Your car. Your next move. Together.
Why use Alternate? Keep your NYC street side, known parking rules, move time, and actual reminder in one place on iPhone.
One car and the standard reminder are free. No account to create.
Compare the everyday workflow
Compare your parking routine.
A saved location helps you get back to your car. An alarm helps you remember a time. Alternate connects those tasks to the street side you chose and the parking rules it can read.
Scroll the table sideways to compare both approaches.
| What you need | Map pin, alarm, and NYC notices | With Alternate |
|---|---|---|
| Remember the place | Keep a map pin or parked-car marker, with a note about the street side. | Save the car with its chosen street side and cross streets after reviewing the location. |
| Work out the next move | Read the signs, check the applicable notices, and work out the deadline yourself. | See a move deadline when the known rules support one. Add a personal move time after checking the signs. |
| Set the alert | Set an alarm or reminder for the time you choose. Update it when your parking changes. | Schedule a move reminder for an eligible saved car. Home shows the actual scheduled day and time. |
| Check a longer stay | Compare your departure with the posted schedules yourself. | Use Plan a stay to check a chosen departure against supported known rules for that street side. |
| Check city changes | Read official NYC notices for holidays, weather, and emergencies. | Review the bundled street-cleaning holiday calendar, then check official notices for current changes. |
The everyday tools are useful: Apple documents parked-car locations and notes in Maps and alarms in Clock. NYC DOT directs drivers to NYC311 or Notify NYC for emergency suspensions. Comparison reviewed October 24, 2026.
Useful when street parking is part of your week.
Choose Alternate if you regularly move between NYC street sides, want the place and next deadline together, or check whether a stay reaches into another restriction. Replacing your saved parking also updates its move reminder.
A pin and a manually set alarm may be enough if you park occasionally and prefer to work through the schedules yourself. Official notices remain useful whichever approach you choose.
See the app’s actual steps: save parking, plan a stay, and set a move reminder.
Start with your first car, free.
Save one car, browse places and known rules, plan a stay, and use the standard 45-minute reminder setting. You can choose a personal move time after checking the signs. Your real plate number is optional.
Alternate+ adds more cars, custom reminder lead timing, and widgets. Current plans and prices appear in the app before you buy.
Keep the curb check in your routine.
Alternate is for NYC street parking on iPhone. Search shows places and known rules, not empty spaces. Saving parking is an explicit choice; GPS does not save or move your car automatically.
Sign records can be incomplete or old. Check every posted sign, temporary notice, and meter instruction. Holiday adjustments cover street cleaning only. An earlier known restriction takes priority over a personal move time.
Move reminders need notification permission and an eligible future deadline. Focus, device settings, and system limits can delay them. Keep track of the deadline yourself.
Save your next street side.
Download Alternate, add your car, and save the street side where you parked.
Download Alternate for iPhone