AutoChain vs Garage Assistant GA4
How AutoChain and Garage Assistant GA4 compare on price, contract, trial, users and the features UK garages use every day. Every Garage Assistant GA4 fact comes from Garage Assistant GA4's own website, and where it does not publish something, we say so.
Last checked: October 2026. Facts about Garage Assistant GA4 come from Garage Assistant GA4's own website. Prices and features change, so confirm the details with Garage Assistant GA4 before you buy.
Two good systems, built for different garages
Garage Assistant GA4
SWS Solutions describes Garage Assistant GA4 as a cost-effective traditional desktop application for the small independent business, suitable for companies from MOT centres to body repair shops. It is a one-off purchase at £350 plus VAT for use on a single PC, with your data kept on that PC, and optional online services such as VRM lookups and online booking paid for with credit packs.
AutoChain
AutoChain suits garages that want a cloud system they can use from any device with unlimited logins: online booking, health checks and estimates customers approve online, pay-online invoice links and live Xero, QuickBooks Online or Sage Accounting sync, for one monthly price. GA4 has the lower upfront cost and no subscription.
AutoChain and Garage Assistant GA4 compared
| Comparison point | AutoChain | Garage Assistant GA4 |
|---|---|---|
| Price model | One monthly plan with everything core included, plus optional add-ons. | One-off licence with no monthly or yearly subscription. Online services are paid for with credit packs. |
| Published price | £69.99/mo + VAT. Add-ons: SMS £15/mo + VAT with 200 credits, HaynesPro £49.99/mo + VAT per site, multi-site priced per site. | GA4 £350, plus VAT at 20%. Credit pack (100 credits) £17.60. Online booking subscription £60 for 6 months or £100 for 12 months, instead of credits. |
| Contract | Monthly rolling, cancel anytime. No setup fee. | No contract: pay as you go with credit packs. |
| Free trial | First month free, no card needed. Add-ons are billed from day one. | Yes, with no time limit, but with a watermark on documents and a limit on the number of records. |
| Users and seats | Unlimited employees, no per-seat fees. | A standalone system for use on a single PC. Prices for more PCs: not published. |
| VRM and DVSA MOT lookup | Yes, free: VRM lookup and full DVSA MOT history by registration. | VRM lookup as an optional paid service, UK only. DVSA MOT history: not published. |
| Health checks with online authorisation | Yes, in the core plan. Customers review the health check and authorise work online. | Health checks with a cloud web app for technicians, with notes and photos. Online authorisation: not published. |
| Online booking | Yes, an online booking widget for your website, in the core plan. | Yes, as an add-on module, paid per booking with credits or by subscription. |
| Online payments | Yes. Pay-online invoice links and card payments through Stripe (Stripe fees apply). | Not published. |
| Parts and tyre ordering (GSF, GroupTyre, Bonds Tyres) | GSF: yes, parts picked in GSF TradeHub land on the job and are ordered from the job. GroupTyre: search trade prices and depot stock by tyre size, then order with GroupTyre as usual. Bonds Tyres: not available. | GSF: not published. GroupTyre: not published. Bonds Tyres: not published. |
| AI invoice scanning | Yes, live. Photograph or upload a supplier invoice; every line is read and matched to your jobs, purchase orders and stock for you to check and confirm. 25 scan credits a month included, then top-up packs. | Not published. |
| Customer satisfaction surveys (Customer Intelligence) | Yes, live. Customer Intelligence sends a 0-10 survey after every paid invoice, with the reasons customers give, an employee leaderboard, revenue at risk and Google review requests. | Not published. |
| Workshop board | Yes. The Workshop screen: bookings by fortnight, week or day, Live, On site, Undated and Completed, colour-coded by job type. | Not published. The calendar shows each bay and its appointments for the day. |
| Job clocking | Yes. Technicians clock on and off each work item; the Live tab shows who is on what, and time saved against the estimate is banked. | Not published. A report shows the hours and profit each technician produced. |
| Online estimate approval | Yes. Customers approve or decline each estimate line from a link sent by email or text; decisions given by phone are recorded with who gave them. | Not published. |
| Warranty company invoicing | Yes. Bill a job to a warranty company: payer per work item, customer excess, pro-forma approval, and separate warranty and customer invoices. | Insurance work through policy excess invoices: an invoice to the insurer and an excess invoice to the customer. Warranty company billing: not published. |
| Staff leave management | Yes. Staff request leave and managers approve it, with an allowance and carry-over for each employee, shown on the calendar. | Not published. |
| Accounting | Live sync with Xero, QuickBooks Online or Sage Accounting. CSV export for Sage 50. | Export for Sage products and for Xero (pre-set template), plus custom CSV. QuickBooks: not published. |
| Support | Phone, Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, and email. Included in the plan. | Online help centre, contact form and TeamViewer remote support. Phone support and hours: not published. |
See every AutoChain price on the pricing page, or how 11 systems compare in our guide to the best garage management software in the UK.
Switching from Garage Assistant GA4 to AutoChain
- Decide what you need to bring across from GA4. It keeps your data on your own PC, so ask SWS Solutions how to get it out, and talk to us about your data.
- Create your account and add your garage details, opening hours and staff. Most garages are set up in about 10 minutes.
- Add customers and vehicles as they come in. Enter a registration and AutoChain fills in the vehicle and its MOT history, so there is no need to type everything in on day one.
- Connect your accounts (Xero, QuickBooks Online or Sage Accounting) and your GSF or GroupTyre account if you use them.
- Turn on automated MOT reminders, and add the booking widget to your website when you are ready.
For the week-by-week plan, read our guide to switching to garage management software.
Still deciding? Read what to check before you leave Garage Assistant GA4, or book a free demo and we will walk you through AutoChain on your own jobs.
AutoChain vs Garage Assistant GA4: questions
How does AutoChain pricing compare with Garage Assistant GA4?
GA4 is a one-off purchase at £350 plus VAT, with online services such as VRM lookups and online booking paid for with credit packs (100 credits for £17.60). AutoChain is a monthly plan at £69.99/mo + VAT that includes VRM lookups, online booking and cloud access for every user.
Does GA4 work in the cloud?
SWS Solutions describes GA4 as a standalone offline system for use on a single PC, with all data on your own PC. Its health checks use a cloud web app for technicians. AutoChain runs in the browser on any computer, tablet or phone.
Can I try either before I buy?
Yes. GA4 has a free trial with no time limit, with a watermark on documents and a limit on the number of records. AutoChain's first month is free and no card is needed.
Which works with my accounts package?
GA4 exports data for Sage products and for Xero using a pre-set template. AutoChain syncs live with Xero, QuickBooks Online or Sage Accounting, and exports a Sage 50 CSV.
Run your garage smarter from today
Join 100+ UK garages, from single-bay workshops to multi-site groups, already streamlining jobs, customers, MOTs and online bookings with AutoChain from £69.99/mo + VAT.
- Set up in about 10 minutes
- No long-term contract
- Cancel anytime