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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

SpotHero vs PayByPhone Parking

SpotHero 4.9★ · Free + IAP 75
Winner SpotHero
PayByPhone Parking 4.8★ · Free to download 60

SpotHero is generally better for finding and reserving parking spots in advance, especially for events, while PayByPhone Parking is more suited for paying for existing metered street parking.

Full reviews: SpotHero · PayByPhone Parking

SpotHero excels at pre-booking parking, often at competitive rates, and is praised for its convenience in planning, though it faces issues with hidden fees and occasional reservation problems. PayByPhone Parking is designed for paying at existing meters, offering convenience for extending time, but struggles with app functionality, payment glitches, and unexpected fees.

Head to head

Features for Finding & Reserving Parking edge: SpotHeroR2R3R5R7
SpotHero SpotHero users appreciate its ability to find and reserve parking in advance, especially for events, reducing stress and ensuring a spot R2R5R20. It allows users to compare rates and locations . However, some users report issues with inaccurate lot information, leading to difficulty finding the spot or being turned away R3R7. The app's navigation can also be problematic .
PayByPhone Parking PayByPhone Parking is primarily for paying for existing parking spots, not for finding or reserving them in advance. Users note the convenience of paying from their car and extending time . Some users have difficulty with the app locating nearby meters R67 or recognizing zone numbers R64R70.
Ease of Use edge: SpotHeroR2R5R9R17
SpotHero SpotHero is generally considered easy to use for finding and booking parking R2R5. However, some users struggle with retrieving QR codes quickly at the moment of parking R9. There are also complaints about the app's interface, such as the disappearance of the 'Add to Apple Wallet' feature R17 and issues with web-to-app integration .
PayByPhone Parking PayByPhone Parking is praised for its simplicity in making payments once a spot is found . However, many users report significant usability issues, including the app not working at all R61R64R68, constant log-out requirements , difficulties with payment features and card acceptance , and problems with entering vehicle information .
Reliability edge: SpotHeroR1R5R7R19
SpotHero SpotHero's reliability is mixed. Many users report positive experiences with reservations working as intended R5. However, a significant number of reviews highlight issues such as reservations not being honored R1R19, lots being full or overbooked R27, or the parking location being inaccurate or non-existent R7. This can lead to users being double-charged or receiving fines R7R19.
PayByPhone Parking PayByPhone Parking suffers from frequent reliability issues. Users report the app being non-functional for weeks R64R68, payment glitches , and the app failing to recognize parking zones R64R70. These problems can result in citations or inability to pay .
Price & Value edge: SpotHeroR4R5R6R10
SpotHero SpotHero is often praised for offering good value and competitive rates, with some users finding significant savings R5R10. However, a recurring complaint is about hidden fees and prices changing at checkout, sometimes leading to users paying more than the drive-up rate R4R6R13. There are also complaints about unexpected fees for oversized vehicles R13.
PayByPhone Parking PayByPhone Parking users frequently complain about additional fees, such as convenience fees R67R102, SMS fees R66R67R96, and overall high prices for parking R102. Some users question the value of these fees when the app itself is unreliable R67.
Customer Support & Policies edge: SpotHeroR3R18R20R27
SpotHero SpotHero's customer service receives mixed reviews. Some users laud it as great, helpful, and responsive, especially for refunds R3R18R20. However, others report long wait times, unhelpful agents, and a lack of resolution for issues like overbooked spots or incorrect charges R27. The cancellation policy is also a point of contention, with users noting it's become less flexible .
PayByPhone Parking PayByPhone Parking's customer support is widely criticized. Users report difficulty reaching actual customer service, being directed to unhelpful AI, and receiving no support for issues like tickets due to app malfunction . There are also complaints about the lack of clear instructions within the app .
Pick SpotHero if

You need to find and reserve parking in advance, especially for events or in dense city locations, and want to compare prices and locations R20. You value the peace of mind of having a guaranteed spot before you arrive R20.

Pick PayByPhone Parking if

You primarily need to pay for existing metered street parking and want the convenience of extending your parking time from your phone . You are in an area where PayByPhone is the primary or only option for mobile payment and the app is known to be functional .

Evidence note: SpotHero's reviews show a clear pattern of both high satisfaction with its core function (pre-booking) and significant frustration with execution issues (inaccurate listings, hidden fees, poor on-site experience). PayByPhone Parking's recent reviews are heavily skewed negative, indicating widespread and persistent app functionality issues across multiple locations, despite its high lifetime rating.

Frequently asked

Does SpotHero guarantee a parking spot?
SpotHero aims to guarantee a parking spot upon reservation, and many users find it reliable for securing parking for events R5R20. However, some users have reported instances where their reserved spot was unavailable, overbooked, or the lot was difficult to find, leading to frustration or additional costs R1R7R27.
Are there hidden fees with SpotHero?
Yes, several SpotHero users report experiencing hidden fees or prices changing at checkout, leading to the final cost being higher than initially displayed or even more than the drive-up rate R4R6R13R21. Some users also mention unexpected oversized vehicle fees R13.
Why is PayByPhone Parking not working for some users?
Many PayByPhone Parking users report that the app is currently not working, with common issues including failing to recognize parking zones or locations, payment glitches, and the app being completely non-functional for weeks, especially in cities like San Francisco R61R64R68R70.
Does PayByPhone Parking charge extra fees?
Yes, PayByPhone Parking charges additional fees, including a convenience fee (often around $0.60 or more) and an SMS fee for notifications R66R67R96R102. These extra charges are a frequent point of frustration for users R66R67R96R102.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] SpotHero 5/5 · US Easy to use: This app is very convenient to find a parking space, and it is very easy to use
  2. [R3] SpotHero 3/5 · US Hard to find parking lots: This is not the first time it happens but make sure you know where you are going before booking. The good thing os that spothere customer service is great and very helpful when you are lost trying to find spots
  3. [R5] SpotHero 5/5 · US Reliable Parking App: SpotHero works exactly as intended, and I have never had any issues with the app or my reservations. Finding and booking parking is quick and convenient, and the student discount makes the already competitive rates an even better deal. It has become my go to app whenever I need parking.
  4. [R7] SpotHero 1/5 · US I got booted after following Spot Hero navigation to the lot I thought I paid for!: Spot Hero needs to contact the owner of the 1810 Franklin St., Houston lot and clarify directions! There are 3 lots sharing the same space with multiple addresses and multiple entrances! I had to pay a boot fine in order to Ieave. The boot attendant said that they often boot Spot Hero reservations in this lot! Spot
  5. [R9] SpotHero 1/5 · US Give me my code: The most important thing to a user is the ease and quickness of being able to pull up the Q code the moment you pull up to park. Apologies to the people behind me while I struggled with the app to retrieve the only thing I needed from this app.
  6. [R17] SpotHero 1/5 · US Add to Apple Wallet has disappeared: Unfortunately instead of 5 I have to give a 1: title says it all. Used to show.
  7. [R1] SpotHero 1/5 · US Terrible experience 271 W 47th St NYC: Signed in as guest on app. Prepaid. Arrived at exact time. Attendant refused to scan our SpotHero QR code. Had to call police and SpotHero escalation to get car back.
  8. [R19] SpotHero 1/5 · US Just end up double paying: I’ve used Spot Hero twice now and both times my Spot Hero reservation didn’t work. Whatever information Spot Hero has about the garages / lots here in LA is outdated or not compatible with their system. So twice now I’ve been double charged because I paid for my Spot Hero reservation and then just had to pay again at the actual parking lot. Spot Hero also doesn’t refund
  9. [R4] SpotHero 1/5 · US Literally paid MORE than the drive-up rate: This app isn’t what it used to be! Honestly, save yourself the headache of prepaying and just look for a spot at your destination. I used SpotHero thinking I was saving money and securing a spot for my night out in San Francisco. Huge mistake. The app charged me nearly $38, but when I showed up, the sign at the garage clearly said $25 for the day. Even t
  10. [R6] SpotHero 3/5 · US Not honest: Super shady that you try to charge a $26 “fee” for a “$41” rental. You should be ashamed of yourselves. What’s even the point of searching prices if you’re just going to change them at checkout?! Shame on you!🫵😡
  11. [R10] SpotHero 5/5 · US Great value!: I always use Spot Hero to secure parking! You can’t beat the value.
  12. [R18] SpotHero 5/5 · US Refund: Appreciate the easy of use with the app. My flight got cancelled and I had to change plans. The refund gave me 2 options where it wants to default to a credit or you scroll down and get a refund to the source of payment
  13. [R20] SpotHero 5/5 · US Spothero is the Best!: If you want to ensure guaranteed parking to attend an event or go to a meeting, this App is the best! I suggest you download and use the App as that allows you to have an account and it captures not only your current reservation, but stores previous reservations that you can easily use to “rebook” that location for an upcoming event. Their support team is also amazing!
  14. [R27] SpotHero 2/5 · US Overbooked: This app has failed me multiple times in row. I booked a spot weeks in advanced and they overbooked me. I ended up spending $15 for the spot hero parking and an extra $30 for street parking. It is a huge gamble to use this app and when contacting customer service in the moment expect more than a 20 minute wait to be put with an agent. Even after emailing the Spot Hero support team, the
  15. [R13] SpotHero 1/5 · US Hidden fees: SpotHero used to be super helpful and economical, but they’ve recently started charging oversized vehicle fees for my compact SUV without disclosing the fee before I book. I reached out to customer service about this, and they were unapologetic and unhelpful.
  16. [R21] SpotHero 2/5 · US Good platform but the fees need to be upfront: A fee months ago, the app started adding junk fees, and only “disclosing” them at the last step before you make a reservation. This was a bad decision. Any fees should be disclosed upfront, included in the quoted prices. I would point out that city taxes and fees are already reflected in the up front quotes, so why not include your platform fees as we
  17. [R61] PayByPhone Parking 1/5 · US PayByPhone parking: App doesn’t work at all when I open it. Only then is the green dots on the screen.
  18. [R64] PayByPhone Parking 1/5 · US Non functional: After happily using this app for years, it has not worked for the past month or so. It doesn’t recognize the parking zone making it unusable. Moved on to another app.
  19. [R68] PayByPhone Parking 5/5 · US Stop working: More than 2 weeks this app is not working! Could not find any location!
  20. [R70] PayByPhone Parking 1/5 · US Broken in SF: Completely broken in San Francisco, no locations recognized anywhere. What’s the point of this anymore?
  21. [R66] PayByPhone Parking 3/5 · US Fees: Stop charging extra fees like SMS I don’t need a text that should be optional my phone is smart enough to set a reminder 😑
  22. [R67] PayByPhone Parking 1/5 · US Awful quality app: Even though I have cell phone signal it absolutely never tells me nearby spots so I have to walk over and look at the number to park. And it charges a $.60 convenience fee! Whose convenience is it? Especially when it doesn’t even tell me the nearby parking lot number and the sign is tiny and far away. And now I also see there’s a $.20 SMS fee. What is that for? Do better pay by
  23. [R96] PayByPhone Parking 3/5 · GB Notifications: Why can’t you enable notifications from the phone rather than send SMS messages and adding an additional charge. If it’s a cost thing why can’t you take money from the parking charge, very frustrating. I’m being billed by PayByPhone for the cost of the parking!
  24. [R102] PayByPhone Parking 3/5 · GB RIP off prices spoil otherwise good app: Been using this a while and didn’t mind paying an extra 20p for the convenience … However , recently some car parks adding 50-70p on a £4 parking fee is ridiculous

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store