Uber to add parking with acquisition Of Chicago’s SpotHero

Uber Technologies announced last week that it has agreed to buy SpotHero, a parking-reservation app connecting drivers with garages, lots, and valet services across North America. The deal would integrate SpotHero’s parking inventory into the Uber app, allowing users to book parking for commutes, events, and trips to airports without switching apps.

SpotHero, founded in 2011 and based in Chicago, operates a digital marketplace that lists parking at more than 13,000 locations in over 400 cities in the U.S. and Canada. The announcement says SpotHero has sold more than $2 billion in reservations and has millions of users. It also says Uber plans to build a native, in‑app parking experience using SpotHero’s technology and network, and to eventually extend parking perks to members of its subscription program, Uber One.

Executives from both companies framed the acquisition as a way to not only plug a gap in Uber’s mobility offerings, but to bring the capabilities SpotHero has built over 15 years to a wider market. 

“We’ve built Uber around giving people more ways to get around without needing a car,” CEO of Uber Dara Khosrowshahi said. “But for the moments when people do choose to drive, SpotHero on the Uber app will make the experience easier than ever, and bring more people into the Uber ecosystem.” 

SpotHero CEO Mark Lawrence said that the deal would help “make parking a natural part of the Uber platform.”

The companies noted that parking operators that list with SpotHero will gain access to Uber’s customers and partners, which may potentially help them increase digital bookings. Uber, which has expanded beyond ride-hailing into food delivery, micromobility, and freight, has in recent years added services that essentially aim to make the app a one-stop platform for urban travel.

The transaction is still subject to regulatory approval and other closing conditions but is “expected to close in the first half of 2026” according to the statement. Financial terms were not disclosed.

For drivers and commuters, the integration could simplify trip planning by combining navigation, ride-hailing, and parking into a single interface. For parking operators, access to Uber’s large user base could boost occupancy and digital revenue, but operators may also be considering their obligations on fees, data-sharing, and pricing.

The acquisition follows a trend of mobility platforms expanding into complementary services to deepen user engagement and diversify revenue. If completed, the deal would further position Uber as a broader transport platform rather than the ride‑hailing company that made its name.

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