Comparison

WDSU Parade Tracker vs Parade Pal

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

Head to head
About

WDSU Parade Tracker

Follow Mardi Gras and other major parades in New Orleans and southeast Louisiana. Get real-time tracking, schedules, and maps for the front and back of parades. Future updates will include GPS tracking and estimated arrival times.

Highlights
  • Real-time parade tracking
  • Parade schedules
  • Interactive maps
  • Track front and back of parades
  • Year-round parade coverage
Features
Read full description

The WDSU Parade tracker is the original parade tracking app in New Orleans. The app tracks the front and back of Mardi Gras and all the biggest parades across New Orleans and southeast Louisiana year-round. The app features real-time parade tracking, schedules, and maps. Coming soon: GPS tracking, parade estimated time of arrival to your spot on the route, and points of interest like food, bathrooms, and more.

About

Parade Pal

Enhance your New Orleans parade experience with real-time GPS tracking and up-to-date schedules. Get alerts for delays, find amenities like portable bathrooms, and check the weather forecast directly within the app. Designed for both locals and visitors to make enjoying parades seamless.

Highlights
  • Real-time GPS parade tracking
  • Portable bathroom locations
  • Parade delay alerts
  • Full parade schedule (time & location)
  • In-app weather forecast
Read full description

Parade Pal shows you where New Orleans parades are right now, so you spend less time waiting and more time catching throws. Built for Mardi Gras and every New Orleans parade in between, from Krewe of BOO! in October to the last float on Fat Tuesday. Whether you're a parade veteran or visiting for the first time, Parade Pal helps you plan your night and find the parade. LIVE PARADE MAP • Watch the front and back of each parade move along its route • Tap a float to see the nearest cross street • See at a glance which parades are lining up, rolling or finished • See where you are compared to the route • Find restrooms and first aid stations during Mardi Gras THE FULL SCHEDULE • Every parade by day, opening on today • Start times, neighborhoods, float counts and routes • Search by krewe, neighborhood or theme EVERY PARADE, ALL THE DETAILS • Photos, krewe history, and where each route starts and ends • Share a parade with friends YOUR FAVORITES • Heart the krewes you love and filter the schedule to them in one tap HEADS-UP NOTIFICATIONS • Know when parades start rolling • Hear about delays and changes • Limit alerts to your favorite krewes Simple and easy to use. No sign-up, no ads, no pop-ups. Your location stays on your phone.

Screenshots

WDSU Parade Tracker4 screens
Parade Pal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Parade Pal at 95% against WDSU Parade Tracker's 32%. Parade Pal also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.6) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support 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

Parade Pal holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 140 and 67 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of WDSU Parade Tracker's written reviews are positive against 95% of Parade Pal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WDSU Parade Tracker ships an update every 3 months, Parade Pal monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
WDSU Parade Tracker versus Parade Pal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWDSU Parade TrackerParade Pal
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (140 ratings)4.5 (67 ratings) — better
Positive reviews31.8% of reviews94.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings140 — better67
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB62 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperHearst TelevisionParade Pal LLC

Customer experience

WDSU Parade Tracker

All ratings139 ratings
Positive64.0%
Neutral7.2%
Negative28.8%
Written reviews88 reviews
Positive31.8%
Neutral13.6%
Negative54.5%

Parade Pal

All ratings67 ratings
Positive85.1%
Neutral1.5%
Negative13.4%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive94.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.3%

In-app purchases

None

WDSU Parade Tracker

No in-app purchases

None

Parade Pal

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WDSU Parade Tracker free?
WDSU Parade Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Parade Pal free?
Parade Pal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WDSU Parade Tracker or Parade Pal?
Parade Pal is rated higher. WDSU Parade Tracker averages 3.6 out of 5 from 140 ratings, while Parade Pal averages 4.5 from 67 ratings.
Do WDSU Parade Tracker or Parade Pal have ads?
WDSU Parade Tracker shows ads; Parade Pal does not.
Which is updated more often, WDSU Parade Tracker or Parade Pal?
WDSU Parade Tracker ships an update every 3 months, and Parade Pal monthly. Most recently, WDSU Parade Tracker was updated on October 29, 2026 and Parade Pal on October 22, 2026.

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