Review Insights · App Store
RingGo: Mobile Car Parking App
RingGo Ltd · 3,717 ratings · ★ 4.6
4.6
★★★★★
3,717 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 97 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"number"
49 negative reviews mention this · 51% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bad experience for non-UK visitors. This app seems to not support non-UK numbers yet requires a number and account to use. It doesn’t communicate the lack of support though, so it’s a very confusing registration experience where you’re essentially just stuck. Edit: The devel…" - Ben Henning
2
"phone"
42 negative reviews mention this · 43% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bad experience for non-UK visitors. This app seems to not support non-UK numbers yet requires a number and account to use. It doesn’t communicate the lack of support though, so it’s a very confusing registration experience where you’re essentially just stuck. Edit: The devel…" - Ben Henning
3
"work"
37 negative reviews mention this · 38% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bad experience for non-UK visitors. This app seems to not support non-UK numbers yet requires a number and account to use. It doesn’t communicate the lack of support though, so it’s a very confusing registration experience where you’re essentially just stuck. Edit: The devel…" - Ben Henning
4
"register"
30 negative reviews mention this · 31% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bad experience for non-UK visitors. This app seems to not support non-UK numbers yet requires a number and account to use. It doesn’t communicate the lack of support though, so it’s a very confusing registration experience where you’re essentially just stuck. Edit: The devel…" - Ben Henning
5
"parking"
29 negative reviews mention this · 30% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bad experience for non-UK visitors. This app seems to not support non-UK numbers yet requires a number and account to use. It doesn’t communicate the lack of support though, so it’s a very confusing registration experience where you’re essentially just stuck. Edit: The devel…" - Ben Henning
6
"phone number"
26 negative reviews mention this · 27% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bad experience for non-UK visitors. This app seems to not support non-UK numbers yet requires a number and account to use. It doesn’t communicate the lack of support though, so it’s a very confusing registration experience where you’re essentially just stuck. Edit: The devel…" - Ben Henning
7
"code"
26 negative reviews mention this · 27% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Can’t register from US number. Wouldn’t ever send me the 6 digit confirmation code via text so couldn’t ever get in. Tried with country code and without." - Tbhshdhhdjrjr
8
"doesn"
25 negative reviews mention this · 26% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bad experience for non-UK visitors. This app seems to not support non-UK numbers yet requires a number and account to use. It doesn’t communicate the lack of support though, so it’s a very confusing registration experience where you’re essentially just stuck. Edit: The devel…" - Ben Henning
9
"numbers"
23 negative reviews mention this · 24% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bad experience for non-UK visitors. This app seems to not support non-UK numbers yet requires a number and account to use. It doesn’t communicate the lack of support though, so it’s a very confusing registration experience where you’re essentially just stuck. Edit: The devel…" - Ben Henning
10
"account"
22 negative reviews mention this · 23% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bad experience for non-UK visitors. This app seems to not support non-UK numbers yet requires a number and account to use. It doesn’t communicate the lack of support though, so it’s a very confusing registration experience where you’re essentially just stuck. Edit: The devel…" - Ben Henning
11
"useless"
20 negative reviews mention this · 21% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Garbage concept to require an app for parking. The verification code doesn’t work. Trash.. Useless oof" - Samuel Manchester
12
"text"
18 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Unable to use/register. With as many international visitors as the UK gets, not being able to use an international phone number is frustrating. It accepts the number but no text ever arrives. Very frustrating when trying to park in cities with no other options." - Fioan72
📋 All 97 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Bad experience for non-UK visitors
This app seems to not support non-UK numbers yet requires a number and account to use. It doesn’t communicate the lack of support though, so it’s a very confusing registration experience where you’re essentially just stuck.
Edit: The developer responded but it seems to contradict both my experience and their own FAQ which states that international users must reach out to them via a chat system or phone call to register. On my end I did try the fully qualified international phone number. The app did not throw errors, it simply never sent the SMS (which has been working fine for me with other international numbers). I also desperately tried using a shared UK SMS service and even those didn’t work.
What’s most baffling is why this step is even needed. All other parking services in UK seem to make the SMS validation step optional for only if you want notifications, not mandatory upon registration. To make this as ergonomic a user experience as possible, the developer should lift this as a requirement for sign up. It is unnecessary friction.
Edit: The developer responded but it seems to contradict both my experience and their own FAQ which states that international users must reach out to them via a chat system or phone call to register. On my end I did try the fully qualified international phone number. The app did not throw errors, it simply never sent the SMS (which has been working fine for me with other international numbers). I also desperately tried using a shared UK SMS service and even those didn’t work.
What’s most baffling is why this step is even needed. All other parking services in UK seem to make the SMS validation step optional for only if you want notifications, not mandatory upon registration. To make this as ergonomic a user experience as possible, the developer should lift this as a requirement for sign up. It is unnecessary friction.
Difficult to us
How does London City allow app like RingGo to operate in a major global hub is puzzling.
1. Does not have live support phone/chat or even AI chat
2. You need to register with local phone number, why not email only?
3. Automated phone payment line handles it poorly
3. JustPark for example worked with email only and gets the job done without hassle!
This is after 4-5 failed attempts. London Municipal Corp needs to take a closer look at this.
4. As of this writing there is no Live Chat of any sort opposite to claims made by RingGo team.
1. Does not have live support phone/chat or even AI chat
2. You need to register with local phone number, why not email only?
3. Automated phone payment line handles it poorly
3. JustPark for example worked with email only and gets the job done without hassle!
This is after 4-5 failed attempts. London Municipal Corp needs to take a closer look at this.
4. As of this writing there is no Live Chat of any sort opposite to claims made by RingGo team.
Worst parking app
Worst parking app for someone visiting the UK. They do not make it easy to setup an account.
Impossible to create an account
Despite my password meeting all of the requirements, I get an “invalid password” error and no changes that I tried made any differences (e.g. removing special characters), so I can’t create an account. What a garbage app.
Can’t activate
Inexplicably this app requires SMS verification to create an account, and will not accept North American phone numbers.
Doesn’t work
App simply doesn’t work. Don’t waste your time trying to use it.
Can’t register from US number
Wouldn’t ever send me the 6 digit confirmation code via text so couldn’t ever get in. Tried with country code and without.
Terrible
Won’t allow registration via any method and attempts to contact support only push you to call a phone number to pay a premium for parking. Junk app.
Utterly awful
This app is completely broken if you don’t have a UK phone number. You can’t even register for an account. It’s remarkable that the developers never even considered that tourists would visit the UK and perhaps need to park. And their voice recognition system also seemingly doesn’t work unless you fake a British accent. It took me over 30 minutes just to pay to park!
No support for non UK numbers
Don’t bother using a car park managed by this company if you have a non UK mobile number. Absolutely no way to pay through the app or by card at the actual machine. Luckily have a blue badge that gets it free parking. But still, unacceptable
Non UK mobile numbers not supported
Impossible to sign up unless you have a UK mobile, no support for email only or foreign mobile numbers.
A waste of time
Their parking machines were broken at 2 places I tried to park today. I downloaded the app twice, entered everything needed each time, never received a verification code, and when I rang them up, their automated system wouldn’t recognize my voice when trying to give my car’s plate registration. I will never bother with any RingGo parking facility again. They will suck your life away.
Garbage concept to require an app for parking. The verification code doesn’t work. Trash.
Useless oof
Worst parking app ive ever used
Never sent text message to register, was not able to park using it, had to go to a convenience store to get change to park instead. It limits how many times you can even attempt to register in a single day. So if you try to park, and the text isn’t sent or you don’t have reception, you just can’t park. When you call the number is an AI system that wouldn’t recognize the brand of the car no matter how many times I said it, and I couldn’t park using it. Terrible, terrible system.
Terrible for international customers
Requires registration to pay for parking yet does not allow verification for international phone numbers; help section is just a loop that ends with no resolution. Guess we’ll just have to get a parking ticket.
Terrible. Useless.
App is impossible. Telephone responses not accepted. Spent 20 minutes trying to get code for mobile, both via sms and email, tried calling, but that was an endless loop of the auto system interrupting and not moving forward.
This is a known issue (multiple Reddit threads), but developer has done nothing to remedy the issue.
This is a known issue (multiple Reddit threads), but developer has done nothing to remedy the issue.
Absolutely useless for foreign phone #’s
I’ve been designing computer, web and phone interfaces for decades. I have never come across an application as badly designed and implemented as this one. Ringgo is apparently unable to deal with foreign phone numbers at all: it cannot send an SMS to them, and seems to get itself lost when navigating the phone tree when you make a voice call into their system. Even attempting to get Help over the phone or through their chat bot was a failure.
I’ve spent close to an hour attempting to use the app, the web interface, and the dial phone number to pay for my parking. None of the options worked, all either left me in an endless loop of futility and despair, or else sitting there waiting for a notification or reply that never came.
UPDATES (3/17/26)
Ringgo Support replied as follows…
"You can register for a RingGo account with an international telephone number, but it's important to include the appropriate country dialling code for successful registration. A international device, it may not function properly, as the app isn't supported by international app stores. You can use our mobile website, or use the automated phone line."
RESPONSE:
I already did what you suggested, did not work - Ringgo kept deleting the dialing code from the front of the phone number. You also seemed to not understand (or not believer) my statement that there are also serious problems with your chat and phone support options: I used to run call centers, and have built numerous websites for large and well known clients over the years. I would be very embarrassed if any of my clients had an amateurish support online or phone system like that of Ringgo.
International users such as myself must use the Ringgo App to park in many locations when traveling in the UK. Ringgo really needs to step up to the plate and make sure their app works well for us, especially since (as I was told by a sympathetic hotel clerk) some cities are now removing their old curbside Parking vending machine units, leaving folks like me with no options at all - other than paying a 50 GBP fee, courtesy of the local police - when trying to park.
I’ve spent close to an hour attempting to use the app, the web interface, and the dial phone number to pay for my parking. None of the options worked, all either left me in an endless loop of futility and despair, or else sitting there waiting for a notification or reply that never came.
UPDATES (3/17/26)
Ringgo Support replied as follows…
"You can register for a RingGo account with an international telephone number, but it's important to include the appropriate country dialling code for successful registration. A international device, it may not function properly, as the app isn't supported by international app stores. You can use our mobile website, or use the automated phone line."
RESPONSE:
I already did what you suggested, did not work - Ringgo kept deleting the dialing code from the front of the phone number. You also seemed to not understand (or not believer) my statement that there are also serious problems with your chat and phone support options: I used to run call centers, and have built numerous websites for large and well known clients over the years. I would be very embarrassed if any of my clients had an amateurish support online or phone system like that of Ringgo.
International users such as myself must use the Ringgo App to park in many locations when traveling in the UK. Ringgo really needs to step up to the plate and make sure their app works well for us, especially since (as I was told by a sympathetic hotel clerk) some cities are now removing their old curbside Parking vending machine units, leaving folks like me with no options at all - other than paying a 50 GBP fee, courtesy of the local police - when trying to park.
Doesn’t seem to work with international numbers
Requires an SMS OTP for account registration, but no combination of “+”, country codes seems to generate one. Asking to reset my password with an email code that never came wasn’t a helpful work around either. Wish the machines here just took cards because this app is just as unhelpful.
Terrible on multiple levels
1) don‘t just have an app to pay - have other ways to pay 2) when you download the app- I couldn’t verify because the security code couldn’t come through to a US phone number. 3) when you call - the automated system doesn’t understand us or uk spoken English. Got the number plate completely wrong.
Summary : automation is supposed to make things better for everyone; not just the company. Do better. !
Summary : automation is supposed to make things better for everyone; not just the company. Do better. !
Agree, useless for visitors
Won’t send email or text to even allow registration. Totally useless.
Useless if visiting
They don’t allow account creation verification over email, only SMS. And from there you can only call. So if you have any issues with your mobile service while traveling - even if you do have data - you’re out of luck. 0/10 UX
Doesn’t work for visitors
The app won’t allow you to register due to your information being from a different country as myself. Very useless. Never received an email or text to finish the registration process.
Useless for International Visitors
The SMS registration does not work for phone numbers with a +1 country code. Now, I can understand that you may not want more Americans here but we use +1 in Canada, too.
Your SMS notifications are badly engineered and you are not error trapping correctly.
Your SMS notifications are badly engineered and you are not error trapping correctly.
It’s 2025
Dude, it’s 2025. Why does your app not work? I have tried to receive a verification code through email and text and get nothing. It seems like other people have the same problem. You next to fix you app or shut it down. I tried contacting customer service but they are unavailable after 3pm.
US Phone numbers
Complete rubbish. Won’t recognize my US phone number. Can’t register. No tech support. No number to call.
Useless App
Have tried creating an account 3 different times, it’s now been 3 days and I’ve yet to receive a text message to create an account… and the fact that I need to create an account is aggravating, you need an account for anything these days and you should just be able to continue as a guest (like PayByPhone) but RingGo has a monopoly on parking meters in Scotland. Calling the number is useless as it just tells me to call emergency services if I have an emergency.
Useless
Never sent a code
Terrible
Terrible service. App just doesn’t work
Discriminatory Against Foreign Visitors
Simply does not work for visitors from foreign countries. I was unable to park at my hotel since I could not get a verification code, and was stuck paying £30 for only 18 hours of parking at a kiosk, instead of the hotel’s £12 daily rate
Absolutely stinks
Won’t text international number so can’t register. Machine ate our money. Garbage.
No International Phone Numbers Work
This app assumes you have a UK phone number. I am visiting from overseas, and it does not have a means for me to enter a country code that my phone number exists in. Totally useless to me. I don’t understand how an app could be missing such a very fundamental feature. I tried calling the help number, but it won’t let me talk to a person. It only wants me to register my vehicle. Does not work. Bad.
Terrible for nonUK users
As many recent reviews state, this is an absolutely worthless app as there is no way to go through SMS verification with a non-UK cell number. I also tried their phone number for calling in a reservation and that works as well as the app does. This is a terrible, terrible app.
Terrible for foreigners
Foreign phone numbers do not work for registering a new account in the app. Thinking that you can pay by phone? “in one word state the make of the car” - how should I say BMW? Tried a million ways to say it but none worked.
Trash
APP DONT WORK. Doesn’t send SMS or Emails. Impossible to log in.
Appalling
How can Ringo hijack UK parking but not allow international SMS messages. What a bunch of amateurs
Pure rubbish - Nothing Worked
I downloaded the app as I didn't have change for parking. I never received a text or email to set up an account. I tried using the automated phone service but it didn't accept any of my responses. Totally useless.
Unable to register with phone number from another country
I am visiting UK from out of country, and there’s a town in Cotswolds that seems to use exclusively this app. Unfortunately I’m unable to register as it requires sending a text message, which the app is unable to send… so I cannot register, and thus cannot pay for parking. I sent message to the chatbot for support, but their recommendation is delete app and start over. I waited for an agent and it says 30 minute wait. What an abysmal user experience. Ended up having to go find a different lot where I could use a credit card. Please fix your broken app!
Cannot register when critical
Updated after developer response: You are EasyPark group. I use their application for years for parking in Europe without any problems. Unfortunately for GB I’m stacked with you… Maybe you can check with them how to build the applications that are working? And no, your voice line to book parking isn’t working. I wasn’t able to get through the 3 first questions about the car. I tried 4 times before giving up. Original review: USA mobile number, tried to use in GB . Downloaded without problem. The validation code never arrived to my phone, rendering this application useless. Junk.
Useless App for visitors from other Countries
I loved this App when I came here a few years ago. It was invaluable when my Dad was in hospital and I had to keep extending. Last year I was able to pick up where I left off, no need to re-register, this year it’s been the worst experience. I’ve tried everything: changing my password, registering with a different email address, deleting the app and reloading twice, deleting my old account, going through the website instead of the app. It’s hopeless! I never receive the text messages or the emails. The chat bot is useless and based on the other reviews I don’t think I want to attempt the phone call and be giving out my credit card details in public. How discriminatory can you be to visitors?! I’m even British but live in the U.S. How could Ringo have monopolized all the main car parks with this pathetic, out of date system. What a shame.
No international phone number
I wanted to quickly pay for parking.
First you have to sing up for an account. Already annoying, you should just be able to pay and go with no account.
When you sign up, you have to input a phone number and get a text to confirm the number. It only accepts UK numbers. I tried to input a US number, but I never got the confirmation text. Thus, I was unable to make an account.
The company should take your money as easily as possible, they shouldn’t make it hard to take your money. I literally tried to pay and use their service, but the company made it too hard for me to pay them so I did not.
Absolutely terrible user experience. I immediately uninstalled the app.
First you have to sing up for an account. Already annoying, you should just be able to pay and go with no account.
When you sign up, you have to input a phone number and get a text to confirm the number. It only accepts UK numbers. I tried to input a US number, but I never got the confirmation text. Thus, I was unable to make an account.
The company should take your money as easily as possible, they shouldn’t make it hard to take your money. I literally tried to pay and use their service, but the company made it too hard for me to pay them so I did not.
Absolutely terrible user experience. I immediately uninstalled the app.
Did not work, we were unable to park.
Repeatedly asked for license plate, then refused to accept text when audio option did not work. Tried downloading app, repeatedly requested confirmation number which never arrived. I’m amazed that local councils are using this product. You have a way to go, guys…
Terrible.
So many issues.
Only for people with British phone numbers
Wow. Tried to register but it can’t sms international numbers. That’s the simplest drag and drop. Typical small minded Englander. Losing money hand over fist.
UK mobile required
Great idea, pay for parking on an app. Great for tourists who may not have all the right British coins handy.
But…try to register and it asks for both email and mobile number. It does not accept a foreign mobile number. An SMS confirmation is needed to create an account. So even though you can use an email to log in, a UK mobile is a requirement to use this app. Why bother with email, except to sell to advertisers?
But…try to register and it asks for both email and mobile number. It does not accept a foreign mobile number. An SMS confirmation is needed to create an account. So even though you can use an email to log in, a UK mobile is a requirement to use this app. Why bother with email, except to sell to advertisers?
Doesn’t work
App does not work at all. Can’t setup an account.
Verification code never sends
Incredibly frustrating experience. Will not accept over the phone call payments or by app. Do not use.
The worst parking app I’ve ever used in years of travel
RingGo is an embarrassment. Imagine needing to pay for parking, finding no tap-to-pay option at the meter, then being forced to download this app-which refuses to accept any non-UK phone number. International visitors? You’re out of luck.
Tried calling the number? Doesn’t work. SMS? Also broken. No contactless, no cash, no card, and an app that literally won’t let you register. You’ll get a parking fine before you even figure out how to give them your money.
This is a hostile design decision masquerading as modern convenience. If you’re visiting the UK and don’t have a local number, prepare to be fined for the crime of not being British.
RingGo doesn’t make parking easier-it makes it impossible.
Tried calling the number? Doesn’t work. SMS? Also broken. No contactless, no cash, no card, and an app that literally won’t let you register. You’ll get a parking fine before you even figure out how to give them your money.
This is a hostile design decision masquerading as modern convenience. If you’re visiting the UK and don’t have a local number, prepare to be fined for the crime of not being British.
RingGo doesn’t make parking easier-it makes it impossible.
App is no good for tourists
The RingGo app only functions if you have a UK phone number. The company says the solution to the app is to call customer service, but we can't call customer service without a UK number. Pretty Kafkaesque.
Doesn’t accept international numbers
Registration confirmation code never comes through because the app doesn’t support international numbers
Verification code to set up account came late
Verification code to register an account came 6 hours late. Had data the whole time and other messages came through so I have no idea why this came so late
+ 47 more in the clipboard copy
Sentiment summary
91%
Positive (4-5★)
1%
Neutral (3★)
8%
Negative (1-2★)