City & enforcement systems
Lotably vs. Smart Parking
Smart Parking installs LPR cameras and runs compliance on retail and commercial lots at no cost to the site, with motorists paying parking invoices. Lotably lets you run enforcement and payments yourself.
Facts about Smart Parking checked October 2026. Sources at the bottom of the page.
The short answer
Smart Parking is a managed compliance service: it installs LPR cameras, signage, and pay machines on retail, hospital, and commercial lots at what it calls zero upfront or ongoing cost to the customer, monitors the site, and handles parking invoices through its own pay-and-dispute portal. It doesn’t publish how it is paid or what invoices cost. Lotably is software you run: your officers scan plates from a phone, you set the rates and fines, drivers pay with nothing added by default, and every payment lands in your own Stripe account.
What Smart Parking is
Smart Parking Limited has been listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: SPZ) since 2011. It entered the US by buying Texas-based Peak Parking in April 2025 and bought Oklahoma-based American Parking in July 2026.
Smart Parking says it has more than 30 years in car park management, with offices in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, and Switzerland, and it claims more than 500,000 bays monitored. Its LPR camera system reads plates at entry and exit, and motorists validate by entering their plate at an on-site machine or paying at a Pay & Walk machine that takes coins, cards, and pay by phone. Lots can be set up for a maximum stay, permit-only access from a pre-approved list, or free time followed by paid parking. Its managed service installs the cameras, signage, and machines at “zero upfront or ongoing cost to our customers,” with 24/7 monitoring and an automated case management system. A Compliance Management System app lets wardens log breaches with photos, chalk cars digitally, and print by Bluetooth, and it also offers mobile patrol attendants for busy periods.
Its US site links a “Pay / Dispute Parking Invoice” portal for motorists and lists a main office in Austin, Texas. Smart Parking bought Peak Parking, a Texas operator with 134 sites, for US$36 million in April 2025, and American Parking, with 54 locations in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas, for US$12 million in July 2026. Its US pages don’t publish customer pricing, contract terms, invoice amounts, or how the managed service is funded.
Where Lotably is different
You run it, instead of handing it off
Smart Parking’s managed service takes the car park off your hands: it installs the equipment, monitors the site, and handles invoices. Lotably is software your own team runs. You set the rules, the fine schedule, and whether to warn before citing, and the relationship with drivers stays yours.
Published pricing instead of an unstated funding model
Smart Parking says its managed service is free to customers but doesn’t publish how it is paid or what motorists are charged. Lotably publishes its rates: Free is $0 a month plus 12% of online payments for up to 2 lots, and Starter is $99 a month plus 5% for up to 25 lots, with daily parking capped at 35¢ (Free) or 25¢ (Starter) a session.
Payments go to you
Motorists pay Smart Parking invoices through Smart Parking’s own portal. With Lotably, every payment is a direct charge on your own Stripe account, and Lotably never holds the money.
No cameras or pay machines
Smart Parking’s model is built on entry and exit cameras, signage, and on-site machines. Lotably officers scan plates from a phone, and drivers pay daily parking by scanning a QR poster, with no app.
Monthly parkers and guest passes built in
Smart Parking supports permit-only lots from a pre-approved list, and its blog mentions digital visitor permits without describing them. Lotably runs monthly parkers with a self-service portal and card, ACH, or invoice billing, and residents issue their own guest passes under a quota you set.
Sign up today
Smart Parking’s US site offers a “Get in touch” form. Lotably’s signup is self-serve, and you can set up lots, fines, and officers and connect Stripe the same day.
Side by side
| Lotably | Smart Parking | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Operators and owners who want to run enforcement and payments themselves | Retail, hospital, and commercial sites that want camera compliance handled for them |
| Getting started | Self-serve signup online, set up the same day | “Get in touch” form |
| Pricing | Free: $0/mo + 12% of online payments (up to 2 lots). Starter: $99/mo + 5% (up to 25 lots) | Managed service at “zero upfront or ongoing cost” to customers; funding not published |
| Contract | Month to month, cancel anytime | Not published |
| Fees on drivers | None added to your posted price by default | Parking invoice amounts not published |
| Where payments settle | Your own Stripe account, as direct charges | Motorists pay invoices through Smart Parking’s portal; revenue terms not published |
| Enforcement and citations | Phone plate scanning, photo-evidence citations, escalating fines, warnings, online contests | Entry and exit LPR, 24/7 monitoring, automated case management, warden app, mobile patrols |
| Daily parking | Per-lot QR posters with hourly, rest-of-day, until-a-set-time, or event rates; drivers can book a day ahead | Pay & Walk machines (coins, cards, pay by phone) and plate validation terminals |
| Monthly permits and billing | Monthly parkers, self-service portal, billing by card, ACH, or invoice | Permit-only lots from a pre-approved list; permit billing not described |
| Guest passes | Residents issue passes from their portal, capped by a quota you set | Digital visitor permits mentioned; details not published |
| 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 | Not described on its US site |
| Hardware | None; officers use a phone, and printing to a Brother mobile printer is optional | LPR cameras, signage, and Pay & Walk machines installed by Smart Parking; vehicle detection sensors also offered |
| Integrations | Parking BOXX and ParkMobile sync, CSV import, Stripe; API connections built at no extra cost (vendor API fees may apply) | SmartCloud API; claims 5,000+ integrated technologies |
When Smart Parking may be the better fit
If you own a retail center, supermarket, or hospital lot and your goal is to stop overstays and non-customer parking without running anything yourself, Smart Parking’s managed service is designed for that: it installs the cameras and machines, monitors the site around the clock, and deals with motorists. Lotably has no fixed cameras, pay machines, or bay sensors, and it doesn’t take over operations. Lotably fits when you have staff who can patrol, want to set your own rules and fines, and want the payments and the driver relationship to stay with you.
Switching, or running both
If you’re weighing a managed camera service against running enforcement yourself, you can test Lotably on one lot first. Set your rates and fines, print a QR poster, import any permit holders by CSV, and have staff scan plates from their phones. Lotably is month to month, so a trial doesn’t commit you to anything.
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 Smart Parking
Is Smart Parking free for property owners?
Its LPR camera page says its managed service installs cameras, signage, and other hardware at zero upfront or ongoing cost to customers. It doesn’t publish how the service is funded, and its US site links a portal where motorists pay or dispute parking invoices. Invoice amounts aren’t published.
Is Smart Parking a US company?
It is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: SPZ), and its US site carries the footer of its Scotland-registered UK company. It entered the US by buying Texas-based Peak Parking in April 2025, bought Oklahoma-based American Parking in July 2026, and lists a main US office in Austin, Texas.
Does Lotably use cameras like Smart Parking?
No. Officers scan plates from a phone with plate reading built in, and the system checks monthly parkers, guest passes, and paid sessions before a citation. There are no cameras or machines to install.
Who keeps the money with Lotably?
You do. Every payment is a direct charge on your own Stripe account, and Lotably never holds the money. Lotably’s fee is 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.
More comparisons
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Sources
- Smart Parking US: homepage
- Smart Parking US: LPR camera system
- Smart Parking US: compliance management system
- Smart Parking US: Pay & Walk
- Smart Parking US: about
- Smart Parking US: contact (US office)
- Smart Parking: acquisition of Peak Parking (April 2025)
- Smart Parking: acquires American Parking (July 2026)
Information about Smart Parking comes from its public website and the sources above, checked October 2026. Smart Parking 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.
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