How to Build a Parking App: Steps, Features, Cost

• By Atman Rathod
• 28-07-2023
• Mobile Apps

The digital age has brought us multiple benefits and one of them is the burgeoning number of vehicles!

But this number has also brought a challenge of available parking spots!

Now, motorists have to spend endless hours to find the right spot to park their vehicles. And this severe situation is calling for an innovative and sustainable strategy that can address parking scarcity smartly.

Why are parking areas turning into a challenge?

As we all know, urbanisation has brought a number of advancements into practice and led to immense growth in the way we live.

Here, you cannot miss the challenges an excessive number of cars are bringing- parking issues.

Yes, when you travel locally in your city or plan to take a trip out of the city, one of the most frustrating aspects that you face is the parking.

Despite having paid parking options, the utilisation of parking space is not optimised that can lead to parking space crunch.

This leads to wasting too much time in finding the right parking spot, and sometimes to theft as the security of cars is compromised largely if cars are parked at an insecure location.

So what is the solution?

Well, we cannot roam around to find a secured spot to park the car, as it requires time and space is not always guaranteed.

With an app solution this challenge can be mitigated to a larger extent.

To help you understand how mobile app development Kuwait is your best bet to build a car parking app, this blog post will help you to glean insights.

Let’s get started!

Why Should You Invest in a Car Parking App?

The global smart parking market is expected to grow to US $ 3.8 Billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 14%. - Statista Worldwide - global smart parking market spending 2023 | Statista

To start with, the above stat is enough to support every possible reason to build a car parking app, yet we would like to draw your attention towards the few most prominent ones.

First of all the rise of parking apps is evident to everyone.

With these apps, anyone can park with a free mind and need not have to struggle for finding the space next time also.

Drivers can locate free or paid spots at their convenience and get real-time information to park their vehicles.

Indeed, these solutions remove unnecessary stress and help in finding the right spot, ditching the heavy traffic flow in the urban world.

Some of the reasons to get parking apps are:

• Focus on reaching the destination
• Remove the clutter of constantly searching for a parking place
• Advanced technology eliminates parking stress
• Can be integrated with the vehicle's navigation system
• Helps to navigate directly to the nearest available parking spot
• Saves time
• Improves the ecosystem of urban transportation

Key Features of a Car Parking App

Hmm, when it comes to building the right features in your car parking app, it is crucial to fathom user preferences and industry trends.

Without checking these two aspects, it is very possible that you may end up building a solution that does not resonate with the user's demands.

Hence, to save you from this horrifying ordeal, we have brought you a series of features that must be a part of your car parking app.

Some of the essential features to include in a car parking app are:

Registration

It may sound nothing new to you, but we have mentioned it to help you understand that, without a registration feature, a parking app is incomplete.

If you want your users to enjoy every bit of the app's features, then starting with a registration is not a choice.

With this feature, you allow your users to access all necessary information and give them a personalised feel.

At the same time, it also gives them a secured environment, so they can ensure that their data is not misused, and gives them recommendations.

GPS

A parking app is nothing without a GPS!

Yes, with a GPS tracking facility, users get the most convenient and seamless experience when travelling, enabling them to get real-time data.

They are not just able to track vehicles but also locate space in the neighbourhood without any hurdle involved.

It results in reduced time to search the spot and experience satisfactory travel.

Notifications

A notification can be annoying and useful; provided it is implied at the right time and improves communication.

You need to include notifications to build a relationship that engages users.

As a car parking business, there is a lot to share with your customers; it can be in the form of new updates, promotional offers, wishing on their important days, or even some new spots covered.

Keep sharing the RIGHT information at the right frequency so they don’t get irritated. You must strategize them in such a way that users find a reason to keep visiting your app.

On the other hand, with a personalised approach, you build a lasting connection with your users, encouraging them to stay connected with your app and offered services.

History

Your users would be delighted to know where they went, how they paid, what the last parking spot was, and any specific information related to it.

This can be easily accessed with a feature- Car parking history!

In this feature, you can include all the required information, helping users to locate their history and find out the whereabouts of their last or favourite spot for parking.

This feature utilises advanced technologies to automatically record, store, and manage data about previously used spaces. This helps them streamline the process to find out the last used parking spot, save time, and park their vehicle in a much more secure location.

This feature has another advantage as well, wherein drivers can benefit by parking at the right location daily by integrating it into their car navigation system.

Multiple Payment Options

Digitalization has given a boost to online payment, and the method to make such payments is not limited to one only.
The digital mode of payment brings comfort and convenience to the drivers making the payment for parking spots.

Since there are a wide variety of payment modes today, such as credit/ debit cards, e-money, UPI, pay later platforms and much more, your app should not be limited to one method only.

It must support multiple payment methods, so users can use the app without worrying about using only one type of payment option.

With such flexibility, you give your users a sense of satisfaction while using the app, and they don't switch to any alternate solution due to the payment hassle.

All in all, this feature is a strategic move towards increasing app usability exponentially so not a single user gets inclined towards a competition app.

What You Should Consider While Building a Parking App?

Market Analysis

What your users want is mostly different from what your business needs!

Are you finding it insane?

Well, this is the fact that is overlooked by most of the businesses out there while building the app.

You need to invest heavily in market research and analysis if the app's success is on the cards.

It is often very hard to understand what the targeted audience is looking for, as most of their demands are lost in-between the business offerings and the competition.

Hence, it is vital to study their needs in-depth by conducting research and analysis and, in accordance with that, build a solution that fits the bill effectively.

Also, you should not forget that market research should not be done after the app development process, but it should be conducted before beginning the app development process.

You should not forget that conducting research also ensures detailed insights about industry trends.

So you can customise the app’s features and identify any gaps to reach your potential customers with an incredible app solution.

App Design

A universal fact suggests that any app is consumed first by its interface, followed by its functionalities.

As we all know, today’s market is flooded with apps for every possible service under the sun. In such a hullabaloo, it is highly recommended to build an app that is not just functioning at an impeccable level but also aesthetically appealing.

Little businesses know that with well-crafted user interfaces, they can draw the attention of their TG more efficiently.

If you think the role of a well-designed app is just limited to look and feel, then you are hugely mistaken.

A well-designed app has a lot to do with branding your business identity and encouraging extensive app usage.

At the same time, developers must ensure that there is a synergy between app design and functionalities, so users are not bewildered while using the app.

They must be able to navigate the app while exploring its features & functionalities without losing its appeal.

Here, designers play a significant role and enable the app to make a lasting impression in the users’ minds. They consider the details like colour, text, font type, and the right placement of content so it can drive value rather than deviate the user from its main essence.

Lastly, a successful app can only be possible if app design is given equal importance to app functionality.

Start With the Local Market

First experiment with your known audience.

Yes, this is the strategy you need to proceed with the car parking app solution!

When you focus largely and primarily on the local market, then it gives you a right start. You get to know your competition, and understand your audience and their demands- resulting in a better ROI on your solution.

After gaining substantial experience and insights, you can explore your wings in the international market. Your expertise in the local market will enable your international users to also gain trust in your services.

The golden mantra here for you is- that global market expansion must be followed by your app’s local expansion. This will not just lay the foundation stone for the app’s growth parameters but also build trust among users for your offered services.

Best Information Finder

TBH, one of the primary concerns in today’s world when driving on the road is- where to park the car?

Indeed, a bigger chunk of customers' time goes into finding the right spaces that help them park cars safely.

Most of the time, drivers just circle around a particular space, just to find one, but failing to find one not only wastes their time but also creates unnecessary annoyance.

An app with the feature of finding the right information about available space can actually make a difference.

With this feature, they can find the space while or before driving, and this saves their time and energy, leading to a satisfactory travelling experience.

It is worth mentioning here that an accurate parking spot is required by urban life, which is transforming into smart city life.

This leads to a clutter-free user experience, leading to the app’s success while ensuring the smart city of tomorrow becomes a reality.

App Updates

For the car parking app developer, it is highly significant to regularly update the app as per the current demands.

As we all know, technology is improving at every passing moment, and failing to keep up with it can lead to some fatal consequences for your app.

Hence, your app must integrate the latest technical advancements while keeping the user experience at check.

On the other hand, the regular updates enable businesses to listen to users’ grievances and work on their feedback. This helps to build a relationship with the users while making the necessary improvements to serve their needs extensively.

What is the Cost to Build a Car Parking App?

A million-dollar question that remains at the back of everyone’s mind!

However, when it comes to deciding and sharing the exact numerical figure for a parking app solution, it is far from simple.

You must be wondering why.

So the answer is- there is a lot that goes into deciding the cost, and multiple factors come into play and impact the overall cost.

Considerable factors such as design, features, technology, functionalities, OSs, payment APIs, and many other things get into it.

On average, the cost can vary depending on the aforementioned factors and can range anything between $30,000 to $100,000 or beyond.

Thus, this segment requires careful consideration and planning before making a final move.

It is recommended that essential features based on market demands can be a smart choice, enabling businesses to invest in end-solutions that are demanded by the customer.

It goes without saying, it also helps businesses to remain vigilant about their financial constraints and invest in an MVP solution to start with.

Concluding Thoughts

Let’s accept the fact that technology is advancing at a rapid rate, and to match the pace cars will increase in numbers.

In this sprint, the demand for conveniently available parking spots will be an inevitable need that must be sufficed.

Here, technology once again will play its role and ensure that drivers get the best parking spot without being hassled in crowded urban areas.

On the flip side, integrating emerging technology into parking solutions will warrant unparalleled customer satisfaction.

Well, at last we can state that car parking solution development is not a choice but a mandated fact for every forward-looking business.

To scale your business to new heights, you just need to get in touch with an Android app company and seize the opportunities of tomorrow.