# ParkChicago® vs ParkByApp

The clearest difference is rating: ParkChicago® at 4.7 against ParkByApp's 3.2. ParkChicago® also leads on review sentiment (36% vs 10%) and ratings volume (15K vs 275). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

ParkChicago® holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ParkChicago® has 15K ratings behind it against 275, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of ParkChicago®'s written reviews are positive against 10% of ParkByApp's.

ParkChicago® ships an update every 3 months, ParkByApp every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ParkChicago® | ParkByApp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parkchicago/id686658594/reviews)** | [3.2 (275 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parkbyapp/id1104440562/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 275 |
| Positive reviews | **35.9% of reviews** | 9.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#149** | #210 |
| Size | 48 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chicago Parking Meters, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1455227699) | [Park By App, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1474144648) |

## What reviewers say

### ParkChicago®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parkchicago/id686658594)

**Currently charting:** #149 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Manage your entire parking experience directly from your smartphone. Pay for, extend, and track your parking sessions with ease, eliminating the need for physical meters or coins. Receive helpful notifications and access your parking history.

**Highlights:** Pay for parking sessions, Extend parking sessions, Receive low time notifications, Access parking history, Receive email receipts, Find parking with interactive map

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient and easy to use
- 🔒 Secure payment processing
- ⏱️ Helpful time reminders
- 📱 Ability to manage parking from phone

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive fees and minimum balance requirements
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app performance
- 🔄 Forced account reloading
- ⚠️ Lack of transparency and customer support

**Reported bugs**

- Endless login/account creation loop
- App crashes and freezes
- Payment issues and incorrect charges
- Inability to remove/edit linked vehicles

**Requested features**

- Allow partial balance refunds
- Integrate with location services for zone detection
- Provide option to pay for exact parking time
- Improve communication with parking enforcement


### ParkByApp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parkbyapp/id1104440562)

**Currently charting:** #210 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Easily pay for and manage your parking sessions directly from your smartphone. Avoid the hassle of meters and receive notifications before your session expires. Extend your parking time remotely to accommodate changing plans.

**Highlights:** Pay for parking on the go, Extend parking sessions remotely, Receive parking session expiry alerts, View future parking rates, Manage parking history, Receive email receipts

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick and convenient payment process
- ⏰ Ability to extend parking remotely from phone
- 📱 Easy-to-use interface with simple instructions
- 🔔 Parking expiration notifications
- 📊 Parking history tracking available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently and is unstable
- ❌ Network errors prevent payment processing
- 💳 Credit card registration fails repeatedly
- 🚫 Limited parking time increment options (forced 2+ hour minimums)
- 💰 Significantly overpriced compared to competitors and kiosks

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch and during use
- Network error messages blocking payment attempts
- Credit card information not saved correctly or shows wrong number
- PIN entry causes app to close automatically
- Zone selection screen unresponsive on iOS devices

**Requested features**

- Apple Pay and digital wallet integration
- Apple Watch app support
- Hourly parking rate options instead of fixed increments
- Search feature for parking zones
- Better zone code visibility and accessibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ParkChicago® free?

ParkChicago® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ParkByApp free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ParkChicago® or ParkByApp?

ParkChicago® is rated higher. ParkChicago® averages 4.7 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while ParkByApp averages 3.2 from 275 ratings.

### Do ParkChicago® or ParkByApp have ads?

Neither ParkChicago® nor ParkByApp shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ParkChicago® or ParkByApp?

ParkChicago® ships an update every 3 months, and ParkByApp every 9 months. Most recently, ParkChicago® was updated on October 31, 2026 and ParkByApp on October 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, ParkChicago® or ParkByApp?

ParkChicago® currently peaks at #149 in the App Store charts, and ParkByApp at #210. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*