PostcodeCheck vs CrystalRoof 2026: Which UK Area Tool Is Better?
Both are free at the postcode level. The differences only show up when you need a portable report or address-level forecasts.
Quick answer
For free browsing, both work. Use PostcodeCheck if you want a downloadable PDF, an address-level damp risk score, a landlord compliance check, an Awaab's Law-friendly renter report, an investment forecast, or anything you can email to a partner / mortgage adviser.
Side by side
| Feature | PostcodeCheck | CrystalRoof |
|---|---|---|
| Free area report (crime, schools, prices) | ✓ no signup | ✓ ad-supported |
| Downloadable PDF | ✓ included in paid reports | - |
| Address-level damp risk (EPC-derived) | ✓ Renter Report | - |
| Landlord compliance checklist | ✓ Renter Report | - |
| Flood zone + indicative coal and radon estimates | ✓ Buyer Report | - |
| Planning apps within 500m | ✓ Buyer Report | - |
| Price projections + rental yield | ✓ Buyer Report | - |
| Stamp duty + mortgage calc | ✓ | - |
| Town vs town comparison | ✓ 1,225 pages | ✓ subscription |
| Cost | Free + £2.99 / £3.99 add-ons | Free + Premium subscription |
When CrystalRoof is enough
If you are early in your search, browsing a few postcodes for crime trends and demographic mix, CrystalRoof is fine. Both sites pull from the same Police.uk and Ofsted data; presentation differs.
When PostcodeCheck wins
- You want a PDF you can email or save
- You are renting and want a damp risk score for the property from its EPC
- You want a landlord compliance checklist (EPC checked against the register, HMO indicator, certificates to ask for)
- You are buying and want a flood zone verdict and indicative ground estimates before you offer
- You want planning applications within 500m of a specific address
- You want price projections + rental yield for an investment purchase
- You want the rent compared with regional medians
Check this address before you sign the tenancy
Free address report: EPC rating, flood zone, crime, broadband, mobile signal and noise for the exact property. Premium (£4.99) adds whether a company owns it and any property tribunal cases at the building.
Free, then Premium£4.99
Pricing
PostcodeCheck's free area report is free forever, no signup. The Renter Address Report is £2.99 (cheaper than a single month's contents insurance). The Buyer Address Report is £3.99, and the Premium address report is £4.99. No subscriptions, no email collection, instant PDF + permanent web link.
Try the free area report
18+ data sections, no signup. Optional £2.99 / £3.99 address reports if you want the address-level forecasts.