# PayByPhone Parking vs 5280Parking

The clearest difference is rating: PayByPhone Parking at 4.8 against 5280Parking's 3.5. PayByPhone Parking also leads on ratings volume (764K vs 235) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 weeks). 5280Parking's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

PayByPhone Parking holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PayByPhone Parking has 764K ratings behind it against 235, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of PayByPhone Parking's written reviews are positive against 20% of 5280Parking's.

PayByPhone Parking ships an update every 9 days, 5280Parking every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PayByPhone Parking | 5280Parking |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (764K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paybyphone-parking/id448474183/reviews)** | [3.5 (235 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/5280parking/id1663221797/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **764K** | 235 |
| Positive reviews | **42.1% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#33** | — |
| Size | 125 MB | 210 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PayByPhone Technologies Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/448474186) | [5280](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663221799) |

## What reviewers say

### PayByPhone Parking

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paybyphone-parking/id448474183)

**Currently charting:** #33 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Easily pay for parking from your phone, extending sessions remotely and finding nearby spots. Get notifications before your session expires and track your parking history. Supports multiple payment methods for a seamless experience.

**Highlights:** Start and extend parking sessions remotely, Find available parking using Maps or Nearby, Receive session expiry notifications, Review parking history, Pin parking location, Emailed receipts for expense tracking, Multiple payment options

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Saves time
- 🚀 Seamless
- 🚀 Reliable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App glitches and crashes
- 🐛 Payment issues
- 🐛 Inaccurate location detection
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 💰 Overcharging and hidden fees

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and crashes
- Payment transactions fail
- Location detection issues
- Notifications not working
- Overcharging for parking sessions

**Requested features**

- Allow paying by minutes or half-hours
- Add ability to end parking session early
- Improve location detection accuracy
- Provide better notifications and reminders
- Enable refunds for unused parking time


### 5280Parking

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/5280parking/id1663221797)

Find and pay for parking easily and securely with a touchless experience. Navigate directly to parking locations using integrated map services.

**Highlights:** Touchless parking experience, Easy and quick payment, Find parking locations, Navigate to parking, Integrated map services

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PayByPhone Parking free?

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

### Is 5280Parking free?

5280Parking is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PayByPhone Parking or 5280Parking?

PayByPhone Parking is rated higher. PayByPhone Parking averages 4.8 out of 5 from 764K ratings, while 5280Parking averages 3.5 from 235 ratings.

### Do PayByPhone Parking or 5280Parking have ads?

PayByPhone Parking shows ads; 5280Parking does not.

### Which is updated more often, PayByPhone Parking or 5280Parking?

PayByPhone Parking ships an update every 9 days, and 5280Parking every 6 weeks. Most recently, PayByPhone Parking was updated on October 16, 2026 and 5280Parking on October 7, 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.*