There is an app for everything these days. You can order tacos (DoorDash), find a hug buddy (Cuddlr), and even ask your phone to tell you the best time to take a potty break while watching a movie (Run Pee).
But one of the best and most underrated apps is the parking app. These apps allow you to book parking spaces in advance, saving you time, money and hassle.
So, what is the best parking app? Are there risks associated with “reserving” a parking space? And in general, how does it all work?
5 Best Apps for Cheap Parking
- SpotHero: Best option for long term parking.
- Best Parking: It’s best to check prices in advance.
- Path: Best for airport parking (and car wash!)
- Parking space: Best for off-airport parking
- Parkopedia: Best for international parking
SpotHero: Best for long-term parking
- Pros: Simple, Experienced, Reliable, Excellent Mobile App, Great Choice
- Minuses: No fancy features
SpotHero is like a Toyota Corolla for parking apps. It’s not fancy or feature-rich, but it’s simple, reliable, and as a result, extremely popular. And just like the Corolla, it could be all you’ll ever need.
Source: SpotHero – Find Parking at Game Store
SpotHero allows you to track hourly or monthly parking in 28 major cities either through an online dashboard or through an excellent mobile app. Once you find the right seat, you book it online through SpotHero, saving up to 50%. SpotHero then emails you a barcode or proof of purchase, which you must show upon arrival, and that’s it! Bob is your uncle.
It’s not unusual, but it works and is reliable. The SpotHero app received 4.5 and 4.8 stars on the Play Store and App Store, respectively, for intuitiveness and ease of use. The company has existed since 2011 and during this time has helped to park more than 40 million cars across the country. Heck, now you can even use SpotHero in your car’s infotainment system via Apple CarPlay.
After all, if you only download one app from this list, SpotHero is a great all-around app.
BestParking: best for viewing prices in advance
- Pros: Reliable, intuitive, allows you to view pricing data for all nearby places
- Minuses: The actual number of reserved places is limited
One of the most common complaints about parking apps is that you pay for a parking space online, show up and parking gives you trouble. Sometimes your spot may already be taken, or the parking lot is closed, or the parking attendant will try to trick you (“Oh, we don’t accept mobile apps, you have to pay in cash”).
Parking apps are aware that their entire business model is based on reliability, so mistakes and headaches tend to be rare. However, you may consider “booking” a parking space online as more of a risk than a convenience. You may prefer to just pay on the spot.
If so, BestParking might be the parking app for you. What’s great about BestParking is that it doesn’t just show you the places available to book through the app, it shows you each place nearby with price information. So you can use BestParking to plan your parking without the need for an online booking.
Source: BestParking
Method: Best for airport parking and car wash
- Pros: Big discounts on airport parking, great customer service, help finding a car wash
- Minuses: Some users have reported issues with canceling their booking.
Way calls itself “Auto super app” and “the only app you’ll ever need for your car.” As the world’s most confident driving app, Way works like a modern, more advanced AAA, offering roadside assistance, insurance, online parking reservations, and more.
Source: Way – Auto Super App on the Play Store.
In terms of parking, Way allows you to book airport parking, hourly and monthly in most major cities. The app receives 4.6 and 4.8 stars on the Play and App stores, respectively, and users are generally pleased with the platform’s ability to deliver on its jack-of-all-trades promises.
Notably, Way offers two interesting features that competitors don’t have. First is the ability to find and book a car wash, which is really helpful if you rent a car with Turo and need to wash it before returning it. In the past, I have literally given up and swallowed a dirty car fee of around $40.
The second feature is that Way offers surprisingly cheap airport parking. I’ve seen prices half what I paid at my local airport, so I’ll be sure to check on how to move forward. In addition, Way also shows you cheap parking at nearby hotels that offer a free airport shuttle, which is very smart and helpful.
Source: Way
Parking Lot: The best off-airport parking spot
- Pros: Safe, secure, generous loyalty program, track shuttles through the app
- Minuses: Limited to 22 major airports.
Maybe you’d rather avoid the hassle of airport parking altogether. After all, if you get lost in the concrete labyrinth of terminals and parking areas, it could cost you precious minutes before your flight and wear out your favorite hiking shoes.
But which offsite parking company is the best?
The parking space convincingly demonstrates affordable prices, excellent service and, of course, a reliable mobile application.
Source: Parking place
In fact, the Parking Spot mobile app is so good that it’s one of the top 100 travel apps in the entire App Store. It is also available on the Play Store where it gets 4.9 stars.
Source: The Parking Spot on the App Store.
How it works: You simply reserve your seat online, show your code at the gate, and drive to your seat. The polka dot shuttle will then drive right up to your car and take you directly to the terminal. Upon your return, you will board one of the app-tracked shuttles that usually arrive every 10-15 minutes, and you will be dropped off right next to your car.
Like the icing on the cake, The Parking Spot has a loyalty program that takes 10% off your first booking and rewards every seven nights with a free night. You can even wash your car while you’re away.
Parkopedia: Best for International Parking
- Pros: Available in 89 countries
- Minuses: Mixed reputation for reliability, need to pay for Premium for real-time seat availability.
If you are planning to travel abroad, Parkopedia can become as essential as your passport.
That’s because Parkopedia, they say, is “the largest and most accurate parking service provider on the planet” with over 70 million locations in 15,000 cities around the world.
Source: Parkopedia
To use the center of Istanbul as an example, Parkopedia shows you a clear map of where you can park and how much. It also shows you free parking options, which is a nice touch for stingy valet parking guys like me. And for drivers traveling through tight European cities, Parkopedia offers key details such as terrain shape, height restrictions and more.
Source: Parkopedia
However, with such a wide reach, Parkopedia seems to run into more quality control issues than your average national parking app. Users reported bugs, confusing parking lot owners, and received little warning when directed to unsafe areas of the city. In addition, Parkopedia charges a fee to view availability in real time.
But even with its quirks, Parkopedia deserves credit for its intimidating offer – parking in a foreign country – far less intimidating.
How do parking apps work?
SpotHero has a handy “how it works” video that shows you how most parking apps work. But here’s the short version:
Source: SpotHero on YouTube.
- Download the app and/or visit the website (most parking apps also have a robust browser).
- Enter the date, time and place where you want to park. To get accurate pricing information, you need to enter your arrival time and estimated departure time.
- Choose from the available locations shown.
- View key details such as height restrictions, drop-off and return options, nearby amenities, and more.
- Set up your account, enter your billing information, and reserve your seat.
- See redemption instructions, which may include printing a pass or scanning a barcode on the spot.
That’s all! SpotHero and many others also allow you to extend or change your booking right from the app.
Pros of using a parking app
To save money
First of all, these apps can help you save money. Most advertise that it’s up to 50%. So if you often park in a big city, these apps can save you hundreds.
Save time
Another great advantage of reserving a seat in advance is that you don’t have to wander around looking for a seat, burning up gas, time and patience. At least the apps give you an idea of what areas are already filled, so you don’t waste your time.
low stress
Call me a curmudgeon, but I will never, ever service my own car. So for me, knowing when and where I can park on my way to a big event or a trendy restaurant helps relieve stress.
You can take a seat before they run out
Speaking of big events, sometimes the parking lot ends before you get there, resulting in an increased heart rate and a long walk. Reserving a seat through the app on this list will ensure you don’t miss the warm-up.
It’s safer
Last but not least, perhaps the biggest hidden benefit of parking apps is that they make parking a little safer. Space reservation allows you to park exactly where you want, when you want. You can park in an area with good visibility, next to the exit of the parking lot, or in a parking lot with a sufficient number of security cameras and security cameras, as indicated in the application.
Cons of using a parking app
The biggest risk you will face when using a parking app is that you will not have access to the reserved space.
Every parking app I’ve researched, including those that didn’t make it to this list, produced the same three complaints when repeated:
- “I showed up and the party was full / the place was taken.”
- “I showed up and they wouldn’t let me in even when I showed them my app booking.”
- “I came back and my car was loaded/towed.”
To be fair to the apps, I don’t think it’s entirely their fault every time. In fact, I’m betting the blame goes more often to car parks that aren’t exactly known for customer service or organization.
But no matter who is at fault, the end result is the same: booking through one of these apps is not a 100% guarantee that you will get the seat you want. Maybe more like 97%.
bottom line
Using a trusted parking app is just one way to save on car-related costs. For easy ways to save thousands more, check out 6 Ways to Save Money on Auto Insurance and 21 Car Maintenance Tips That’ll Save You Thousands.
Featured image: not c/Shutterstock.com
