How to Find and Pay for Parking with SpotHero

SpotHero is an app that lets you find, compare, and reserve parking spots in advance — mostly in garages and parking lots in cities and near stadiums, airports, and event venues. Instead of arriving at your destination, circling the block hoping to find a spot, and paying full walk-up rates at a garage, SpotHero lets you lock in a parking space ahead of time, often at a discounted price.

The way it works is straightforward. You tell SpotHero where you are going and when you plan to arrive and leave. The app shows you a map of nearby parking options with their prices, distances from your destination, and user ratings. You pick the one that suits you, pay through the app, and receive a confirmation with instructions for accessing your spot.

SpotHero works with most major parking garages and lots in cities across the United States. It is especially useful for events like concerts or sporting games, where parking near a venue can be very expensive and you can often find a better rate a few blocks away by reserving in advance.

When you arrive at the parking facility, you will use either a barcode on your phone screen (shown to a gate attendant or scanned at a reader) or a gate entry code. SpotHero's confirmation screen walks you through the specific instructions for each facility.

SpotHero is free to download. You pay for parking through the app and there are no booking fees in most cases. The app is available for iPhone and Android.