Gated lots, marketplaces & events
Lotably vs. AirGarage
AirGarage operates your lot for a share of the revenue, with its own cameras and enforcement teams. Lotably is software you run yourself, with payments that settle to your own Stripe.
Facts about AirGarage checked October 2026. Sources at the bottom of the page.
The short answer
AirGarage is a parking operator, not software you buy: it takes over your lot, installs its cameras, replaces gates, sets prices, runs enforcement with local teams, and keeps a share of the revenue. Its site describes the revenue share without publishing the split; TechCrunch in 2021 and ASU in 2025 reported 70/30 in the owner’s favor. Lotably is the system you use to run the lot yourself, under your brand, with published percentages, nothing added for drivers by default, and every payment landing in your own Stripe account.
What AirGarage is
AirGarage, Inc., founded in 2017 by Arizona State University students. It raised a $23 million Series B led by Headline in July 2025, per ASU.
AirGarage operates parking lots and garages for property owners, including real estate firms, asset managers, independent owners, churches, and businesses. It installs its own AirSight LPR and aerial cameras, removes gate systems for gateless entry and exit, and takes over enforcement, driver support, maintenance, signage, and on-site execution. Drivers pay from their phones without an app, prices change automatically with demand, and it lists properties on aggregators such as SpotHero and ParkWhiz. Owners get dashboards for revenue, occupancy, and live camera feeds. The company says it works with more than 400 locations in 40-plus states.
AirGarage says it operates on a revenue share with no hidden fees and no startup or equipment costs, and that it works month to month with no long-term contracts. Its pages don’t publish the split. TechCrunch, reporting on its 2021 Series A, described a 70-30 split in the owner’s favor, and Arizona State University’s 2025 write-up of its Series B gave the same figure. Its terms say drivers pay a Service Fee on each transaction at a rate AirGarage sets, and that unpaid or unauthorized vehicles may be immobilized or towed at the vehicle owner’s expense.
Where Lotably is different
You stay the operator
AirGarage runs the lot for you: its cameras, its pricing, its enforcement teams, its driver support. Lotably is software your own team runs. You set the rates, the fine schedule, and whether to warn before citing, and the lot, the brand, and the relationship with drivers and owners stay yours.
A software fee instead of a revenue split
AirGarage doesn’t publish its split on its site, but TechCrunch and ASU have reported that it keeps 30% of revenue. That 30% also pays for its cameras, staff, and marketing, which Lotably doesn’t provide. Lotably charges 12% of online payments on Free or 5% on Starter ($99 a month), and on a daily parking session the percentage or at most 35¢ (Free) or 25¢ (Starter), whichever is less.
Payments land in your Stripe
Drivers at AirGarage locations pay AirGarage, and its site doesn’t say when owners are paid. Every Lotably payment is a direct charge on your own Stripe account, and Lotably never holds the money.
No service fee on drivers
AirGarage’s terms say every transaction carries a Service Fee whose rate AirGarage sets, and automatic Autostart Payments can add a Courtesy Fee. By default, Lotably adds nothing to your posted price.
Sign up today instead of requesting a proposal
AirGarage starts with a proposal request and a call with its team, and says proposals typically arrive within one to two business days. Lotably’s signup is self-serve, and you can set up lots, rates, fines, and officers and connect Stripe the same day.
Side by side
| Lotably | AirGarage | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Operators and owners who want to run parking themselves | Owners who want to hand the whole operation to someone else |
| Getting started | Self-serve signup online, set up the same day | Proposal request and a call; proposal in 1 to 2 business days |
| Pricing | Free: $0/mo + 12% of online payments (up to 2 lots). Starter: $99/mo + 5% (up to 25 lots) | Revenue share; split not published on its site (reported as 70/30 to owners) |
| Contract | Month to month, cancel anytime | Month to month, no long-term contracts |
| Fees on drivers | None added to your posted price by default | Service Fee on each transaction, rate set by AirGarage; Courtesy Fee on Autostart Payments |
| Where payments settle | Your own Stripe account, as direct charges | Collected by AirGarage; owner payout timing not published |
| Enforcement and citations | Your team: phone plate scanning, photo-evidence citations, escalating fines, warnings, online contests | AirGarage’s cameras and local enforcement teams; citation process not described |
| Daily parking | Per-lot QR posters with hourly, rest-of-day, until-a-set-time, or event rates; drivers can book a day ahead | App-free phone payments, demand-based pricing, aggregator listings |
| Monthly permits and billing | Monthly parkers, self-service portal, billing by card, ACH, or invoice | Auto-renewing monthly permits; tenant portal and validations |
| Guest passes | Residents issue passes from their portal, capped by a quota you set | Digital validations; resident guest passes not described |
| Towing and booting | Tow and boot records with a one-tap call to your tow company; off until you ask; Lotably does not check whether they’re allowed where you enforce, and you assume all risk | Terms allow immobilizing or towing at the vehicle owner’s expense |
| Hardware | None; officers use a phone, and printing to a Brother mobile printer is optional | AirSight LPR and aerial cameras installed by AirGarage; gates removed |
| Integrations | Parking BOXX and ParkMobile sync, CSV import, Stripe; API connections built at no extra cost (vendor API fees may apply) | Lists properties on aggregators such as SpotHero and ParkWhiz |
When AirGarage may be the better fit
If you own a lot or garage and don’t want to staff it, patrol it, or think about pricing, AirGarage is built for that. It brings the cameras, removes the gates, sends local enforcement teams, handles maintenance and driver complaints, and markets the spaces on aggregators, all for a share of revenue with no startup cost. Lotably does none of the on-site work: it has no cameras, no staff, and no consumer marketplace. Lotably fits operators and property managers who already have people on the ground, or owners who would rather keep the revenue, the brand, and the decisions in house.
Switching, or running both
Because AirGarage works month to month, moving a lot to Lotably mostly means replacing what AirGarage brought. Plan for its cameras and signage to come down, put up your own entrance signs and a QR poster, import monthly parkers by CSV, set your rates and fine schedule, connect Stripe, and decide who on your team will patrol.
One system, top to bottom
What every Lotably plan includes
Month to month, no lock-in
No annual contract and no multi-year commitment on Free or Starter. Cancel anytime.
Sign up yourself, set up the same day
Create your account online, add your lots, and connect Stripe in one sitting. You’re live as soon as you sign up.
Every feature on every plan
Enforcement, daily and event parking, monthly applications and plans, billing, scheduled guest passes, merchant validations, dispute evidence, and reports. Some workflows need configuration or enabling. No add-on modules. Booting and towing start off until you ask; you are responsible for following the law where you enforce and assume all risk of using them.
Money lands in your own Stripe account
Payments are direct charges on your Stripe account. Lotably never holds your money or pays you out later.
No app fee for drivers
By default, drivers pay exactly the price you post. Our fee comes out of what you collect online, never from the driver. If you ask, we can add a flat service fee per parking session that goes to you.
Integrations built at no extra cost
Parking BOXX, ParkMobile, and manual/CSV sessions work today. When another vendor offers an API, we build the connection at no extra cost (the vendor may charge for API access).
Published pricing
Free is $0/month plus 12% of online payments. Starter is $99/month for up to 25 lots, plus 5%. Daily parking is at most 35¢ or 25¢ a session. No quote required.
Runs on the phone you have
Plate reading is built into the officer app, which runs in the browser. Daily parking needs a printed QR poster and nothing else.
Questions about Lotably and AirGarage
What percentage does AirGarage take?
AirGarage’s site says it works on a revenue share with no hidden fees but doesn’t publish the split. TechCrunch in 2021 and Arizona State University in 2025 reported a 70/30 split in the owner’s favor, which would mean AirGarage keeps 30%. Its terms also let it charge drivers a Service Fee on each transaction.
Is Lotably an alternative to AirGarage?
Only if you want to run the lot yourself. AirGarage is an operator that takes over the site with its own cameras and staff. Lotably is the software for doing it in house: plate enforcement from a phone, daily QR parking, monthly permits, guest passes, and payments in your own Stripe account.
Does Lotably install cameras or remove gates?
No. Lotably has no camera or gate hardware. Officers scan plates from a phone, and drivers pay by scanning a QR poster or paying a citation online.
Does Lotably add a service fee for drivers?
No. By default, drivers pay exactly the price you post. Lotably’s fee is paid by the operator: 12% of online payments on Free or 5% on Starter, and on a daily parking session the percentage or at most 35¢ (Free) or 25¢ (Starter), whichever is less.
How fast can I start on Lotably?
The same day. Sign up online, add your lots and rates, connect Stripe, and print your QR posters. The Free plan needs no card and covers up to 2 lots.
More comparisons
- Lotably vs. SpotHero
- Lotably vs. Metropolis
- Lotably vs. Flash (FlashParking)
- Lotably vs. ParkHub (now JustPark)
Sources
- AirGarage: homepage
- AirGarage: independent owners
- AirGarage: get a proposal
- AirGarage: simplify operations
- AirGarage: driver experience and gateless parking
- AirGarage: terms of service and LPR policy
- TechCrunch: AirGarage raises $12.5M led by a16z (2021)
- Arizona State University: AirGarage raises $23M Series B (2025)
Information about AirGarage comes from its public website and the sources above, checked October 2026. AirGarage is a trademark of its owner, and Lotably is not affiliated with or endorsed by it. Spot something out of date? Email hello@lotably.com and we’ll correct it.
Put your whole parking operation in one system
Sign up online and set up the same day. Month to month, every feature on every plan, and the money lands in your own Stripe account.
No credit card for the Free plan · Month to month · Questions? Call +1 (513) 348-3049