ParkChicago® vs WelcomeMats
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ParkChicago®
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.
- Pay for parking sessions
- Extend parking sessions
- Receive low time notifications
- Access parking history
- Receive email receipts
- Find parking with interactive map
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Chicago, say hello to convenient parking! With the ParkChicago® app you can manage your entire parking experience from your smartphone. No more quarters. No more running to the meter. Pay, extend and manage your parking session with just a few taps. It’s easy! Get Started Today: 1. Download the free ParkChicago® app 2. Park where you see the ParkChicago® signs 3. Pay for your parking session from your phone The Perks of ParkChicago®: - Receive notifications when your parking session time is low - Extend your parking session through the app - Receive email receipts at the end of your parking session - Manage your parking history through the mobile app - The ParkChicago® app links to the ParkChicago®Map app where you can use an interactive map and search features to find parking at competitive prices in Chicago city limits. Say goodbye to garage fees and reservations! Make your parking experience as simple as possible – download ParkChicago® today.
WelcomeMats
Create custom mobile welcome pages for guests, featuring Wi-Fi, check-in details, and local tips. Print a QR code placard for easy access, eliminating the need for guests to download an app or type passwords.
- Tap-free guest welcome pages
- Automatic Wi-Fi connection via QR code
- Share check-in instructions and local tips
- Customizable themes and fonts
- Manage multiple properties
- Instant updates to guest pages
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WelcomeMats turns every short-term rental, or even your own home, into a tap-free welcome for your guests. Create a beautiful mobile welcome page for each property — Wi-Fi network and password, check-in and check-out details, arrival steps, local tips, and how to reach you — then print a one-page QR placard. Your guests just scan it with their phone camera. No app to download, and no passwords to type. MAKE CHECK-IN EFFORTLESS • Guests scan one QR code to open your welcome page in any browser • A second QR joins your Wi-Fi automatically — no typing • Share check-in instructions, house rules, and local recommendations MAKE IT YOURS • 56 themes and fonts, plus accent colors • Add a cover photo and an About section • Print a clean, one-page placard for the entryway or kitchen BUILT FOR HOSTS • Manage multiple properties in one place • Update details anytime — your live guest page updates instantly • Great for Airbnb, Vrbo, and direct bookings WELCOMEMATS PRO A one-time $4.99 unlock (no subscription) adds up to 5 properties, every theme and font, cover and About photos, check-in details and arrival steps, an important-info section, and custom guest message templates. Restore it anytime. Your guest page lives at a public link, so anyone you share it with — or who scans your placard — can view it. You control exactly what's shown, and you can edit or unpublish it at any time. You can permanently delete your account and data from within the app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ParkChicago® at none against WelcomeMats's 1. ParkChicago® also leads on ratings volume (15K vs 2) and chart position (#89 vs unranked). WelcomeMats's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 3 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. WelcomeMats sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ParkChicago® asks for nothing beyond the download.
WelcomeMats holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ParkChicago® has 15K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
ParkChicago® ships an update every 3 months, WelcomeMats every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ParkChicago® | WelcomeMats |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (15K ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 15K — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 11 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #89 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 48 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Chicago Parking Meters, LLC | Holden Holt |
Customer experience
ParkChicago®
WelcomeMats
Bugs and requests
ParkChicago®
Reported bugs
4 issues- Endless login/account creation loop
- App crashes and freezes
- Payment issues and incorrect charges
- Inability to remove/edit linked vehicles
Requested features
4 requests- Allow partial balance refunds
- Integrate with location services for zone detection
- Provide option to pay for exact parking time
- Improve communication with parking enforcement
WelcomeMats
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ParkChicago®
No in-app purchases
WelcomeMats
- WelcomeMats Pro$4.99
