Comparison

MPLS Parking vs ParkDSM

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MPLS Parking

Easily pay for parking in Minneapolis from your mobile device. Get reminders before your meter expires and extend your parking remotely. The app also helps you locate your parked car and provides snow emergency alerts.

Highlights
  • Mobile parking payments
  • Extend parking remotely
  • Find my car feature
  • Snow Emergency Alerts
  • Event parking support
  • Secure payment processing
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Parking convenience is at your fingertips with the new and improved MPLS Parking app. Pay for parking on your mobile device, get notified before your time runs out, and extend your time without visiting a parking meter (note that time extension rules vary location by location). Key features of the app include: • Mobile Payments via smart phone or web • Find my car (for those of us who forget where they parked) • Face ID • Event parking • Snow Emergency Alert Registration for MPLS Parking is free: just create your account via the app. Once you’ve created an account, you can park and pay for parking in any location parking available in Minneapolis. How to Use the App: • Create an account • Choose the vehicle license plate • Select your location on the map • Use the dial to choose how long you want to park • Confirm your payment Payment with MPLS Parking App is ultra secure. Your data is protected and our process is certified via 3rd party audit against Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards.

About

ParkDSM

Pay for parking in Des Moines and over 500 other cities using your mobile device. Avoid the hassle of meters and coins by starting, extending, and managing your parking sessions with customizable notifications.

Highlights
  • Pay for parking via mobile device
  • Extend parking sessions remotely
  • Receive expiration alerts
  • Find available parking areas
  • Save favorite parking locations
  • Locate parked car
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The ParkDSM app, powered by ParkMobile, provides a convenient way to pay for parking in Des Moines, Iowa, using your mobile phone. Registering is free and takes less than two minutes to join. The ParkDSM app takes the stress out of parking. No more searching for coins. No worries about an out-of-service parking meter. With the ParkDSM app, starting your parking session takes just a few seconds. You can use the app in over 500 other cities across the country, including Boston, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and more. Why Use ParkDSM? • Skip the meter and easily pay for parking from your mobile device • Extend your parking duration remotely from the app • Get alerts so you know when your parking session is going to expire • Use ParkMobile in over 3000 locations coast-to-coast including venues, airports, and universities •. Find areas of the city where there is available parking and avoid areas where there’s no parking How to Set Up Your Account • Download the ParkDSM app and create an account with your email address and password • Enter your license plate number and the state where your vehicle is registered • Add your method of payment and start using the ParkDSM app How It Works On-Street and Off-Street Parking: • Enter the zone number on the posted signs around the meter • Select the amount of time you want to park and confirm your information • Touch the “Start Parking” button to begin your parking session • Extend time in the app if you are running late App Features • Customizable notifications delivered via email, text, and/or app • Save your favorite parking locations for next time • Store up to five cars in your account • “Find my car” feature directs you back to the location where you parked • Multiple payment methods available About ParkMobile ParkMobile, LLC is the leading provider of parking payment solutions in the United States, helping over 40 million people easily find, reserve, and pay for parking from their mobile devices. Looking for Help? At ParkMobile, we’re serious about customer service. We process nearly 500,000 parking transactions every day and we know that every now and then, something might go wrong. If you have an issue, we will do everything we can to make it right. Our customer service is 24/7/365. If you need help, here’s how to get in touch with us: Web: https://ParkMobile.io/ Online Help Center: https://support.ParkMobile.io/hc/en-us/requests/new Video Tutorials: https://ParkMobile.io/tips-demos/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParkMobile Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParkMobile/

Screenshots

MPLS Parking4 screens
ParkDSM4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: MPLS Parking at 4.6 against ParkDSM's 1.6. MPLS Parking also leads on ratings volume (47K vs 157) and review sentiment (24% vs 8%). ParkDSM's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MPLS Parking holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MPLS Parking has 47K ratings behind it against 157, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of MPLS Parking's written reviews are positive against 8% of ParkDSM's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MPLS Parking ships an update every 2 months, ParkDSM fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
MPLS Parking versus ParkDSM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMPLS ParkingParkDSM
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (47K ratings) — better1.6 (157 ratings)
Positive reviews23.6% of reviews — better7.8% of reviews
Number of ratings47K — better157
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#74 — better#134
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size143 MB185 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCity of MinneapolisParkmobile USA, Inc.

Customer experience

MPLS Parking

All ratings46,753 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral2.6%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews382 reviews
Positive23.6%
Neutral11.0%
Negative65.4%

ParkDSM

All ratings157 ratings
Positive12.1%
Neutral3.8%
Negative84.1%
Written reviews64 reviews
Positive7.8%
Neutral6.3%
Negative85.9%

Bugs and requests

MPLS Parking

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Repeated charges for failed transactions
  • Inability to change default vehicle or payment
  • Parking zone information not matching actual location

Requested features

4 requests
  • Interactive lock screen widget
  • Saved parking history and favorites
  • Parking availability information
  • Improved accessibility

ParkDSM

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

MPLS Parking

No in-app purchases

None

ParkDSM

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MPLS Parking free?
MPLS Parking is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ParkDSM free?
ParkDSM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MPLS Parking or ParkDSM?
MPLS Parking is rated higher. MPLS Parking averages 4.6 out of 5 from 47K ratings, while ParkDSM averages 1.6 from 157 ratings.
Do MPLS Parking or ParkDSM have ads?
Neither MPLS Parking nor ParkDSM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MPLS Parking or ParkDSM?
MPLS Parking ships an update every 2 months, and ParkDSM fortnightly. Most recently, MPLS Parking was updated on November 8, 2026 and ParkDSM on November 7, 2026.
Which is more popular, MPLS Parking or ParkDSM?
MPLS Parking currently peaks at #74 in the App Store charts, and ParkDSM at #134. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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