SpotHero
SpotHero operates a two-sided marketplace connecting drivers to 14,000+ parking facilities across 400+ U.S. and Canadian cities via mobile app, website, and Ticketmaster integration. The platform monetizes through transaction fees on reservations while serving consumers, corporate accounts, and 1,200+ parking operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What SpotHero does
SpotHero is a two-sided digital marketplace for off-street parking, founded in 2011 in Chicago and operating across 400+ cities in the United States and Canada. The company connects drivers with parking inventory through a consumer-facing mobile app (rated 4.9/5 on the iOS App Store) and a website, where users can search, compare, and reserve hourly, daily, or monthly parking at garages, lots, and valet facilities. The core technology stack centers on a reservation platform with a guaranteed-spot policy, dynamic pricing tooling (Flex Rates), QR-code-based drive-up payments (Scan2Pay), and an operator-facing Control Panel for inventory and pricing management. SpotHero also distributes inventory through third-party channels including Ticketmaster's checkout and wallet flows, supporting seamless parking purchase for concerts and sporting events.
The company operates a transactional, take-rate revenue model: drivers pay a total checkout price that bundles the operator's reservation cost, SpotHero's service fee, applicable taxes, and any oversize vehicle fees. SpotHero does not own or operate parking facilities; it functions as an intermediary that collects fees on behalf of operator partners. The customer base spans individual consumers (commuters, event-goers, travelers), corporate users via SpotHero for Business (with SAP Concur and WageWorks/HealthEquity integrations for expense management and pre-tax commuter benefits up to $340/month), and 1,200+ parking operators and venues. Marketing is product-led and multi-channel, combining app store optimization, SEO, referral credits, and venue partnership marketing.
As of February 2026, SpotHero is the subject of a pending acquisition by Uber Technologies, expected to close in the first half of 2026 subject to regulatory approval, which would embed parking reservations directly into the Uber app and integrate Uber One member benefits. The company has raised approximately $117.6 million across eight disclosed funding rounds (2012–2019), was last valued at $290 million in 2019, has facilitated more than $2 billion in lifetime parking GTV, and has parked over 100 million cars since launch.
SpotHero firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SpotHero
- Legal name
- SpotHero, Inc.
- Website
- https://spothero.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- SpotHero operates a two-sided marketplace connecting drivers to 14,000+ parking facilities across 400+ U.S. and Canadian cities via mobile app, website, and Ticketmaster integration. The platform monetizes through transaction fees on reservations while serving consumers, corporate accounts, and 1,200+ parking operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SpotHero industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Parking Marketplace
- NAICS
- Parking Lots and Garages (812930), Parking Lots and Garages (81293)
- SIC
- Services-Automotive Repair, Services & Parking (7500)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Payments & Enforcement for Parking (Mobile Pay, LPR/ANPR, Citation Mgmt) (TLAJAIAE)
Keywords
Where SpotHero is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SpotHero business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Transaction-based parking reservations: SpotHero facilitates parking reservations between drivers and parking operators, retaining a service fee as compensation for marketing services and transaction processing. The total price displayed at checkout includes the reservation cost, SpotHero's service fee, applicable taxes, and any oversize vehicle fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Per-transaction pricing for hourly, daily, and monthly parking |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
SpotHero product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SpotHero operates a digital marketplace that connects drivers seeking parking with parking operators offering inventory across 14,000+ locations in 400+ cities in the U.S. and Canada. The platform processes advance reservations for hourly, daily, monthly, airport, and event parking via a mobile app and website, retaining a service fee on each transaction. Complementary offerings include SpotHero for Business (expense management for corporate users) and an Operator Platform (inventory, dynamic pricing, and QR-based payments for parking operators).
Product overview
SpotHero is a digital parking marketplace operating as a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core product is the SpotHero Mobile App, a #1-rated parking reservation platform enabling users to find and book hourly, daily, monthly, airport, and event parking at 14,000+ garages, lots, and valets across 400+ cities in North America. This core platform is complemented by specialized modules including SpotHero for Business (expense management for employees), the Operator Platform/Control Panel (inventory and pricing management for parking operators), Event Parking Partnerships (venue-specific solutions with Ticketmaster integration), Commuter Benefits (pre-tax parking program), and tools like Scan2Pay and Flex Rates for operator revenue optimization. The company also maintains the acquired Parking Panda brand. SpotHero functions as a marketplace intermediary connecting drivers with parking operators, facilitating reservations and collecting fees on behalf of licensors rather than operating parking facilities directly.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SpotHero Mobile App
Quantifiable outcome
- Platform has facilitated 100+ million car parking transactions since 2011
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SpotHero
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SpotHero technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature5 records
SpotHero partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Uber TechnologiescoreUber announced agreement to acquire SpotHero for undisclosed sum, expected to close in H1 2026 subject to regulatory approval. The acquisition aims to integrate parking reservations into the Uber app for commuters, events, venues, and airports, with Uber One members set to receive parking benefits.
- TicketmastercoreIntegration allowing event attendees to reserve parking directly through Ticketmaster checkout or after purchase in their Ticketmaster wallet, reducing friction for concert and sports venue parking.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SpotHero competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ParkWhiz: ParkWhiz is a leading North American online parking reservation marketplace with overlapping coverage of garages, lots, and event venues. It directly competes with SpotHero on consumer bookings, operator inventory acquisition, and venue partnerships.
- BestParking: BestParking is a parking comparison and reservation platform aggregating off-street facilities across major U.S. cities. It competes head-to-head with SpotHero in hourly/daily reservations and airport parking discovery.
- Arrive (formerly ParkHub): Arrive provides parking management software and reservation/payment infrastructure for venues, garages, and event operators. It overlaps with SpotHero's Control Panel, Scan2Pay, and event partnership offerings on the operator side.
- JustPark: JustPark is a U.K.-based parking marketplace letting drivers pre-book spaces in garages, driveways, and lots. It is a direct functional analog of SpotHero outside North America, useful as a comparable marketplace model.
- ParkBee: ParkBee is a European parking platform connecting drivers to underutilized garage inventory via an app and operator integrations. It mirrors SpotHero's marketplace-plus-operator-tool approach in Europe.
Emerging players
- Metropolis: Metropolis is a technology-forward parking operator using computer vision and mobile payments to modernize garages and lots. It competes with SpotHero on the operator technology stack and check-in/payment flows.
- EasyPark Group: EasyPark is a European mobile parking payment and reservation platform with broad geographic coverage. It overlaps with SpotHero on mobile pay/reservation flows but is more on-street focused.
Others
- Turo: Turo is a peer-to-peer car rental marketplace owned by Uber. It is adjacent rather than direct, but the Uber connection and shared mobility/marketplace dynamics make it relevant for understanding Uber's broader mobility platform strategy.
Broad incumbents
- LAZ Parking: LAZ Parking is one of the largest U.S. parking operators managing thousands of facilities nationwide. It is a broad incumbent that both supplies inventory to SpotHero and increasingly builds direct digital channels competing with marketplace platforms.
- SP+ (Standard Parking): SP+ is a major North American parking management company operating garages, lots, and event parking across airports and cities. It serves as both a SpotHero supply partner and a broad incumbent building its own digital and reservation capabilities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SpotHero social profiles
Digital presenceSpotHero financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SpotHero leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
SpotHero funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors27 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SpotHero M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SpotHero
What does SpotHero do?
SpotHero operates a digital marketplace that connects drivers seeking parking with parking operators offering inventory across 14,000+ locations in 400+ cities in the U.S. and Canada. The platform processes advance reservations for hourly, daily, monthly, airport, and event parking via a mobile app and website, retaining a service fee on each transaction. Complementary offerings include SpotHero for Business (expense management for corporate users) and an Operator Platform (inventory, dynamic pricing, and QR-based payments for parking operators).
Is SpotHero a public or private company?
SpotHero is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was SpotHero founded?
SpotHero was founded in 2011. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is SpotHero based?
SpotHero is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does SpotHero make money?
One revenue line is on record: transaction-based parking reservations.
Who are SpotHero's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ParkWhiz, BestParking, Arrive (formerly ParkHub), JustPark and ParkBee. Emerging players are Metropolis and EasyPark Group. Turo is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are LAZ Parking and SP+ (Standard Parking).
Does SpotHero have an API?
No public API is recorded for SpotHero.
What industry is SpotHero in?
SpotHero's product category is Parking Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAJAIAE, Digital Payments & Enforcement for Parking (Mobile Pay, LPR/ANPR, Citation Mgmt). Its NAICS code is 812930 and its SIC code is 7500.