Parkit Explains

How Does Parking With an App Work? – A Simple Guide to Mobile Parking

Remember standing at a cold ticket machine that refused your last five-krona coin? Those days are mostly gone. Today, most parking is done through your phone — fast, easy and paper-free. But how exactly does parking with an app work, and why does every app have different codes and prices? Let’s break it down step by step.
Underjordiskt parkeringsgarage med vita och svarta bilar parkerade mellan gröna och vita pelare.

What Does “Parking With an App” Mean?

Parking with an app means you pay for and manage your parking directly on your phone, instead of using a physical machine.

The app acts as a digital payment system:
You choose your parking zone, start your session, and stop it when you leave.
The payment is handled automatically via your chosen method.

The most common parking apps in Sweden are:

  • EasyPark
  • Parkster
  • Flowbird
  • Betala P (Stockholm City’s own app)

They all do roughly the same thing — but they work with different municipalities, parking operators and property owners.

How Parking Apps Work – Step by Step

  1. Open the app and allow location access or enter the zone code shown on the sign.
  2. Choose parking duration – some apps start with a fixed time, others let you stop when you want.
  3. Confirm payment – usually via Swish, card, invoice, or business account.
  4. Park – no paper ticket is needed; your license plate is stored in the system.
  5. Stop or extend your parking directly in the app.

The convenience lies in this: your parking session is linked to your car, not the machine.

How Control and Monitoring Work

When you park with an app, your license plate is registered in a digital database.
Parking attendants (or automated camera systems) check your plate directly against that database.

You don’t need to show a ticket — the system already knows you’ve paid.

If you forget to end your session, the timer keeps running — but some apps send reminders or allow you to set a maximum time limit.

Benefits of Using a Parking App

  • No need to find coins or ticket machines
  • Pay only for the time you actually park
  • Start, stop, or extend remotely
  • Get digital receipts and history
  • Lower risk of fines due to missing or faded tickets

Your phone becomes your parking meter — in your pocket.

Common Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

<div class="knowledge-table"><div class="knowledge-table_header"><div class="knowledge-table_header-cell">Mistake</div><div class="knowledge-table_header-cell">What Happens</div><div class="knowledge-table_header-cell">How to Avoid It</div></div><div class="knowledge-table_row"><div class="knowledge-table_cell">You choose the wrong zone code</div><div class="knowledge-table_cell">You get a control fee (fine)</div><div class="knowledge-table_cell">Always double-check the code on the sign</div></div><div class="knowledge-table_row"><div class="knowledge-table_cell">You forget to end the session</div><div class="knowledge-table_cell">You pay for extra time</div><div class="knowledge-table_cell">Set a reminder or enable “auto-stop”</div></div><div class="knowledge-table_row"><div class="knowledge-table_cell">You change cars but forget to update the license plate</div><div class="knowledge-table_cell">The system doesn't recognize your car</div><div class="knowledge-table_cell">Update the vehicle details before parking</div></div></div>

From App to Smart System – The Next Step

App payments are just the beginning.
The next generation of parking will connect permits, monitoring and payments automatically — without the user having to think about it.

At Parkit, we’re developing exactly these systems for property owners, housing associations and companies.

Our technology connects:

  • Digital permits
  • Camera-based license plate recognition (ANPR)
  • Automated billing and reporting

The result: parking areas that manage themselves, and people who no longer need to worry about tickets, zones or manual errors.

The Future of App-Based Parking

App payments are already standard across most Swedish cities.
But the future will be even more connected — integrating charging stations, digital permits, and real-time data in one platform.

That means parking will become more sustainable, fair, and seamless.
When parking works automatically, the whole city runs smoother.

Parkit’s Perspective

We believe technology should simplify, not confuse.
App-based parking is a step in the right direction, but the future we see is one where parking just works — invisibly in the background.

That’s why we share our knowledge openly — because when people understand how systems work, they start to trust them.
And trust is the key to progress.

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