list by probability of a positive disposition. Same data, with the higher-value doors hit first.
PDI requires a sales call and custom quoting that often runs into the thousands per month. Beacon's pricing is published — Starter at $59 for 2,500 contacts up to Enterprise at $599 for 250K+. Sign up, import contacts, draw territories, and walk the same day. Month-to-month billing is the default, with no long-term contracts.
— Pricing, head to head
Beacon Pro
$149 /mo
25,000 contacts with unlimited canvassers, live GPS tracking, and geofence alerts. Surveys, gamification, and the rest of the platform are included on every plan. AI Script Coach is a $29/mo add-on, and the whole platform is voter-file-agnostic for any party and any org.
PDI
Custom ($$$)
Custom quoting based on voter-file size and tools, with sales-assisted onboarding and long-term contracts typical. AI coaching, real-time tracking, and route optimization aren't included at any quoted price.
— Frequently asked
Beacon works for campaigns of any party — Republican, Democratic, nonpartisan, or ballot measure — and it also works for nonprofits, advocacy groups, and door-to-door sales teams. The data model is the same across all of them; the labels and dispositions adapt to the program.
Yes. Export from PDI as CSV and drop it into Beacon. Voter IDs, party affiliation, and precinct assignments are preserved. Records geocode automatically and can run through enrichment in the same flow.
Beacon supports voter file import with VoterID matching, party affiliation, precinct assignment, and voter score tracking. Built-in enrichment adds phone, email, and 40+ demographic attributes at $0.10/record on top of whatever's in the voter file.
No. Beacon is month-to-month by default, and annual billing saves 20% for teams that want to lock it in. There are no multi-year deals required and no minimum commitment.
Keep PDI for the data and run Beacon for the field op. Export from PDI as CSV on each refresh and import to Beacon. Many programs run this way, with the voter file vendor on one side and Beacon's canvassing platform on the other.
— Switch the program
Start a free trial, import a PDI export, and walk the first turf this week. We'll help with the migration.