# ParkAlbany vs Upstate Curious

ParkAlbany and Upstate Curious both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Upstate Curious's written reviews are positive against 48% of ParkAlbany's. Upstate Curious also leads on update cadence (every 6 months vs every 23 months). ParkAlbany's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Upstate Curious holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 339 and 144 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of ParkAlbany's written reviews are positive against 100% of Upstate Curious's.

ParkAlbany ships an update every 23 months, Upstate Curious every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ParkAlbany | Upstate Curious |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (339 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parkalbany/id1235139961/reviews) | **[4.9 (144 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upstate-curious/id1546069358/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **339** | 144 |
| Positive reviews | 48.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 23 months | **Every 6 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 108 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Albany Parking Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/1494729809) | [The Brenn-White Group LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1546069360) |

## What reviewers say

### ParkAlbany

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parkalbany/id1235139961)

Manage your parking experience directly from your smartphone. Avoid meters and loose change by paying for your parking session through the app. Receive notifications and extend your time remotely.

**Highlights:** Pay for parking sessions via smartphone, Receive low parking time notifications, Extend parking sessions remotely, View parking history, Receive email receipts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient for parking
- 👍 Simplifies parking process
- 👍 Good for extending parking time
- 👍 No need to feed meter

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App frequently not working
- 🐛 Payment issues with cards
- 🐛 Network errors
- 🐛 App won't load
- 🐛 15-minute lockout period

**Reported bugs**

- App experiences technical issues
- App issues after trying to pay for parking
- App gives error about payment method
- App won't load
- Network error

**Requested features**

- Update app icon for dark mode
- Allow payment for minimum 20 or 30 minutes
- Mention state in app description


### Upstate Curious

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upstate-curious/id1546069358)

Discover local gems and connect with your community in the Hudson Valley and Catskills. Find recommended restaurants, shops, and services, or ask for local advice. Meet new people and share your experiences in this vibrant region.

**Highlights:** Local discovery feed, Crowdsourced Q&A, Community profiles, Direct messaging, Interest-based connections, Local groups

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ParkAlbany free?

ParkAlbany is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Upstate Curious free?

Upstate Curious is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ParkAlbany or Upstate Curious?

Upstate Curious is rated higher. ParkAlbany averages 4.7 out of 5 from 339 ratings, while Upstate Curious averages 4.9 from 144 ratings.

### Do ParkAlbany or Upstate Curious have ads?

Neither ParkAlbany nor Upstate Curious shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ParkAlbany or Upstate Curious?

ParkAlbany ships an update every 23 months, and Upstate Curious every 6 months. Most recently, ParkAlbany was updated on October 13, 2026 and Upstate Curious on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*