CATS vs Pivot Parking
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CATS
This app provides a convenient mobile ticketing solution for public transit. Users can instantly purchase and use tickets directly from their smartphone, plan trips with step-by-step directions, and manage their transit passes. It offers multiple payment options and integration with other transit-related services.
- Instant mobile ticket purchase
- Trip planning with directions
- Debit/credit card and mobile payment options
- Save favorite routes and passes
- Connect to other CATS apps
Read full descriptionHide full description
It’s the way to pay! CATS-Pass is the official mobile ticketing app for the Charlotte Area Transit System. CATS-Pass offers a convenient way for you to purchase and use tickets instantly on your smartphone – anywhere, anytime. CATS-Pass also gives you access to trip planning tools. Download the app, buy your transit pass and plan your trip, right from your phone. Features include: • Purchase passes instantly via debit/credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay • Step-by-step travel directions • Cash Wallet feature • Personalize the app by saving your favorite routes and pass types • Connect to other CATS Apps including: ◦ CATS See/Say ◦ CATS Art In Transit ◦ TrackCATS
Pivot Parking
Easily manage and pay for parking sessions online. Discover nearby locations, view rates, and secure permits or event parking. Enjoy a completely touchless experience with QR code scanning or drive-in entry.
- Online parking session creation
- Location discovery with rates
- Ticketless parking
- QR code scanning
- Parking validation offers
- Permit purchasing
- Event parking reservations
Read full descriptionHide full description
Pivot Parking lets you create and pay for parking sessions online. EASY SIGN UP: Create a free account with your email/phone number. Add your license plate and a payment method to start parking. STAY UP TO DATE: Discover locations near you and view the current parking rates, permits and offers available in each place. COMPLETELY TOUCHLESS: Life is faster, smarter and easier with a ticketless car parking app. Scan a QR code or just drive in to start your sessions. GET VALIDATIONS: Find parking validations during your retail visits and get free or discounted parking! BUY PERMITS: Park often? Buy a permit and save up on your day-to-day parking. GET READY FOR EVENTS: Get the best parking rates for events near you with a one-time reservation. Need any help? Reach out to us on
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: CATS at 54% against Pivot Parking's 0%. CATS also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.5) and ratings volume (17K vs 85). Pivot Parking's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
CATS holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CATS has 17K ratings behind it against 85, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of CATS's written reviews are positive against 0% of Pivot Parking's.
CATS ships an update every 4 months, Pivot Parking every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CATS | Pivot Parking |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (17K ratings) — better | 3.5 (85 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 53.7% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 17K — better | 85 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 122 MB | 218 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | City of Charlotte | Pivot Parking |
Customer experience
CATS
Pivot Parking
Bugs and requests
CATS
Reported bugs
3 issues- Unable to create new user accounts
- Keyboard issues during sign-up process
- Discrepancies between app and physical bus stop times
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to delete payment methods
- Improved bus and train schedule information
- Notifications for bus arrival times
- Discounted passes for seniors and disabled riders
Pivot Parking
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
CATS
No in-app purchases
Pivot Parking
No in-app purchases
