Parky vs. Allstays
When you’re traveling the road, mobile applications can come in handy in many ways. Two favorites of the RV community are the RV Parky app and the Allstays app. Also keep in mind, both of these apps have websites, which you can log onto from your laptop.
It’s important to note, you may not have cell service in many areas while you travel; the Allstays app has an offline feature, while it’s unclear whether the RV Parky app has that feature. Likewise, the RV Parky app is free, while the Allstays app costs $9.99. Moreover, the Allstays app is only available for iOS, while RV Parky is available for both Android and iOS, so your phone may very well decide which app to get.
While mobile apps are a great tool, it’s always a good idea to plan your route thoroughly before you hit the road, while you do have cell service. Likewise, you can get everything the Allstays app offers for $9.99 free from their website; you may have to spend a little more time gathering the information you need, and you may have to write down a few notes. However, writing down your route and destinations on paper is always recommended; relying solely on mobile apps is never a good idea. Cell service, as well as batteries, can fail.
The Allstays website includes not only places to camp with an RV, but it also includes hotels, truck stops, rest areas, Walmarts, and even the locations of low clearance overpasses and tunnels. Once again, you can probably find all the information you need from their website for free, although it will take more time and you’ll need to make notes.
The RV Parky app and website may not be as comprehensive as Allstays, but their listings do include RV parks, Walmart, Camping World locations, as well as BLM and National Forests. RV Parky also has reviews from fellow Rvers, which can be helpful. Most of the listings are for RV parks and forest service campgrounds. It appears that while their app is free, they do charge RV parks to manage listings, so that may be the reason why RV parks dominate their listings.
Another thing to consider when using apps is your mobile data; most of us on the road are on limited data plans, and going over your limit can get costly.
Overall, most full-time RVers rely more heavily on Allstays than RV Parky. While both RV Parky and AllStays do a pretty good job of finding all of the possible campgrounds and RV parks, both of them do miss a few options, for several possible reasons.
Related Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lAnQ3zlPD4
