OpenCities
OpenCities is a web platform for local governments to deliver digital interactions and help residents find information through their websites.
What OpenCities is
OpenCities is a web platform for local governments to deliver digital interactions and help residents find information through their websites. Its government-focused search simplifies official terminology, while low-code and no-code tools provide content templates, flexible design, and publishing workflows for staff across departments. Custom approvals help teams manage content while maintaining a consistent organisational brand and voice. Analytics, page-level feedback, form value questions, and surveys give teams ways to assess site use and identify improvements. Residents can use website tools and templates for self-service, and staff can change homepage layouts and page themes without a full redesign. OpenCities also supports multilingual publishing, document management, multiple sites, and API access. The accessibility statement says it meets WCAG 2.1 Level AA, checked with automated tools and specialist manual reviews. Pricing is a population-based subscription, but no price is published; prospective customers are directed to schedule a demo. Support is available through the OpenCities Help Centre or by email.
Good
- Government search simplifies official terminology.
- Custom approval processes support departmental publishing.
- Page feedback, analytics, questions, and surveys are included.
- Meets WCAG 2.1 Level AA, according to its statement.
- Supports multilingual publishing and multiple sites.
Watch out
- Web platform only.
- Subscription price is not published.
- Pricing is population-based.
Who it suits
OpenCities suits local governments that need departmental publishing controls, resident self-service, and ways to assess website use. It may also suit organisations needing multilingual publishing, document management, or multiple sites.
Verdict
OpenCities combines government-focused search, publishing controls, and resident self-service tools for local government websites. Consider it if those needs fit; pricing requires an enquiry.
Plans and prices
From OpenCities's own pricing page, checked 21 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| OpenCities Intranet | $5,500 a year | mobile-friendly intranet · Azure AD directory sync · message boards · profiles · news · events · annual |
| OpenCities SaaS License | $8,000 a year | out-of-box functionality · Azure Government hosting · WCAG AA maintenance · 99.9% uptime SLA · 24/7 Priority-1 support · annual |
| Enhanced Web Package | $20,000, paid once | enhanced web implementation package · one-time |
| OpenCities | Priced on request | Population-based subscription; price not stated on the page |
The facts
Each one read from OpenCities's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Accessibility
- The platform is tested with automated and specialist manual checks and is stated to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Accessibility limit
- The help centre says custom-theme accessibility fixes may incur charges and audit reviews generally take at least two weeks.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Analytics and feedback
- Website analytics, page-level feedback, form value questions, and surveys help customers assess website use and identify improvements.checked 4 Oct 2026
- API access
- API Management requires the OC Developer role and API keys; the help centre documents both Basic and HMAC authentication guides.checked 21 Oct 2026
- API protocol
- The API uses /api/v1 endpoints, JSON or XML, Basic Authentication, ISO 8601 dates, UUID identifiers and offset/limit pagination.checked 21 Oct 2026
- API scope
- The API manages forms, responses, content pages, files, folders, address and waste data, and embeds.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The maker says OpenCities serves more than 170 government agencies and over 15 million people.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Changelog security
- A June 2024 release moved asset files to Azure Blob Storage and documented ongoing scans for XSS, outdated modules and command injection.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Connector limitation
- EngagementHQ synchronization is one-way, runs every four hours, and only one EngagementHQ site can connect to one OpenCities site.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Content tools
- The low-code/no-code platform offers flexible design, content templates, and tools for organisation-wide content creation.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Deployment model
- The product is described as a SaaS service with managed cloud hosting rather than a downloadable self-hosted package.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Embeds
- Administrators can embed HTML and JavaScript such as videos, chatbots, widgets and social feeds, but Granicus does not guarantee accessibility of external content.checked 21 Oct 2026
- EngagementHQ connector
- The EngagementHQ connector publishes public consultation projects into OpenCities search, homepages and maps.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- Theme Builder supports custom CSS, JavaScript, files, navigation styles, previews, rollback and import/export, with Granicus recommending experienced front-end developers.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Feedback tools
- Sites can collect page comments, form value questions and survey responses for improvement research.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Google Play listing
- A Google Play app named OpenCities shows 100+ downloads and no displayed rating, but it is an unrelated emergency-reporting app by a Bolivian developer rather than Granicus OpenCities.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Government search
- Its purpose-built government search engine simplifies government terms to help users find information.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Hosting
- Customer order terms describe managed Azure Government cloud hosting, ongoing security updates and a 99.9% uptime SLA.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Independent acquisition report
- InnovationAus reported that the OpenCities acquisition required four months of FIRB review and that the transaction amount was undisclosed.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Integration
- The OpenCities/EHQ connector is named as a platform upgrade; the EngagementHQ page says the connector is among Granicus integrations.checked 4 Oct 2026
The company
- Company founded
- Granicus states that it and GovDelivery were independently founded in 1999.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Company headquarters
- LinkedIn lists Granicus headquarters in Denver, Colorado, with a 1,001–5,000 employee company-size range.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Company legal entity
- The Australian business registry lists GRANICUS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD as an active private company with ABN 60 648 475 101.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Company ownership
- Granicus says Vista Equity Partners acquired a majority stake in 2016, with K1 retaining a minority stake and Harvest Partners joining as a major investor in 2021.checked 21 Oct 2026
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