Name: PayStay
Rating: 4.7 (49493 reviews)

Updating

PayStay

Database Consultants Australia

Released: 2014-06-09

Free 0%

Version 5.1.1

Free 0%

Version 5.1.1

Released: 2014-06-09

#22 in Top Free Apps > Utilities

iPhone Screenshots

Description

The PayStay App provides a simple method to pay for your parking via your smart phone. Where data is available PayStay has the added benefit of being able to show parking locations with real-time availability.

After registration you can use the PayStay mobile app like an advanced parking meter in your hand.

It couldn't be easier. Say goodbye to coins, paying more than you have to and the stress of rushing around to top up your meter.

All fees are deducted from the credit card that is linked to your PayStay Account.

Registration is quick and easy. So sign up to PayStay for hassle-free parking payments.

What's New in Version 5.1.1

We've listened to your feedback and made some incredible enhancements, bringing you an even better parking experience

- All new user interface: Say hello to our sleek and modern interface! Navigating through the app is now smoother and more intuitive than ever before

- Enhanced Features: We've fine-tuned existing features to make searching for an available parking spot easier and added new features to make parking even more convenient and stress-free

Enhancements for small screen devices.

Seller

Name

SARB MANAGEMENT GROUP PTY LTD

URL

Information

Developer

Database Consultants Australia

Version

5.1.1

Size

26.5 MB

Game Center

VPP Device Licensing

Yes

Rating

Rated: 4+

Compatibility

iOS 15.0 or later

Devices

iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone SE (3rd generation), iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad (5th Generation) Wi-Fi, iPad (5th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (6th generation) Wi-Fi, iPad (6th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro, iPad Pro (Cellular), iPad Pro (9.7-inch), iPad Pro (9.7-inch) (Cellular), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (10.5-inch), iPad Pro (10.5-inch) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro (11-inch), iPad Pro (11-inch) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air, iPad Air (Cellular), iPad Air 2, iPad Air 2 (Cellular), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad Air (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini Retina, iPad mini Retina (Cellular), iPad mini 3, iPad mini 3 (Cellular), iPad mini 4, iPad mini 4 (Cellular), iPad mini (5th Generation), iPad mini (5th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (7th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air (4th Generation) (Wi-Fi), iPad Air (4th Generation) (Wi-Fi + Cellular), iPad (8th generation) Wi-Fi, iPad (8th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th Generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (9th Generation), iPad (9th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini (6th Generation), iPad mini (6th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air (5th generation), iPad Air (5th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad (10th generation), iPad (10th generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air11M2, iPad Air11M2Cellular, iPad Air13M2, iPad Air13M2Cellular, iPad Pro11M4, iPad Pro11M4Cellular, iPad Pro13M4, iPad Pro13M4Cellular, iPod touch (6th Generation), iPod touch (7th generation)

Languages

English

App Store: Customer Ratings

Ratings & Reviews

4.7 of 5 (49,493 Ratings)

App Store: Customer Reviews

2024-05-28

Unable to load credit details

Unfortunately, my experience with this app so far is not good.

I cannot add my card details keeps saying unable to access despite card details being correct.

Requires multiple log ins to move through screens even once logged in.

Takes a while to load despite good cell reception.

2024-05-26

Should not require top-up

It’s a disgrace that a public service like this requires users to topup before using the service. I would expect to be only charge the exact amount. Also the app seems to charge a significant surcharge, for the car park I am using i paid less than $5 but the app was quoting more than 5 dollar.

2024-05-25

User Interface Ok, User Experience Poor

This app was the worst parking app on the market for user experience (in my experience). It’s great to see they have improved the look of the app but the functionality is still not quite right.

I’m glad I’ve been able to finally update my expired card but still had to do it manually via email support.

First time I have tried using this app since updating and selecting the time I want to park for still glitches and jumps to max time.

Easy Park is still king and I hope that they can buy this one out.

2024-05-23

Dodgy as

Hidden fee for notifications that are on by default and hard to turn off is just plain bad. Having to pre load credit is also dodgy - so the developers can sit on a bunch of cash to earn interest on.

2024-05-23

No way to set a default vehicle

I had two vehicles added in the app but there's no option to set a default one.

I had to stop the parking a few times after realising I forgot to change the vehicle, that of course, the app still charged me despite its only for a few seconds…

So I ended up deleting one car and just keep only one in the app…

2024-05-21

Fixed pricing

The new update says I have to pay for a full 2 hour park, even when I’m only going to be there for 10 minutes. Doesn’t make any sense. If this is the case I’ll just start keeping silver coins in my car and delete this app

2024-05-21

Poor app

This app has so many costly bugs. I used it to park, left the parking but had forgotten to end active parking session. When I remembered a couple of hours later, there was no active parking session. I assumed the app detected i had left the spot since there was no active parking session or way to end the session anymore. Until….midnight that night I received an alert that the session was ending - I paid for an entire day of parking! Totally unlawfully overcharged. The app did not have an active park in session, or attempted to hide that there was one in session. Terrible.

2024-05-21

Rubbish app lost tracking of my parking time and landed me a fine

Long story short, downloaded this app and prepaid for $10 worth in preparation to pay for some parking at a venue I attended in April, I got to the venue and attempted to start the parking session, at the time the zones on the app were poorly marked, I selected the zone that made the most sense at the time and started my active parking session (or so I believed),1 hour and 20 minutes later I attempted to pay for my parking time and this stupid app kept saying I had no active parking session even-though my car was registered as in the zone I was parked at.

Long behold I receive a parking fine for this flawed app.

I don’t necessary blame the developers of the app for the fine but to put criticism where is it is due, the user interface of the app in April before it was recently updated was borderline unusable and unnecessarily complicated 2/5

2024-05-20

Worst update ever, it doesn’t work anymore.

Bring the old version back, it used to work all the time with no problems. This new version it’s slow, constantly disconnects and sometimes not even work.

2024-05-17

Can’t stop session

On the updated version I can’t stop the session as I can’t see the buttons. Have to phone to stop it and it’s annoying.

2024-05-16

Can’t stop my parking session in the app

Since the upgrade of the app, I can no longer work out how to stop a parking session in the app. It used to be easy.

I’ve read the help section: no answer. I have been able to stop a session by ring a phone number then choosing the right option but this is tedious.

2024-05-16

No button to end session

Updated app missing end session button. Which means Ive had to pay for a whole day’s parking. Dont know whether other users are experiencing this. Needs to be fixed straight away please. StubbsyA

2024-05-16

STOP button hidden

The stop button is hidden at the bottom of the App screen. It’s very hard to access as the screen won’t scroll up

2024-05-16

Mr Garrett

Like the new format much more easier friendly and convenient

2024-05-15

Not comparable to iPhone SE

This app update is not compatible with smaller phones the bottom half of the screen cuts out and I cannot stop the PayStay

2024-05-14

Update won't let me use app

Just went to park, app has updated but is stuck on the 3 blue tiles showing new features. There is a skip button on til 1 and 2 but tile 3 takes up the whole screen. I couldn't park, what ticket inspector would believe me? Using iPhone 8.

2024-05-14

Ripped off

Had old app no problem. Update to the new app couldn’t stop the meter from running. Deleted app and reinstalled it again. Got to the first page and couldn’t go any further. What a pain. Give me back my 3 dollars. As if.

2024-05-14

Can't stop it

The stop parking button doesn't fit on my screen. If I scroll up, it won't accept my pressing it. Great for revenue raising, very sad paying parking I didn't use.

2024-05-13

New Interface is baffling.

I can’t believe that you could make something as simple as parking so unintuitive. So confusing to look at. Horrible experience please bring back old UI. Almost unusable if I try to adjust to park just for 2 hours the dial will spin back to max time automatically.

2024-05-13

No dark mode

This app does not have dark mode.

2024-05-12

spent 20 minutes to set up this parking app.

this app is so outdated. ask many questions. compare to other parking app which is 100 times easier to set up. waste of time

2024-05-10

Update is terrible! Major glitches!

Shocking update! Won’t let me stop an active session! Forces me to pay maximum time! Theft by the app! Fix it before customers report you PayStay! I deleted app and reinstalled thinking maybe it would fix now worse! Won’t even open the dashboard stuck on tutorial screen! Get it together PayStay!!

2024-05-08

Preloading credit is required

While I can see that this app might be useful for those who use it regularly to pay for parking, this is terrible for those who only pay once in a while. Unlike the NSW Park’n’Pay app, this one requires you to enter a credit card so that it can load credit into your account with them and then subtract parking fees from your account. Why can’t it charge your credit card directly? There is no way I’m going to let this company store my money for a parking payment that I might make once a year also.

Edit: The develop has responded confirming the app is intended for regular users and that casual parkers should use the parking meter. The reality is that the on-street signage doesn’t say this and that there are insufficient meters around. There are parking areas in Blue Mountains Council area with zero (0) parking meters & I have seems groups of tourists walking around like zombies trying to work out how to pay for parking using this app.

2024-05-04

Impressively awful.

This is genuinely one of the worst apps I’ve ever used. It has a previous vehicle showing in the app, I apparently have a balance in there, but no matter what I try I can’t login, create a new account, or reset my password. Ridiculous.

2024-05-01

Horrible won’t load most of the time

Tried updating my card details, will not load when most of the time and it’s not my connection, won’t use Apple Pay have to use your card info and it’s just a pain in general. Don’t know if it’s just me but just had no luck with this app.

2024-04-27

Inefficient with Zero Customer Support

Had issues from the get go. Tried to register 2 vehicles but when I try to update second vehicle details, the system logs me out.

Attempted to contact customer service via phone and fell down a rabbit hole of inefficiency.

Cherry on top was receipt of parking ticket 👍

2024-04-27

Paystay

I spent 15 minutes trying to change my password to one that would be accepted but it wouldn’t work. In the end I just parked my car somewhere else and deleted the app

2024-04-23

Does the job

The pop up asking me about turning on notifications (or not) PREVENTS the start of a parking session!!! I didn’t realise this, I was ignoring the pop up because I don’t care about notifications- then to come back to the ap to find I wasn’t even in an active parking session!!!

If I get a fine in that window- you’ll be hearing from me!! CHANGE IT!!!

As an ap that is FORCED on us- it’s not like we can pick and choose bw services… the app provider must be responsive to feedback and criticisms… I.e. constantly improve based on customer needs Could be better though.. for a short stay, I put in my predicted stay- then found I needed 5 min more (well with in max time for the spot) .. but the ap doesn’t have any means to extend time.. so best to over estimate time a lot- then stop it early.

2024-04-21

Horrible

I can’t park without credit card details

It won’t let me log in with Apple Pay even though it says I already have , demands email and password as well which I can’t provide as I don’t have email set up on my phone

2024-04-18

Hidden fees as well as 7.5% transaction fee

There are hidden fees that the user is not aware of. These will only appear on your charge on your bank statement and not the app. Make sure you check your bank statement. The compulsory auto top up means that every user needs to store money in their accounts. Why not just charge for what people use like every single other parking app. Read the most favourable reviews and you will get some idea why this has such a high rating. Also, how can a 7.5% transaction fee be justified?

2024-04-14

Avoid

Takes money from your account and crashes when you want it to pay for your parking, waiting a month for my refund, will be shutting account after I get my refund

2024-04-12

Doesn’t work

Whenever I open the app, I am taken to the sign up screen with no option to exit it. I then get stuck on a loading screen when trying to sign up with any of the sign up methods. I have already made an account online but can’t sign in to it on the app as I can’t view any sign in page. Also, when trying to pay online, it only lets me pay for a previously registered vehicle, not a new vehicle. Please fix this. Thanks

2024-04-10

Worst paying system

You spend 10 minutes trying to register this and it requires you to deposit a fix increment like 5 or 10dollars despite your parking fee is 6 or so.

2024-04-04

Apple Watch

Is it possible to make it Apple Watch compatible?

2024-04-02

Does what it says on the tin… but!

Can you pay for your parking?

Yes.

However, is the app hellishly slow to do literally anything else? (Log into your account, delete previous license plates, reset your password)

Oh god yes.

Is the interface bad, unoptimised, and difficult to follow?

Yes

Do they take money from your account $10 at a time so they can make their cash on hand numbers look better instead of just charging you for the time you parked only?

Yes

2024-04-01

Not user friendly

Terrible to get started. Terrible to use

2024-03-27

Be aware

I happily use EASYPARK and pay as I use it! It is clear and easy to use!

But Today while taking my sister to hospital I had to download this PAY STAYapp in order to park. Muffins here thought it would work in a similar fashion but instead they deducted $30 up front to get started and then another $30 as I tried to figure out the stop parking method.

IT WAS NOT CLEAR TO ME HOW THIS APP WORKS!

So they now get to sit on $50 extra$$$$ over the cost of my parking.

I’ve rung customer service and they were helpful and told me to set my BALANCE THRESHOLD at the recommended $5 and TOP UP AMOUNT at $10 .

Somewhere hidden away in fine print it must tell you this but certainly not clear when you are standing at the side of the road downloading an app.

Feeling like I have been scammed.

2024-03-27

Rubbish

Would not trust this app with any of my credit details. Keeps crashing. Does not work when you are on the park zone. It would be easier to go to the bank and withdraw money in coins and insert into coin machine when compared to this app.

2024-03-24

Pathetic App

Have the app ‘developers’ been incentivised by councils to make paying for parking and using the app impossible?

I can only assume this app is purposely designed to be bad. It is actually impressive how many barriers have been built into the app to stop people from using it.

Must be more profitable to issue tickets and fines, then let the public do the right thing.

2024-03-18

App is junk. Password sync badly implemented

Haven’t used account in years, google and Apple ID is portly implemented. Authentication error that account and phone number not linked. No way to fix it. Pretty bad user experience

2024-03-18

Impossible to sign up

This app is rubbish. When trying to sign up on a iPhone it asks you to change to a supported browser to get a captcha, but I don’t have any other browsers thus cannot sign up. Why not just use Easy Park that works!

No I don’t want to call the developer for help. If the app is not intuitive enough to use then I won’t use it.

2024-03-08

Awful user experience

UI is terrible, and the app glitches out and leaves the user with a blank screen constantly.

2024-02-25

Stupid

Why you need this many information? Why can't you link up with other apps. Every city we visit have different apps?

Auto top up? What year these people living in? No apple pay?

Ridiculous. It was easy to pay the machine rather than getting this app. How stupid is byron bay city council to use this app

2024-02-24

Rubbish

All details are correct, “Can’t verify your card details”! Absolute rubbish app. There’s no way to contact anyone. Don’t bother with this app

As I read all the reviews it seems all the developers responses are excuses, obfuscation and pass the buck.

2024-02-23

Not user friendly

Had a difficult time using this app compare to other parking apps.

2024-02-21

App crashes

Currently crashing upon login. Crashing upon entering mobile number to login.

2024-02-19

Doesn’t even work

I can’t even sign up, every time I try it keeps telling me bad request, what a joke

2024-02-17

Good app but with extra steps.

When I first parked in a zone where signs only pointed that using the app is the only way to pay I tried to find the app. After some 5-10 min trying to authenticate and register so I can use I finally got the app working. Everything is easy after that. Except, It takes money from you even before you use it. Minimum amount is 5 dollars. So the app take s the money and “holds” it for when you need it. I find that odd. Why does it need pre payment if I have provided the payment method. Feel like I was charged 5 buck for simply downloading the app. Some strange forced tip method not common to Australia. It feel like some scheme to squeeze the money out without earning it. Somehow tainted the experience.

2024-02-16

Good app - could be improved.

App is great - but it would be really good if it had a programmable start time. I park in a free park for my Pilates class but halfway into my class the parking spot turns into a paid park and I either have to leave my class to set the app (no phones in the class) or risk getting a parking fine.

If the app would allow me to schedule a start time on the app this would be huge improvement.

Alternatively can the app be made to work on a smart watch that I could activate in class.

2024-02-13

Rubbish App

It's a very rubbish app. It charges fees randomly, the customer service doesn't acknowledge it, and the response is very slow!

2023-12-10

Perplexing UI and data architecture choices

As a founder and entrepreneur in the SaaS space in 2023, I find this app's current state quite concerning. In an age where digital payments like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal are ubiquitous, their absence here is a glaring oversight. Given the heightened awareness around data security, especially after numerous breaches in recent years, the reluctance to adopt a more secure and user-friendly payment system is perplexing. Our industry standard is to minimize friction for the user, yet this app insists on a proprietary login system and unnecessary collection of personal data. Why isn't there an option for a streamlined single sign-on with giants like Google or Apple? Furthermore, the rationale behind enforcing a minimum balance policy seems counterintuitive and potentially suggests a revenue generation strategy that isn't transparent. This approach could be seen as a significant misstep, especially if it's perceived as a method for accruing interest on user funds. It's critical to align such operational decisions with user expectations and industry standards.

2023-11-18

A complete failure of design

The app requires a ridiculously complex password to be set up. I spent 20 minutes standing on the street without succeeding in setting up a password that met the specifications. Went and parked in the carpark, which used the EasyPark app, which also turned out tone cheaper.

“… the password requirements are in place for security reasons.” This excludes automatically generated strong passwords created by the OS. That forces people to select simpler passwords that are easier to remember, which in turn reduces security. Worse we can’t see the passwords that we are typing, which while standing in the street leads to extreme frustration. Use 2fa instead.

2023-07-21

Outdated and awful

This app is outdated and awful to use. Never knows what’s around my location so I always have to manually type in the number.

Also, why does it have to have a top up system. What can’t it be like easy park and just pay for what you use, I don’t want $10 leaving my account every time my pay stay account drops below a certain limit.

Needs updating and location accuracy and maps need to be better. It shows me nothing around my area, the map has never shown me any parking areas.

2023-06-10

Price gouging and really poor interface

Had to sign up with this app to park in St Kilda. First off the app has such a poor interface it took AGES to set up. Other parking apps are basically click and go but this took SO long to create an account and set it all up. Then it requires an minimum spend of $20 to set up, so I couldn’t even pay the $16 parking fee, I had to load $20 in. Then it also requires an automatic top up amount of at least $5 when the balance gets below $5. So for a $16 fee, I had to load $20 and then it immediately took another $5! So I paid $25 for a $16 parking spot!!! I’m a visitor to Melbourne so I will never recoup the money that they effectively stole from me.

2023-05-24

No Apple Pay? AutoTopUp? What year is this.

As an app developer myself I can't, I simply can't use this app. It so bad on many levels. It's 2023! - Where's Apple Pay? Where's Google Pay? Where's PayPal for crying out loud. There's no way I'm giving you my credit card details. Uber and Food delivery business have no problem with using Apple Pay why should you? - Why do I need to use your logon system? Why should I be giving you my personal details. My car registration is all you need to know. I don't trust you, there were enough of security breaches in the last few years. Why don't you have a single sign on with google and apple? - And cherry on top. Why do I need a minimum balance? What purpose does it serve? How many ppl's money you're just keeping in your accounts and accumulating interest. What a cash grab operation and fraud. Some council IT manager somewhere has a real nice kick back from this.

Update: I just received a response from the developer and can only shake my head in disbelief. What security checks? Why street meters don't conduct security checks? As for "make sure users have funds in their account" is just confirming my assumption that developers of the app are just amateurs and something shady is going on. I should probably report it ICAC. To secure the funds there's credit card pre-authorisation for exactly this purpose.

2023-04-30

Completely useless.

Spent an hour at home before my trip trying to set this app up for another car, then on my trip 15 minutes trying to start parking, eventually gave up and bought a ticket from the machine. Password reset doesn’t send email, sat on hold for 5 minutes after calling the number listed and then was cut off. Ended up setting up as new account with another email address. When trying to start parking won’t accept the registration of the new car, saying that it already exists. Plenty of other parking apps out there that work, developers of this one should do some more research.

2023-03-22

The worst app ever

The night before I tried to prepare my trip and parking. Logged into the app, updated my card and car detailed. This morning when I went to park it logged me out, then proceeded to not let me put my car rego in and said I already did when it did not appear when I tried to select a vehicle to buy parking for.

Where I need to park (port Phillip council area) the metre showed they don’t take cash anymore so I downloaded pay and stay. When I got to another metre today it didn’t take card(took coins) but my pay and stay app was not letting me pay for parking for my car under my new rego even though I deleted the old one!

Fix your app. People need to actually use this for work/school

2023-03-10

Never Enter Your Card Detail! Pay On The Parking Machine, Not The App!

Don’t use the app! Just pay on the machine. The minute you enter your card details it sets a minimum threshold and takes your money. It won’t allow you to have a balance less than $5. Yesterday my parking cost $3 and I still had $7.50 in my balance. The moment my balance is under $5 it automatically debits my card. Minimum top up is $5. Which means the $5 will forever be sitting in your account, unusable because it will always top up to ensure your balance is more than $5.

Other parking app allows once off payment, Paystay doesn’t! Not flexible at all. Avoid at all costs!

2023-01-12

Unacceptable Location Setting Requirements

App works pretty well. My main objection is that you have to set location disclosure to “always allow”. That means the app tracks me Al the time, regardless of when I use the app. Other apps allow an option of “only while using the app”. I don’t see why this cannot be an option. I won’t change to “always allow” for privacy reasons but as a result I forget to turn it off when I drive off, so I keep paying. Maybe that’s the business model?

2022-06-24

PayStay lack customer focus

Using the app is ok when you have set it up. But, when a credit card expired there’s a significant pain point. Don’t ask me for my new card when I just parked. It is inconvenient, even unsafe for me to type my details on the spot.

Can’t you give me 24hrs to update my card and pay? Otherwise I’d get a fine anyway!

Could you please let me save my user and password? My PayStay password is never going to be something I’ll remember—there’s face recognition, don’t you know. In any case, why do I need a password, the app is in my phone and once I put a credit card you don’t display my full details—therefore, no one can steal my details anyway! It would be very rare that a stranger would put their card detail on my PayStay. Think like a customer, we need speed when on the spot!

2022-06-04

Just an additional tweak

It would be great to be able to start a parking session prior to a time of required payment. For example if I could start at 8:15 even though the charges commence at 8:30. Just if you go into an appointment or work and are unable to use your phone after leaving your car. Just a thought to improve x

2022-03-02

Scam

Do not trust this app - lots of hidden fees. Once they have your card details they will take money with no notification - and if you don’t turn off notifications they will charge you for notifications - absolute scam of an app - do not even bother. Even when closing account you have to phone up then email - makes no sense - and you cannot remove your card details from their app without phone up - if that isn’t suss enough. Stay away from this scam.

All the fees you do sign up for - they’re in their terms - you’ll notice that no successful app has terms such as these.

Absolute scam company.

2022-02-19

Average basic app

Meh, average app. Let’s not get carr ied away with the basic job this app has to do. Where it fails is in its user interface. Once you’ve commenced parking on the app, the page looks almost identical to original page, unless you view down towards the negative space where it could clearly display where you’ve parked, the time when your parking expires and time remaining for expiration. It’s not clear enough at a glance without going to “history”. I mean, there’s plenty of room on that front screen. And I realise by writing this, nothing will change and this review will receive a “sorry to hear you’re not enjoying this app, I’ll pass on your feedback”

This app could be easily improved but they’re not going to listen. They have total monopoly of the parking.

2022-02-02

One flaw - pity

Unfortunately (and there’s probably a good reason for it), if you happen to be caught in a tropical downpour and so you take a photo of the pay-stand number and intend to do the “paperwork” on the app when you get inside the hairdresser out of the rain, but you forget, there’s no way you can set the time in the past when you get back to the car, so that you can have paid for your parking and done the right thing. It was an unintentional error on my part, and I even went to the app to contact the people by phone (and that part DID work very efficiently), but “No, there’s no way you can back-stamp the time. We can’t even do it. You’ll just have to hope for the best.” That’s reasonable but disappointing, since I was trying to fix an honest mistake. Oh well, here’s “hoping for the best”!

2021-10-07

Parking meter starts during free parking period

If you try to park using the app during a free period (e.g. Stage 4 lockdown in Melbourne or before fee period early in the morning), a message will pop up telling you it’s free right now, but the app’s meter actually starts anyway! This makes no logical sense, and if you are not careful and don’t cancel the meter manually, you’d think you are parking for free until the meter time limit runs out and tells you $x has been charged.

If the app is not smart enough to understands its own ‘free parking’ message, a second message should come up prompting the user to cancel the meter in the app manually if appropriate. It the case of parking just before the fee period (e.g. 8.57 AM), a second ‘meter starts at 9AM, are you sure?’ message with user. yes/no response should come up.

2021-04-05

Read the fine print

If Melbourne City council is looking for a convenient mobile system to pay for parking fairly and overtly this app ain’t it and suggesting it is with responses about T&Cs etc is a smoke screen for gouging.

If you download this as you rush to pay for a Melbourne City council park you may well be surprised by the auto top up and push costs. There is already detailed reviews about how this app does this. I’d only add that cancellation of the account and refund, as previously recommended by the app developer in response to feedback, requires a phone call and in my case a 10day wait on refund. The irony that you can rip $15 plus off me in about two hours in parking fees, push notifications costs and minimum top up $, but can’t refund me without a phone call and 10 days wait 🤦🏻‍♀️

2021-04-01

Scam - Do Not Sign Up!!

I ended up signing up for this app while away from home to pay for car parking at an event. Signage instructions advised to sign up to the app to pay - so of course to avoid an expensive ticket we did, our assumption was that it was maybe council/event run. Turns out it’s just expensive parking and a scam. I paid almost $40 to park for 4 hours in a spot that had I purchased from the event ticket office would have been $10 all day. But of course who would wander to the ticket office leaving there car without purchasing parking risking a fine to find this out?

They also mandate an auto top up amount. So as soon as the balance in your account drops they auto top it up by a minimum of $15. There is no option not to do this. Also be aware if they notify you that parking is about to expire (why would they need to because they already have your details & tied you in to an auto top up at sign up? Which means you could never run out of parking funds?) it’s an additional 29c.

The 29c is charged for a push notification - which I’m pretty sure is illegal? On the IOS terms & conditions?!

Don’t bother responding ‘if I’d like to get in touch’ I’ve tried already you were no help! Scammers & thieves!

2020-11-16

Very handy app

I have only two complaints about this app. One is that it keeps asking me to enable location all the time. I don’t like the idea of this. It should only happen when I’m actually using it. The other is that I often forget to turn it off when I get back to the car, and I end up paying a lit more than I need to. Would be great if they could do something about these two things.

2020-11-14

Compulsory Auto Top Up

When you download the app, you are FORCED to have a minimum balance of at least $5 and an auto top up threshold of $5. The worst thing is, it’s not even clear that this is the case. If they want to be this unethical and evil at least tell users and make it clear so they can just prepay whatever amount and not have $5/$10 locked up in the app.

On top of this I have heard they charge for push notifications for reminders. ($0.29 per reminder) You are honestly better of setting a timer and reminding yourself. 29 cents is just a cash grab for them for something that is likely costing 1 cent per SMS if not less. They are very unclear about this too, only after researching I found out and most people will just quickly jump out of the car and quickly download the app and get on their way. App is probably designed with this in mind to grab cash quickly so they likely can have it invested and earn a return on your money that is locked up. Absolutely greedy pigs.

2020-09-10

money gone to waste

I use this app every single time when i go to work, and one thing that bothers me is when i get a parking ticket, my parking session was still going on. Since i'm at work, i would have no idea that i got a parking fee and i would still pay.

This already happened twice. First, when i was only 6 minutes late when i got my ticket, and i wasn't aware so i still paid on the app. Then secondly, i parked in the Chinatown carpark and had no idea there was two different zone because there was basically no explanation/signage around the area or in the app, so i payed for my session for the whole day and only to receive a parking fee while my session was still going.

I have no problem paying for my ticket fees, it only bothers me that the money i spend on the app has basically gone to waste whenever i pay on my parking session only to get a parking fee. It would be very useful, especially for the workers, if we get some kind of notification that we've received a ticket because some actually don't have time to check on our cars.

2020-05-21

Behaves as it should

No extra BS, getting in the way. The designers have understood the core features needed and provide them as directly as possible. Enter zone>Pay>Stop any time>Get expiry alert>Repay. The last zone memory is a crucial feature for Re-Paying / extending. I would recommend actually having the remembered number already there rather than just a guided memory but that’s a small criticism to make. Good job. PayStay, don’t get persuaded by your bored UX team to ‘improve’ the interaction structure. It’s already optimized.

2020-05-19

Paid for parking but was still fined

I have 2 cars on my account, my work car and my personal car. I was in my personal car on my birthday and paid for parking using the app but didn’t realise that it was set to my work car. I was fined and even though I could prove that I had paid for parking. Happy birthday to me. I think there should be a ‘are you sure this is correct?’ Message if you have more than one car on your account.

2020-02-19

It’ll change your life!

I’m so happy to have PayStay, as someone who is constantly out and about meeting with my clients the app has been a god send. Never having to worry about how much change I have on me or how far away the ticket machine is or if it’s working etc has been so liberating! I can’t recommend this app enough in terms of making an actual difference in your life - particularly if you’re out and about in your car all the time.

2019-12-24

Good idea with too many bugs

Tried to use it twice, both times unsuccessful. Second rego does not show up in car selection. Tried to add it again, app told me the car exists already. Went to account and yes, both cars are set up. Had to delete and register the second rego again for it to be selectable for the ticket. When I tried to submit the ticket, it came up with an error, saying it cannot connect to the service.

This happens in two different locations and zones and definitely not related to poor phone reception.

App is too buggy. Will uninstall and wait for a fix. It’s Unreliable and actually takes too long to pay when with the meter itself it takes about 15 seconds. In fact I wasn’t even able to pay at all with the app.

2019-07-08

Buggy

Paystay works well until you have to add or change details on vehicles. It will take you to the page where you add rego only to fet stuck! You then go back to main screen. It will ask you to sign in. You try sign in with the correct details but it says its wrong. Yiu then get locked out and you have to call support. They’ll reset your password, then you set it back to your already inputed password. Next time you add a vehicle, it happens again! 3 times now. Got a fine for $83 as their support is closed Sundays. People park Sundays as well. Support says its your chose to use app or not. This is true but make the app work the way it supposed to.

2019-07-01

Terrible technology

I have experienced issues with the app for some time and have to delete and re install all the time to recognise my account, which is very frustrating. I work in an app based company and seeing the responses to other complaints is very frustrating! Asking users to delete and reinstall in todays day and age is simply not good enough. City of Yarra this also reflects poorly on your selection of provider, emails sent to mayor with this message also... my rates are paying for these sub standard services. The only way these app providers will invest in fixing these issues is if you as a customer demand it! PayStay if you are not able to resolve this maybe its time to find a new CTO!

2019-06-18

Use the Mobile Web app instead

This app could have a useful function if you always drive the same cars and use the app daily, but otherwise it’s easier to use the mobile web version or just call the Contact Centre. The app struggles with basic functions like remembering login and password (it doesn’t integrate with iOS password management), password reset (“unable to contact server”), updating payment methods, and adding new vehicles.

If the solution to parking is to call the Contact Centre to be told “delete the app, download it again, and try to reset your password...” best just delete it permanently, and put PayStay’s phone number in your contacts. Then you can just call them to when you need to start or stop parking - and save time every time.

2019-05-26

Scams you out of money

I used this app for the first time because I was borrowing a friend’s car and needed to pay for parking and didn’t have the right coins. I will go out of my way to find coins next time because a 2 hour trip cost me double than I expected because the app scammed me out of $5.30. It requires you to have an ‘auto top up’ balance so I’ve got a $5 balance in there which I’ll literally never use because like I said, I don’t have a car and this was a once off. And then it charges you .30c for an sms reminder of when you’re parking time is ending, which I only realized when I checked my account. You can’t automatically opt in people to something that charges them! Hope they enjoy my $5.30 extra because I’ll be sure not to let them have any more of my business.

2019-04-08

Parking ease

So often finding a park is frustrating and it’s then further complicated by vague instructions. Have you got the correct change or card? You need to figure out how long you are staying. Who knows? Ready to give up? Wait PayStay is here! Simply put in the park number submit and do what you need to do. If is quicker than expected you only get charged for the time you parked! If you in a restricted time area you will get a warning that time is running out! Do I love it? Yep!

2019-03-12

SMS charges and bugs

It’s a good app when it works and you don’t forget to stop parking (my fault). For some reason my account randomly logs out and my vehicles disappears which doesn’t make the app convent.

Other thing is that, unless you read the terms which I think 98% of us skip over. You get charge 29 cents per SMS, what are we living in 2010? I work for a marketing company, our SMS’s cost 15 cents from an Australian provider. Anyway your app could be good, but obviously due to the hidden fees I’d rather just print a ticket and give the remainder of the ticket to the next person looking to park. At least I know what I’m paying.

2019-02-24

Illegal Charges for Push Notifications.

PayStay charges $0.29 for every notification it sends, even to the application. This quote is from the application: “PayStay Reminder Service Fees are deducted from your PayStay account for each reminder notification dispatched to any mobile number associated with your PayStay account. The PayStay Reminder Service Fee is 29c per notification regardless of whether this notification is received within the PayStay App or an SMS message.”

From the Apple App Store Terms and Conditions: “3.2.2 Unacceptable: (ii) Monetising built-in capabilities provided by the hardware or operating system, such as Push Notifications, the camera, or the gyroscope; or Apple services, such as Apple Music access or iCloud storage.”

Please rectify this immediately.

2019-02-20

A few more features would be good.

So many parking zones in such small areas, if you’re not at your car then you might select the wrong one. Not sure what would happen but it seems pretty unnecessary.

How about being able to drop a pin where you parked and the zone is automatically selected. Also, being able to add other payment methods would be good, instead of just the one... or at least save the older ones.

Since the app uses GPS, a promPT when you’ve moved... I dunno... 500m away or something to ask if you’ve left and to stop parking would make it at least seem like you don’t want customers overpaying- if you don’t go in and specifically say stop parking, you get charged the max rate (or an hour, not sure since I park in an hour zone in the mornings) this can only be done in the “pay” tab. Either that, or have the stop parking button visible across all screens so you know you’re still paying.

Cheers

2019-01-15

Helpful app for parking

I’ve used this app a lot when I’ve been in the city and surrounding suburbs for parking it’s convenient as I never have the right number of coins to pay.

I’m not concerned about the payment for SMS reminders as I don’t have to use this feature.

However, I tried to update car registration to a new car, and my login did not work. After deleting the app twice and trying to use the forgotten password feature I was still unable to “login to my account” even though my old car registration and $$ balance was displayed. I could even pay for parking for a car I no longer had but unable to change the registration over.

My partner then had to install the app, in order to pay for the parking. I am hoping once this issue is rectified (being able to update car details and logging into my account) does not mean we can only have the car registered on one app, (we share a car).

I have emailed the customer service team.

Hopefully this feedback goes to the appropriate team as I would hope to continue to use what I like to think is a simple and easy to use app with the exception of making alterations to car details.

2019-01-15

Love it!

Love the app, but I might be asking the impossible...it would be great if there was a way that the app could send an alert when I go back to the car before the parking time expires so I could turn the app off! I must be getting old, but I often forget to turn it off and pay for the full parking period even though I haven’t used all the time. Paystay would get 6 stars out of 5!

Every council should have Paystay!

2018-12-31

Misleading parking allowance

There are many things I like about the PayStay app- so convenient and quick and easy to use. However, I recently discovered it can be misleading. The app allowed me to select to park into clearway times, and calculated the total cost into clearway times on “start parking”. This unfortunately resulted in a parking infringement. A traditional parking meter would cease to collect money once you have reached the maximum time allowed/end of parking restriction/end of allowed parking time. This app would be perfect if it can fix this and help the user rather than the council.

2018-12-27

No issue with the app - but Melbourne City...

Melbourne City Council don’t play nicely... they let you pay for parking with the app, they take your money, but then they start counting the time limit from the instant your car pulls into the parking spot (via sensors buried in the road surface)... not the 2 minutes later it has taken you to get out of the car, find the zone number and start your parking. I’ve had 2 tickets because I was in the parking spot for 2-3 minutes over the the “time limit” even though the app said I was still covered... as this is a public forum all I can say is that this is “poor form from a bunch of gouging bureaucrats”

I think it is in PayStay’s interest to address this even though I know it’s not your fault

2018-12-08

Great app. Until it stopped working

I had a great experience with this app UNTIL I changed phones. I was unable to populate my car to complete the parking process - despite the vehicle being added and double checking everything was correct. I also checked the app Help section. However, it took reading the reviews on here to realise that deleting and reinstalling may be the answer as I have a new device. So many negative comments might be saved if you include this information in the Help.

2018-12-05

Terrible customer service, near impossible to opt out.

I signed up in a hurry because there was no other way to pay for parking at the time, so I acknowledge I didn’t read all the details. Next time (only second time) I used it, the app automatically topped up my account even when I had enough to pay for a full day where I was parked.

I tried through the app and the website to change the automatic top-up trigger, but the directions in FAQ didn’t work (directs you to a section that turns out to be under a different heading than they give you). Anyway, I called customer service, and I had to give every detail under the sun just for him to talk to me. When I objected he got SO rude and short with me. Eventually I (not the customer service guy!) suggested a different way he could help me without having to log in, and found the section.

Can’t turn off the auto top-up (so can never run your balance down to zero).

No interest whatsoever about feedback on the website / FAQs.

Got off the phone and thought, stuff this, I’ll just cancel my account. Guess what - have to call customer service to cancel!!!

2018-11-13

Great app but website could be better

Great app and very convenient to use when parking. The website however, why can you only access a month at a time, when often you need set dates, such as to/from the payment dates. The citylink site has more features and options that PayStay could really learn from. Business and in particular Small Business Owners are the real uses of these reports and this should be front of mind when creating them - not look how pretty we’ve made it

2018-10-13

Hoping it will work again

Have had to uninstall and hope it will work again. Stopped showing our rego then wouldn’t allow us to renter it saying it already existed. Great for the first few times- but seriously frustrating when relying on it and it doesn’t work.

.... Reinstalled and all good 👍🏽 I love that I only pay for the time I use. No more over paying to avoid being caught out going over time or because I didn’t have small change - brilliant. HINT: set your own timer rather than pay for reminder texts

2018-10-02

Greatest app around

I assume that the negative reviews are from people who either like to carry around coins or try and find parking meters when in a rush. Would the naysayers rather be trying to park and realizing there’s no credit left? My MYKI autotops up the same way. And it’s 10$!

I am happy to pay for a reminder to avoid a fine and have never had a problem calling PayStay for rare problems.

If you park on the street, even from time to time, this app is well worth it.

2018-09-09

Two parking tickets in one week

I wouldn’t recommend this app and am going to delete it from my phone. I have had too many parking tickets using it. I think I just have accidentally twice pressed ‘stop parking’ as I’ve put it in my handbag in the past week. I’ve been so careful to make sure everything is in switched on. I think there needs to be a lock function similar that’s required swiping start into position not just touch on and off. Approximately $160 in parking fines in one week when I thought I was doing the right thing is rather frustrating.

I also didn’t know about the charge for reminders. I think not clear enough for consumers and should be an opt-in not opt-out option.

2018-08-13

Beware: charges you for notifications

I was such a fan of this app despite it having a few bug issues until I saw other reviews talking about the reminder fee. Sure enough, I looked at the fee guide (which was separate from the terms and conditions) and you are charged 29c for each reminder that your parking is about to expire, even if it’s an automated in app notification. There’s no notice of this when you sign up to the app. This isn’t a huge cost, but it’s deceiving and completely excessive. Be sure to turn off notifications in the app!

2018-08-08

Convenient - but beware watch your balance!!!

I like this app works well and it’s convenient.

Though I noticed my account was running out of money fast and top ups were getting more frequent. I couldn’t figure this out initially but then when I logged into my account I was stunned with the amount of 0.29c charges for SMS reminders... and do they add up.

The issue is when I first opened the account I was never notified in regards to costs of the SMS reminders, and it was on by default, which meant that you were charged without consent. You would have to manually go and change the setting to disable this. Anyhow I am quite annoyed that I feel this is deceptive conduct even though the app is convenient... regardless I will inform the ACCC in regards to this.

2018-07-20

如果可以不给星

DO NOT USE THIS TERRIBLE PARKING APP 活在澳洲的大天朝子民千万不要用这个停车付费App，谁用谁晓得！

It charged me $10 for the “balance” (because it takes a minimum $5 prepayment and a further $5 top for immediately dropping below the minimum balance.) directly from my bank account without any prior notification…That’s so ridiculous.你绑定你的银行卡以后直接扣掉你10块钱的预付款（你查账你会发现他们直接扣两次五块钱，原因上面英文理有写）

**Same to other users

“That’s $10 for what turned out to be $1.4 worth of parking and now I have credit sitting there in a service and I’ll never use again.”

我特么只要停半个小时，你直接扣我10块钱算什么玩意儿？我下次肯定不会再用了这个软件了，这10块钱算白瞎了！

**No way to remove your bank account detail in the app ! Unless

You give them a call or sent a Email to them in order to close the account.

你绑定万银行卡以后，你就别想着自己能把它解除绑定吧，除非你给他们服务中心打电话，感觉很不安全啊！有没有！我虽然不是什么有钱人，但你一直绑着我的卡算什么情况？

**Still waiting for the refund

It takes quite long long long time to wait after you send them a Email.

退款就不要说了，我发完邮件后已经等额很长时间了，10块钱算买个教训，但是这个Account一直没取消我心里非常膈应！

Next time you’d better to have some coins in your pocket. 咱下次口袋里还是多放点硬币吧！

Hope everyone can understand what I’ve wrote here. Sorry for my bad writing. 希望所有人能看懂我写的狗屁玩意儿，真的好气哦。

PayStay

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App Store: Customer Ratings

Ratings & Reviews

Unable to load credit details

Should not require top-up

User Interface Ok, User Experience Poor

Dodgy as

No way to set a default vehicle

Fixed pricing

Poor app

Rubbish app lost tracking of my parking time and landed me a fine

Worst update ever, it doesn’t work anymore.

Can’t stop session

Can’t stop my parking session in the app

No button to end session

STOP button hidden

Mr Garrett

Not comparable to iPhone SE

Update won't let me use app

Ripped off

Can't stop it

New Interface is baffling.

No dark mode

spent 20 minutes to set up this parking app.

Update is terrible! Major glitches!

Preloading credit is required

Impressively awful.

Horrible won’t load most of the time

Inefficient with Zero Customer Support

Paystay

Does the job

Horrible

Hidden fees as well as 7.5% transaction fee

Avoid

Doesn’t work

Worst paying system

Apple Watch

Does what it says on the tin… but!

Not user friendly

Be aware

Rubbish

Pathetic App

App is junk. Password sync badly implemented

Impossible to sign up

Awful user experience

Stupid

Rubbish

Not user friendly

App crashes

Doesn’t even work

Good app but with extra steps.

Good app - could be improved.

Rubbish App

Perplexing UI and data architecture choices

A complete failure of design

Outdated and awful

Price gouging and really poor interface

No Apple Pay? AutoTopUp? What year is this.

Completely useless.

The worst app ever

Never Enter Your Card Detail! Pay On The Parking Machine, Not The App!

Unacceptable Location Setting Requirements

PayStay lack customer focus