Which parking app?

Question

What is the common parking app in DC to prepay for a spot? Here in Chicago its Spothero or ParkWhiz and see they have DC parking but is there another one people use? I am looking at parking prices vs parking at my hotel garage. Not worried about the in/out benefit because only be there 2 nights and won't need it.

Answer

In Washington DC, the parking scene is very app-friendly, and the services you know from Chicago—SpotHero and ParkWhiz—are indeed widely used. But DC also has one important additional app that locals and visitors rely on, depending on whether you’re looking for garage parking or street parking.

Here’s the full breakdown so you can compare prices and choose the easiest option for your 2-night stay.

1. For garages and prepaid parking: SpotHero & ParkWhiz are the main apps

These two dominate garage/reserved parking in DC, and they cover almost every major commercial garage in the city. Locals regularly use them for downtown, Capitol Hill, and Wharf areas.

SpotHero – Most widely used in DC for prepaid garage spots; good filters and lots of garages.
ParkWhiz – Similar coverage, sometimes cheaper than SpotHero depending on the garage.

Tips: Booking a garage through these apps is almost always cheaper than paying hotel garage rates in DC, even with no in/out privileges.

2. For meter and on-street parking: ParkMobile is the official DC street-parking app

If you are thinking of parking on the street at any point, ParkMobile is the app used citywide. It is required for nearly all metered spaces in DC.

ParkMobile – Official for DC street parking, including meters and some neighborhood zones.

You don’t prepay days in advance for street parking—just pay when you park—but it’s helpful to install in case you need it.

3. Another option (less common but available): Parking Panda (owned by SpotHero)

You may see some references to Parking Panda, but it’s now integrated into SpotHero and no longer a separate active service.

Parking Panda / SpotHero – Use SpotHero instead.

Recommended approach for your 2-night stay

Compare your hotel garage cost vs. SpotHero and ParkWhiz. Many DC hotels charge $45–$60/night.
Use SpotHero or ParkWhiz to book a nearby garage at a lower rate (often $20–$35/night).
Install ParkMobile just in case you need any short-term street parking while exploring.

Most visitors find they save significant money by using SpotHero or ParkWhiz instead of hotel garages, especially for stays longer than one night.