Developing A Parking App - Benefits, Features, And Costs
One of the most common traffic headaches is finding parking spaces to accommodate the rising number of automobiles and also regulating illegal parking lot locations, which can be dealt with by parking apps.
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In many cities around the world, car ownership has skyrocketed in recent years due to rising living standards and urbanization, especially in India and China. From 2001 to 2015, the number of private automobiles in India increased nearly 400%, from 55 million to 210 million. China's central government said there were 50 million fewer parking spaces in 2017 than in 2016. According to Spot Hero, nearly half of Americans (48%) consider parking their vehicles stressful.
Due to all this, questions arise concerning how to build a parking lot app, particularly since the market is expected to grow by over 17% between 2021 and 2030.
The parking software development comes in handy here. Our goal in this post is to show you how to build a parking app and how to use it effectively to boost your business growth.
What Are The Common Issues People Face When Trying To Find Parking?
In busy cities like New York and Bangalore, parking can be a total nightmare. Because of the spike in population and urbanization, the demand for parking spots has surpassed the supply. Many areas in Bangalore lack designated parking spots, so parking is haphazard and hard to find. Particularly in cities like New York, parking garages and metered spots can be pricey, making it hard for commuters to find something convenient and affordable. Lack of real-time parking data can also make it hard for drivers to find open spots, wasting time.
Limited spaces
In urban areas, parking can be scarce, especially during peak hours. This can lead to a lot of time spent searching for an available spot, or even having to park far away from a person's destination.
High parking fees
Many cities have implemented paid parking systems, which can be expensive, especially for those who need to park for long periods of time.
Unavailability of parking space
Many cities lack real-time parking availability data, which makes it difficult for drivers to know where they can find an open spot. This can lead to a lot of wasted time and frustration.
Limited accessibility
Some areas have a limited number of handicap-accessible parking spots, which can make it difficult for those with mobility issues to find a suitable spot.
Competition with other drivers
In popular areas, finding parking can be a competitive process, with multiple drivers vying for the same spot. This can lead to aggressive driving and parking in unsafe areas.
What Are The Issues That a Parking App Can Solve?
Find a parking spot easily
Using a parking app, drivers can find parking spots quickly based on real-time availability information.
Wasteful parking
A parking app can help drivers make better use of available parking spaces by showing real-time availability information.
Payment difficulties
Mobile payment options are available on many parking apps, eliminating the need for cash or physical parking meters.
Timekeeping issues
Drivers can avoid tickets and overstaying their parking time by using parking apps with timers or reminders.
Finding a spot close to the destination
Using parking apps, drivers can find parking near their destination, such as a shopping center, event, or tourist attraction.
Parking regulations
Drivers can also find information about parking regulations through these apps, such as time limits, handicap parking spots, and parking permit requirements.
Having trouble reserving a spot
Apps that reserve parking spots also give drivers the peace of mind of knowing they'll have a spot when they arrive.
Top Parking Apps on the Market to Help You Find the Perfect Spot
SpotHero
Spot Hero, formerly Parking Panda, works with parking facilities around the nation to provide customers with parking in 28 major cities. You can find, reserve, and pay for a parking space in a lot or garage, and then get your parking pass either by email or via the app. The service lets drivers reserve parking at sporting venues like Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles and Yankee Stadium in New York, as well as find hourly and monthly parking.
Best Parking
Best Parking lets you search for parking right now or for a future trip. Get digital parking passes, reserve spaces ahead of time, and save 50%. With Best Parking, you'll have direct access to Arrive. Our next section discusses Park Whiz, which acquired Best Parking in 2015.
ParkWhiz
Since 2006, ParkWhiz has been working with 500 cities and 4,000 parking operators across 35 states. Users can find parking spaces daily, monthly, or for events, compare prices, and reserve spaces using the service. Besides ParkWhiz, the company also operates ParkWhiz Business, an online tool for managing employee and customer parking.
Parkopedia
The Parkopedia navigation app is available in 89 countries, and keeps track of more than 70 million parking spots. With Parkopedia, you can find the nearest parking spot for your car in any city you choose. You can find out how much it will cost, and find out how many spots are available. It lists GM, Ford, Mazda, and Volvo among its clients as its "parking partners."
Way
The Way company offers insurance and auto financing services in addition to parking apps. Parking spaces can be reserved hourly or monthly on Way, which also helps users locate parking spaces at airports. In addition to its parking pass service, Way also offers a service called Parking Pass that allows you to hop between parking lots for a one-time fee. For those who don't know where they parked, Way will provide walking directions.
SpotAngels
SpotAngels' founder built their app after having their car towed and paying $569 to get it back. The app is available in almost all major U.S. cities, and it shows parking options and sends reminders to help drivers avoid tickets. There is even a map on the company's website that helps users find free parking.
ParkMobile
This free app offers three ways to park, but we will focus on just one: the ability to reserve a parking spot ahead of time. In cities where parking garages are scarce, drivers can use ParkMobile to find parking spaces. Schedule a time and date for your car in the garage of your choosing.
The Parking Spot
The Parking Spot is in the conversation for the best airport parking apps, as it allows you to find places to park at a number of major airports around the U.S. The app lets users pay with touchless entry, and in some locations, offers complimentary car cleaning while travelers are away.
PayByPhone
The PayByPhone app, owned by Volkswagen Financial Services, allows users to pay for street parking using their phone using a designated number provided by the PayByPhone system. The driver can enter the number of hours they plan to stay and extend their stay without returning to their car.
Passport Parking
Similar to PayByPhone, Passport Parking allows drivers to search for parking and reserve spots, as well as pay from their smartphones. During their parking session, this app will notify users when the rates are about to change, and when their session is about to end.
What Are The Key Features To Be Included In a Car Parking App?
There are a few key features that a parking app should have:
Available in real-time
Provides real-time information about available parking spots in the area of interest. A GPS location or an address search can be used for this feature.
Reminders for parking meters
Allows users to set reminders for when their parking meters expire so they can move their vehicles before getting a ticket.
Step-by-step directions
A turn-by-turn navigation system that shows users the closest parking spot based on their current location.
Filters for searching
Search results can be filtered based on cost, location, and parking type (e.g. street parking, garage, lot).
Integrate payments
Through the app, users can use a credit or debit card to pay for parking.
Parking history
The feature allows users to view their parking history, including past locations and durations.
Ratings and reviews
The app allows users to review and rate parking spots, provided by other users.
Parking rules and restrictions
The application allows users to view parking rules and restrictions for a specific location, such as time limits and designated parking areas.
Handicap-accessible parking
Search results can be filtered to show only handicap-accessible parking spots.
Carpooling
Shares parking spaces with other users heading to the same destination, reducing traffic congestion.
Push notifications
Alerts users about nearby parking spots, special promotions, and the expiration of parking meters.
Multi-language support
To cater to a diverse population, the app should be available in different languages.
Technology Stack And Platform Selection
Parking apps should be developed using a platform and stack of technologies that fit their specific requirements and development team's preferences. For developing car parking apps, there are several options, including:
A Cross-Platform Development Framework
These frameworks enable developers to build apps that run on multiple platforms, such as iOS and Android, such as React Native, Flutter, and Xamarin. Developing apps for each platform separately is more expensive and takes longer. Frameworks allow for faster development and lower costs.
The Native Development Method
Developers can leverage native technologies such as Swift for iOS and Java or Kotlin for Android for a faster and more optimized experience.
Technology Stack For The Backend
There are several technologies that can be used for the backend, including Node.js, Ruby on Rails, and Django. To store parking information, user information, and parking history, a database like MySQL, MongoDB, or PostgreSQL is required.
Cloud Services
Authentication and authorization can be handled using cloud services such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
Developing APIs
A robust API allows integration with other systems and services, including payment systems, maps, navigation, and parking meters.
Machine Learning
Parking availability can be predicted using ML, and the best parking spot suggested based on historical traffic data.
Maps And Geolocation
Geolocation and mapping services, such as Google Maps and OpenStreetMap, are essential for accurate location-based information.
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Car Parking App?
The cost of developing an app for parking a car will vary from $15,000 to $35,000 depending on the level of complexity. It is estimated that the development cost of an Android or iOS app that integrates GPS navigation and UPI payment capability will range between $30,000 and $48,000 if you are interested in adding UPI payments functionality.
It should be noted, however, that the cost of creating a mobile application will depend on the complexity level and the features included, as well as the total timeline of the project. If your project requires a lot of development time, then the cost of the project will be higher. It is also important to take into consideration both the experience level and location of developers who work on iOS parking apps and Android parking apps when determining the price for the mobile apps.
Recent Works
We have created many mobile apps in iOS, Android for all kind of businesses. Among them few are top downloaded Apps. See here are some of our works how Neetable is helping teams build amazing products.
Conclusion
There are numerous notable benefits that come with the development of parking software, as you can see. Having your parking app developed by a reputable parking app development company such as Neetable gives you a solution that suits everyone. As one of the top parking app development companies in the industry, Neetable has a strong client base around the globe.
Getting the best quote for your project can be done by getting in touch with our team of expert parking app developers.
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