Finding a spot to park a vehicle is one of the top challenges that motorists face these days. According to recent reports, an average American spends over 17 hours finding a parking space. But do you know that this time can be significantly reduced by developing a parking app?
With a parking app, you can save a lot of time that you otherwise would spend to find a palace where you can park your car safely. The market for car parking apps is huge and it is growing significantly. As per the Market and Market reports, the global parking management market size reached $5.6 Billion in 2024 and it is expected that the industry will reach $ 8.1 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period.
Considering the former report, it is safe to say that developing a parking app could be a lucrative business idea in the coming years. While there are many parking space finder apps existing in the market already, there is still room for a new one that, if designed well, can outshine the existing ones.
In this blog, Developer Bazaar has provided you with a detailed guide for developing a parking app with all the necessary points you must know. By following this guide, you can create the next revolutionary parking finder app and transform the industry. So, let’s start.
How Does a Parking Space Finder App Work?
Before moving on to the development of car parking apps, it is crucial to understand how these apps work and what are their different types, so that the further development journey clears out. We have categorized the parking apps into two kinds; Parking apps for users and parking management apps for the firms that manage parking.
Here is how parking apps for users typically function:
- The user first sign up by putting the details like personal details, and vehicle details.
- Then, whenever there is a need for a parking spot, the user puts in the details, like the location, time for how long the car parking is required, and the mode of payment.
- The car parking app has GPS, maps, or other location-based APIs, depending on the app, that find the nearest available parking spot based on the information provided by the user.
- The user parks the vehicle and pays through the chosen payment method when leaving the spot.
On the other side, the parking management apps designed for the firms function like the following:
- The firm registers the parking spaces it manages. When the user looks for the parking spot, the firm gets the notification.
- The firm allot the available space to the user based on the information, such as vehicle, and timings for the parking.
- The parking lot management apps can also connect with CCTVs via the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, enabling remote monitoring of the vehicles.
- When the user takes the vehicle, the firm uses the app to calculate the total charges based on the total time the vehicle was parked, give the bill to the user, and receive the payment.
So, this is how parking apps and parking management apps function. Moving on, let’s discuss the types of parking space finder apps that you can develop.
👀 Also Read: Which Country is the Best Option for Mobile App Development?
Types of Vehicle Parking Apps
There are eight types of parking apps. Let’s understand each of them in this section.
1. On-Demand Parking Apps
On-demand parking apps, also known as simple parking apps, are mobile applications that help users find nearby parking spaces, book them, and pay for the parking in real-time.
2. Parking Navigation Apps
The parking navigation apps are similar to on-demand parking apps but the former apps have the navigation feature powered by GPS technology that guides users to the nearby available parking spots.
3. Long-Term Parking Apps
The long-term parking apps allow users to find car parking spaces for a long period, for instance, weeks or even months. These apps work on a subscription-based model and often offer parking spaces at discounted prices.
4. Valet Parking Apps
The valet parking apps enable users to book valet services in which the driver handles the vehicle parking and retrieval at particular locations. These apps work best for users who do not want to spend on parking their vehicles themselves.
5. Event Parking Apps
The event parking apps are designed for someone who wants to organize an event and requires a parking spot near the event venue. Using these apps, the host can pre-book and manage the parking spaces to allow their guests to park their vehicles.
6. Corporate Parking Apps
The corporate parking apps are designed for the corporations to manage parking spots to be used by their employees. Using these apps, businesses can allot parking spaces to employees and track their usage efficiently.
7. Residential Parking Apps
The residential parking apps help property owners to manage parking spaces within the residential premises. Also, residents can rent out unused parking spaces to others using the same app.
8. EV Parking Apps
The EV parking apps help users find parking lots and spaces that are equipped with EV charging stations so that they can charge their vehicles while being parked.
Bonus: Smart City Parking Apps
The smart city parking apps allow users to find available parking spaces in the smart cities. These apps are integrated with IoT devices that manage the availability and allotment of parking spaces in real-time.
Step-By-Step Process to Develop a Car Parking App
Car Parking App Development requires a clear roadmap, resources, and an expert development team. By following the given process, you can develop a parking app tailored to your specific needs.
Step#1. Define your Requirements
Start by writing down your requirements related to the parking app development. By requirements, we mean what type of parking app you want to develop. In the earlier section, we have mentioned that there are eight (nine, including bonus) different types of parking apps.
Also, you need to determine the platforms, such as iOS, Android, or cross-platform development for your parking app, based on your target user base. Also, determine the features you want to integrate into your parking app. For this, you must study other parking apps available and list down the features that can make your car parking app helpful for the users and make it stand out in the market.
Step#2. Set Up the Development Team
For developing a car parking mobile application, you will require a development team that has years of experience and deep expertise in parking app development. Many entrepreneurs try to build the app themselves and fail miserably.
So, it is recommended to hire top mobile app developers and set up a development team to build the app. You can also outsource the project to an offshore mobile app development in India like the Developer Bazaar.
Step#3. Build the Prototype and UI/UX Design
After setting up the development team, work on creating the prototype of the parking app. A prototype is the basic design of the app that shows how the app will look and function.
Create the prototype and make changes in designs according to your requirements. At this stage, design the user interfaces for the car parking app. Use top software and tools to design it, keeping the user experience in mind.
Step#4. Develop the Car Parking Application
Once the UI/UX designing is completed, begin with coding the frontend and backend of your parking app. To tell you the difference, the frontend is the part of the app with which the users interact, while the backend is the behind-the-scenes structure that powers the app’s functionalities and processes.
Moreover, integrate APIs ( Application Programming Interfaces) like Maps, GPS, payment gateways, and other functionalities into your app. Also, add cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, etc. to make your vehicle parking app highly functional, enhancing your users’ experiences.
Step#5. Testing and Quality Assurance
Post development, it is necessary to test your parking space finder app to ensure that it is functioning right. The testers in your development team will conduct rigorous testing to check for bugs, glitches, and other performance-related issues.
Run your app on different platforms and devices to ensure that its performance is consistent and it can handle high volumes of user requests at a time.
Step#6. Deploy the App
After the testing is done, deploy the parking app on the app stores, such as Google Play Store and App Store. Follow the stores’ guidelines to ensure successful submission.
Also, don’t forget to promote your vehicle parking application among your targeted user base.
You can leverage different strategies like app store optimization, running advertisements, hiring influencers to talk positively about your application, doing SEO (search engine optimization), and more.
Step#7. Maintenance and Upgradation
The job isn’t finished yet! You need to continuously monitor your parking space finder app’s performance. You can use different KPIs (key performance indicators), such as downloads, installation rates, time spent on the app, bounce rates, etc. to know whether users like the parking app or not.
Additionally, you can also look for the user feedback about the parking app. Based on it, frequently make changes in the functionalities, and interfaces, and add new technologies to keep it relevant for a long time.
Top Features of Parking Mobile Application
The features play a crucial role in engaging users and making the car parking space finder app successful. Thus, you need to integrate the top features into the parking app, making it relevant for the targeted users.
The following are some of the top features of parking mobile apps that you must integrate:
Top Features For Parking Space Finder Apps
1. Registration
The users first sign up using this feature by providing necessary details such as personal details, vehicle details; car model, registration number, color, etc., and their preferred mode of payment.
2. Dashboard
Another must-have feature for a parking app is a user-friendly dashboard that has all the necessary tabs, such as nearby parking spots, book parking, make payment, book-in-advance, and more.
3. Location
The parking app is equipped with a geolocation feature that tracks the live location of the user. Based on the location, the app shows the nearby parking spaces available in real-time.
4. Search Nearby Parking
The search nearby parking feature in the parking spot finder app allows users to search for available parking lots and spaces to park their vehicles, in real-time.
5. Time Range
This feature calculates the time the vehicle was parked and tells the amount needs to be paid. Also, using this feature, users can enter the time range they want the parking space and get estimated amounts in advance.
6. Book Parking
The book parking feature in the parking space finder application allows users to book parking spots by entering date, time, and vehicle details.
7. Payment Methods
Using the payment methods feature in parking applications, users can choose their preferred payment options, such as cards, e-wallets, or cryptocurrencies to make payment for the parking.
8. Parking History
Using this feature, users can get access to the list of parking bookings in the past. Using the same feature, users can also add their favorite parking spots so they don’t need to search for them again and again.
9. Ratings and Reviews
This feature allows users to rate their parking experiences, and leave reviews to help other users to know about it. Also, it helps parking management firms learn about user experiences and improve them for enhanced experiences.
10. Customer Support
The 24/7 customer support in the parking app can address the users’ queries and provide them with solutions in real-time, enhancing user experiences.
Top Features for Parking Management Apps
1. Sign-Up
Using the sign-up feature, parking managers can register themselves and their parking spaces and parking lots providing information like address, capacity, charges, facilities, and more.
2. User Management
The user management feature in parking space management apps helps managers manage users’ information, parking orders, and payments.
3. Parking Lot Management
The parking lot management feature allows parking firms and managers to manage their car parking spaces. Using this feature, they can monitor parking lots and facilities and check if they need any improvements.
4. Price Management
The price management feature enables parking business owners to manage prices according to parking demand and other reasons. Also, by integrating AI into the app, price management can be automated, saving time and resources for the owners.
5. Booking Management
The booking management feature in the parking lot management apps allows parking managers to accept or decline parking booking requests.
6. Revenue Management
This feature allows owners of parking businesses to generate and manage bills, invoices, staff salaries, referrals, and more.
Technology Stack To Build a Car Parking App
In this section, we have recommended some top tools and technologies that you can leverage to build a car parking space finder mobile application tailored to your requirements.
| Category | Technology Name | Purpose |
| Frontend Development | React Native or Flutter | For building a cross-platform mobile app for iOS and Android. |
| Backend Development | Node.js with Express.js | To handle server-side logic and APIs efficiently. |
| UI/UX Design Tools | Figma or Adobe XD | For designing an intuitive and user-friendly app interface. |
| Database | PostgreSQL or MongoDB | For storing user data, parking space details, and transaction records. |
| Real-Time Updates | Firebase Realtime Database | To provide live parking availability updates to users. |
| Geolocation Services | Google Maps API | For navigation, mapping, and location-based parking spot identification. |
| Payment Gateway | Stripe or PayPal | To enable secure and seamless payments for parking bookings. |
| Cloud Hosting | AWS (Amazon Web Services) | For scalable hosting of the backend and database. |
| Push Notifications | Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) | To send notifications about parking status, bookings, and updates. |
| AI/ML Framework | TensorFlow or Scikit-learn | To analyze user patterns and improve parking predictions. |
| Authentication | Firebase Authentication or Auth0 | For secure user login and authentication. |
| Analytics | Google Analytics or Mixpanel | To monitor user behavior and track app performance. |
| IoT Integration | MQTT Protocol and Raspberry Pi | To connect IoT-enabled parking sensors for real-time space monitoring. |
| DevOps and CI/CD | Jenkins or GitHub Actions | To streamline continuous integration, delivery, and deployment processes. |
| Testing | Appium and Selenium | For testing the app’s functionality, compatibility, and performance. |
It is crucial to note that these technology stacks are only for recommendation purposes. You can other tools, software, and technology to build your app. If you need more help, feel free to reach out to Developer Bazaar.
Cost of Parking App Development
When it comes to calculating the total parking app development costs, it becomes a little complicated as the cost depends on various factors such as:
- Purpose of the parking app
- Compatibility of the app
- Size and location of the development team
- Tools and technologies
- Integration of advanced technologies
- Testing and maintenance services
- App Marketing
- Any other custom demand of the client.
Based on the following factors, the total cost of developing a parking space finder and management app is calculated. To give some rough figures, a parking mobile app development cost ranges from $35000 to $50000 for a simple app, and from $60000 to $100000, or more, to build a complex parking app.
So, we recommend you contact us and share your requirements, and we will provide you with a detailed cost breakdown for your parking app development.
Top Car Parking Space Finder Mobile Applications
The following are top mobile apps for finding parking spaces and booking them in real-time. Have a look:
1. ParkMobile
ParkMobile is a popular parking finder mobile app that enables users to find, reserve, and pay for parking spaces in real-time. The app is popular in the USA, making parking finding hassle-free.
Top Features of ParkMobile
- Real-time parking spot availability.
- Contactless payment integration.
- Parking duration extensions via the app.
- Notifications for parking reminders.
- Integrated with stadiums, airports, and city parking systems.
2. SpotHero
SpotHero is another parking app that connects users with off-street parking spaces, helping the former compare prices, reserve parking in advance, and save up to 50% on parking costs.
Top Features of SpotHero
- Pre-book parking spaces.
- Price comparison for nearby spots.
- Digital parking passes for seamless access.
- Corporate discounts for business users.
- Covers garages, lots, and valet services.
3. ParkWhiz
Another best parking app on the list is ParkWhiz. This parking space finder app offers easy booking and payment for parking spaces in different locations. The reason for ParkWhiz’s popularity is that it offers stress-free parking experiences along with discounted prices for parking spots.
Top Features of ParkWhiz
- On-demand parking space reservations.
- Instant access to pre-booked spots.
- Interactive maps with real-time navigation.
- Integration with event parking options.
- Support for parking in garages and lots.
4. JustPark
JustPark parking app connects drivers with parking spots in driveways, garages, and private lots, promoting a community-driven parking solution for flexible, low-cost parking.
Top Features of JustPark
- Option to rent private parking spots.
- Instant parking space discovery.
- EV charging point integration.
- Payment options include Apple Pay and PayPal.
- Access to business and residential parking spaces.
5. EasyPark
EasyPark parking spot finder app simplifies urban parking by helping users find and pay for spaces directly from their mobile phones across over 20 countries.
Top Features of EasyPark
- Wide coverage across multiple countries.
- Automatic location detection for nearby parking.
- Detailed parking history and receipts.
- Remote parking session management.
- Integrated EV charging station locator.
Technology Trends to Consider When Developing Parking Mobile Apps
The following are some of the top technology trends that you must consider leveraging while developing your parking app, to make your app stand out and gain a competitive edge.
1. AI and Machine Learning Integration
AI and machine learning integration is a must if you are developing a custom parking finder app. These technologies automate functions such as finding nearby parking spots, providing personalized recommendations, empowering customer support chatbots, and more, improving the app’s functionalities and enhancing user experiences.
2. Cloud-powered Development
By leveraging cloud-powered parking app development, you can store and manage the data on the Cloud and access it from wherever you want. Moreover, cloud technology allows enhanced security, protecting users’ crucial data such as personal and payment details from unauthorized hacks.
3. Enhanced IoT Integration
By integrating IoT (Internet of Things) technology, you can allow parking managers to connect the app with the CCTV camera and other machines, such as EV chargers, and monitor and control them remotely. IoT-integrated parking apps can also allow users to keep an eye on their vehicles parked in the parking lots.
4. EV Charging Station Locators
Electric vehicles are gaining more attention from people in the USA, India, and other parts of the world. Thus, you must integrate EV charging station locators in your parking finder apps so that users can park their EVs and charge them simultaneously.
5. Cryptocurrency Compatibility
Just like EVs, cryptocurrencies are also gaining momentum worldwide. In fact, in most places, people prefer to make payments via cryptos instead of fiat currencies. So, it will be a strategic move to make your parking app cryptocurrency-compatible, allowing users to make payments through leading cryptocurrencies.
Conclusion
At this time when there are a lot of vehicles on the road but fewer parking spaces, parking finder apps are doing miracles for car owners. Using parking space finder apps, users can save time and energy in finding the right spot to park their vehicle and pay for the services.
Similarly, parking lot owners can build parking management apps to manage their parking facilities and streamline operations such as parking space management, billing, managing other facilities, monitoring vehicles, and more.
So, if you are someone who is interested in developing a custom parking app, reach out to Developer Bazaar, the best parking finder app development company in India. We have developed 50+ parking finder and management apps that are helping vehicle owners and parking lot managers find and manage parking spots alike.
FAQs
Q1. What are parking finder apps?
Parking finder apps help users to find and reserve parking spaces to park their vehicles.
Q2. How are parking finder apps different from parking lot management apps?
Parking finder apps allow users to find and book parking spots. On the other hand, parking lot management apps help parking space owners to manage parking spaces.
Q3. Can I develop a car parking app as per my requirements?
Yes, contact Developer Bazaar and we will develop a car parking app tailored to your specific requirements.
Q4. Does Developer Bazaar provide services to startups?
Yes, Developer Bazaar provides end-to-end parking space finder and management app development services to startups, small businesses, and others.
Q5. How can I contact Developer Bazaar?
You can visit our website: https://www.developerbazaar.com/ or click here to contact our experts.
