Comparison

ParkSFO vs Campflare

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

Head to head
About

ParkSFO

Effortlessly manage your parking experience from your phone. Pay for parking, check out of facilities, and apply discounts and coupons without needing paper tickets or waiting in line. Earn credits for future parking fees.

Highlights
  • Mobile parking payment
  • Facility checkout
  • Apply coupons and discounts
  • Earn parking credits
  • Frictionless parking experience
Features
Read full description

With the ParkSFO Mobile app you can park your car, pay for parking, and check out of the facility all through your mobile phone. No need for paper tickets, no more waiting in line to pay. And you can still use our coupons and receive your club membership discounts when using the mobile app! You can also earn credits within the app and these credit can be applied to your parking fees! The ParkSFO app makes true frictionless parking a reality and it has never been easier or more efficient and hassle-free when you park at ParkSFO!

About

Campflare

This app helps you find last-minute camping spots in popular, sold-out campgrounds across the US. It sends instant notifications for cancellations and provides real-time availability for over 10,000 campgrounds. Explore parks on a map and discover public lands easily.

Highlights
  • Last-minute campsite availability notifications
  • Real-time campground availability for 10,000+ locations
  • Map-based exploration of parks and public lands
  • Set alerts for multiple campgrounds
  • View BLM, NPS, and USFS land on map
  • See cell service coverage on map
Read full description

Our mission is to make our public lands more accessible to those who cannot plan camping trips 6 months in advance. Simply put, if a campsite suddenly becomes available – someone cancels their reservation – the app will send you a notification to let you know. Tens of thousands of people have booked trips to Yosemite, Zion, Joshua Tree, Yellowstone, & other popular places through Campflare. Everything is free, and it will stay that way to ensure equal access to our public lands. Availability Notifications: - Camp last minute in sold out campgrounds across the United States. - Receive notifications as soon as we detect an availability or cancellation. - Set alerts for as many campgrounds as you please. Discover Your Public Lands: - View real time availability for more than 10,000 campgrounds across federal and state parks in the United States. - Explore all campgrounds and parks on a map. - View BLM Land on a map. - View National Park Service Land on a map. - View US Forest Service Land on a map. - View Cell Service on a map. - See pictures and detailed descriptions of each campground. Plan and Monitor your Stay: - Find the closest available campground to popular destinations. - See alerts posted directly from parks concerning your trip. - Find last minute stays in the most beautiful parks.

Screenshots

ParkSFO4 screens
Campflare4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Campflare at 3.9K against ParkSFO's 490. ParkSFO's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for ParkSFO against 4.9 for Campflare. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Campflare has 3.9K ratings behind it against 490, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of ParkSFO's written reviews are positive against 77% of Campflare's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ParkSFO ships an update every 2 months, Campflare every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
ParkSFO versus Campflare: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterParkSFOCampflare
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (490 ratings)4.9 (3.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.8% of reviews77.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4903.9K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPARKSFOVay Technologies LLC

Customer experience

ParkSFO

All ratings468 ratings
Positive94.9%
Neutral2.4%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews48 reviews
Positive70.8%
Neutral4.2%
Negative25.0%

Campflare

All ratings2,757 ratings
Positive98.4%
Neutral1.0%
Negative0.6%
Written reviews70 reviews
Positive77.1%
Neutral1.4%
Negative21.4%

User reviews

ParkSFO

From 490 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 User-friendly and easy-to-use app interface
  • 🚀 Fast and convenient check-in/check-out process
  • 💰 Affordable parking with coupon discounts
  • 🚌 Reliable shuttle service with minimal wait times
  • 🔒 Secure parking facility with helpful staff

Room to improve

  • 🐛 QR code scanner frequently malfunctions at exit gates
  • 🐛 Elevator system issues and inconsistent functionality
  • ❌ App and website are disconnected/not integrated
  • 😕 Confusing signage that doesn't match app instructions
  • 🔧 Limited app functionality and features

Campflare

From 3.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Able to book last-minute campsites
  • 👍 Helpful for popular/crowded parks
  • 🚀 Notifications for available campsites
  • 👍 Smooth and easy to use
  • 🚀 Saved vacation plans

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Issues with app setup/login
  • 🐛 Notifications not working as expected
  • ⚠️ Requires phone number for access
  • ⚠️ Lack of pricing information

Bugs and requests

ParkSFO

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • QR code reader at exit gate doesn't work reliably
  • App crashes when entering state in profile
  • Brightness control issue on iPhone after closing app
  • Cannot retroactively check in after downloading app
  • Coupon codes cannot be deleted once selected
Show 5 more
  • Coupons don't persist in saved section
  • Scanners don't work consistently throughout facility
  • App doesn't notify when lot is full
  • Website login/registration issues
  • Reservation made in app cannot be viewed in app

Requested features

10 requests
  • Live shuttle location tracking on map
  • Ability to make and view reservations directly in app
  • Save parking space number and floor to ticket
  • Apple Pay payment option
  • Ability to attach multiple credit cards to account
Show 5 more
  • Parking space photo/note feature for memory aid
  • Direct call/pickup location feature for terminals
  • Lot capacity/availability status in app
  • Better coupon display showing discount amount at checkout
  • Clipboard paste functionality for credit card entry

Campflare

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App gets stuck with no way to go back
  • No campsites found for some popular parks

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to enlarge campsite photos
  • More frequent campsite availability checks
  • Clearer instructions and guidance

In-app purchases

None

ParkSFO

No in-app purchases

None

Campflare

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ParkSFO free?
ParkSFO is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Campflare free?
Campflare is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ParkSFO or Campflare?
Campflare is rated higher. ParkSFO averages 4.8 out of 5 from 490 ratings, while Campflare averages 4.9 from 3.9K ratings.
Do ParkSFO or Campflare have ads?
Neither ParkSFO nor Campflare shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ParkSFO or Campflare?
ParkSFO ships an update every 2 months, and Campflare every 5 weeks. Most recently, ParkSFO was updated on October 24, 2026 and Campflare on October 25, 2026.

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