If you live in an area where parking is a challenge, you know how excited you are when you see a spot up the block and how disappointing it is to find out it’s either a driveway or worse, a fire hydrant. Fortunately, there are apps out there that help you find a spot without breaking your heart.
SFpark is awesome, but only if you live (or park) in San Francisco.
Unfortunately, they’re regional apps, so you’ll have to search for the city you live in. In San Francisco, we recommend SFpark (free, iPhone), which shows real-time parking availability and pricing. While we can’t offer an informed opinion on parking apps in other cities (sadly, Accounting declined our cash advance for a ’68 Mustang Fastback to drive around the country testing parking apps), we can recommend Parkbud ($1.99, iPhone), an app that helps you keep track of your car once it’s parked. Its beautiful interface can locate your car, show you how much time you have on the meter, and let you take a picture of your rental car and place it on a map so you can find it later in a sea of similar-looking Ford Focuses.
Avoid tickets by watching the meter with Parkbud.
If you ride a motorcycle or scooter, the community-driven parking app Park the Bike ($1.99, universal) will show you where motorcycle parking spaces are and if they’re free or paid spots. While one of the benefits of commuting on two wheels is the ability to park anywhere, in some downtown areas, even motorcyclists can have a tough time finding a legal parking spot. We’ve pulled over a few times, fired up the app, and found a spot just around the corner.
If you ride a scooter or motorcycle, get Park the Bike.
