# ParkChicago® vs UI Ride

The clearest difference is rating: ParkChicago® at 4.7 against UI Ride's 3.2. ParkChicago® also leads on review sentiment (36% vs 0%) and ratings volume (15K vs 5). 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 5, 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 0% of UI Ride's.

ParkChicago® ships an update every 3 months, UI Ride every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ParkChicago® | UI Ride |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parkchicago/id686658594/reviews)** | [3.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ui-ride/id1479096812/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **35.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#89** | — |
| Size | 48 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chicago Parking Meters, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1455227699) | [University of Illinois](https://appshunter.io/developer/422670617) |

## What reviewers say

### ParkChicago®

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

**Currently charting:** #89 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


### UI Ride

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ui-ride/id1479096812)

This app provides an affordable and efficient shuttle service connecting Urbana-Champaign and Chicago. It's designed for University of Illinois System faculty, staff, and students to facilitate official business and research collaborations.

**Highlights:** Intercampus shuttle service, Connects Urbana-Champaign and Chicago, Affordable transportation, Efficient and convenient, For University of Illinois System members

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ParkChicago® free?

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

### Is UI Ride free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ParkChicago® or UI Ride?

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

### Do ParkChicago® or UI Ride have ads?

Neither ParkChicago® nor UI Ride shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ParkChicago® or UI Ride?

ParkChicago® ships an update every 3 months, and UI Ride every 8 months. Most recently, ParkChicago® was updated on November 1, 2026 and UI Ride on October 10, 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.*