There is no single answer, and that is the point
Garage management software in the UK generally runs from around £65 to well over £500 a month, depending on the system, the plan and the size of your team. Our pricing page sets out exactly what Autopilot costs, which is more than many providers will tell you without a sales call.
The headline figure is rarely the figure you end up paying. Three things move it.
Per-user and per-technician charges
This is the one that catches bigger garages out, and it is worth understanding before you compare anything else.
Plenty of systems charge by the seat. The advertised price covers one or two users, and every technician, receptionist and manager you add increases the monthly bill. For a two-person garage that is manageable. For an eight-technician workshop with reception and management on the system, it can multiply the cost several times over.
We have spoken to a garage paying around £1,500 a month on a per-user system. The same workshop on AutoPilot Pro would pay £279, because our price does not change with the size of your team.
Upfront and setup fees
Some providers charge a one-off setup fee covering onboarding, configuration and data migration. These range from around £150 to £1,300 depending on the provider and the plan. It is a real cost and it belongs in your comparison, but it is easy to miss because it appears once rather than monthly.
Features priced as add-ons
A low headline price sometimes means the things you actually need are extra. Technical data, online booking, document scanning and staff clocking are all commonly sold as monthly add-ons. A £99 platform with £69 technical data and £30 online booking is a £198 platform.
When you compare, price the setup you will actually use rather than the entry plan.
What to check before you sign
- Is the price per user or per technician, and what happens when you hire
- Is there a setup or onboarding fee, and is it refundable if it does not work out
- Which features are included and which are monthly add-ons
- Are texts, vehicle lookups and other usage billed on top
- Is there a minimum term, and what does cancelling involve
- Is there a free trial on the full plan, or only a demo
From the Autopilot teamHow Autopilot helps
Autopilot is £99, £179 or £279 a month plus VAT, published openly on our pricing page. There is no cost per technician, no cost per user and nothing to pay upfront. Text allowances and vehicle lookups are included in every plan. There is no contract, and a 30-day trial on the full plan so you can judge it on your own jobs before paying anything.