OpenPaths vs Virtual Parking Permits
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
OpenPaths
Securely store and visualize your personal location history. Track your movements, upload data to a website for download in various formats, and control who can access your information. Offers API integration and runs with minimal battery drain.
- Location tracking
- Data visualization
- Data export (KML, JSON, CSV)
- Secure data locker
- API integration
- Background operation
- Minimal battery drain
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OpenPaths (https://openpaths.cc) is a secure data locker for personal location information. Using our iPhone app you can track your location, visualize where you've been, and upload your data to the OpenPaths website. You can then download your data from the website in a variety of friendly formats, including KML, JSON, and CSV. The OpenPaths API enables you to integrate your own software with the platform. You can keep your location history to yourself, or you can share it with specific research initiatives, art projects, or educational programs as you so choose. The OpenPaths online interface allows you to manage who has access to your data. Your data is secure on the encrypted OpenPaths servers and cannot be accessed by anyone without your express consent. OpenPaths is a new way for individuals to take ownership of, to work with, and to share the data that they generate in their daily lives. OpenPaths is a community project initiated by the Research and Development Lab at the New York Times Company. - Runs in the background - Minimal battery drain For more information, please visit https://openpaths.cc
Virtual Parking Permits
Manage digital parking permits directly from your phone. Link your license plate as your permit to eliminate the need for paper permits for yourself or your guests. This eco-friendly, contactless solution allows for immediate changes and registrations.
- License plate as permit
- Create and manage digital permits
- Register guest vehicles
- Paperless and contactless
- Immediate vehicle/guest registration
- Environmentally friendly
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About this App: Your licence plate is your permit. Access your virtual parking permits account to create and manage your digital parking permits. This is the mobile tenant application for the virtualparkingpermits.com system. You need to have an existing valid account to use the application, be a resident or a guest of a property that utilizes the virtualparkingpermits.com system. With the virtualparkingpermits.com application, residents no longer need paper permits for their vehicles or their guests' vehicles. The licence plate number and vehicle information is the permit. Tenants can access their online account and create digital parking permits via a simple intuitive interface right on their phone. There are many benefits for the virtual parking permits system: Virtual permits cannot be copied or altered 100% paperless and environmentally friendly Contactless virtual solution is a safer process to obtain a permit. Residents can make changes to their own vehicles or register guests immediately. Need technical help? Contacts support@virtualparkingpermits.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: OpenPaths at 44% against Virtual Parking Permits's 0%. OpenPaths also leads on rating (2.3 vs 1.2) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 13.4). Virtual Parking Permits's advantage is update cadence (every 5 months vs every 35 months) and ratings volume (110 vs 3). 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.
OpenPaths holds the better App Store score, 2.3 against 1.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Virtual Parking Permits has 110 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of OpenPaths's written reviews are positive against 0% of Virtual Parking Permits's.
OpenPaths ships an update every 35 months, Virtual Parking Permits every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | OpenPaths | Virtual Parking Permits |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.3 (3 ratings) — better | 1.2 (110 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 43.8% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 110 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 35 months | Every 5 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 — better | 13.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 25 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | University of California, San Diego (Business Affairs) | Virtual Parking Permits |
Customer experience
OpenPaths
Virtual Parking Permits
In-app purchases
OpenPaths
No in-app purchases
Virtual Parking Permits
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is OpenPaths free?
Is Virtual Parking Permits free?
Which has better reviews, OpenPaths or Virtual Parking Permits?
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Which is updated more often, OpenPaths or Virtual Parking Permits?
Other comparisons
