AutoChain vs GarageBase
How AutoChain and GarageBase compare on price, contract, trial, users and the features UK garages use every day. Every GarageBase fact comes from GarageBase's own website, and where it does not publish something, we say so.
Last checked: October 2026. Facts about GarageBase come from GarageBase's own website. Prices and features change, so confirm the details with GarageBase before you buy.
Two good systems, built for different garages
GarageBase
BASETrack Systems describes Garagebase Pro V3 as the reliable and modern yet traditional approach to workshop software, suitable for independent repair garages and workshops. It is Windows desktop software sold as a one-off Forever Licence, £695 for the full version or £495 for Lite, plus VAT, with optional annual support and extra licences for networked PCs.
AutoChain
AutoChain suits garages that want a cloud system with unlimited users and no per-PC licences: 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. GarageBase is a one-off purchase with no renewals.
AutoChain and GarageBase compared
| Comparison point | AutoChain | GarageBase |
|---|---|---|
| Price model | One monthly plan with everything core included, plus optional add-ons. | One-off Forever Licence, with no renewals or contracts. Optional annual support (BUSINESS Guard). |
| 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. | GB Pro V3 £695, Lite £495, each extra networked PC £345. Annual support from £249. Prices exclude VAT. |
| Contract | Monthly rolling, cancel anytime. No setup fee. | No renewals and no contracts. Support is an optional annual package. |
| Free trial | First month free, no card needed. Add-ons are billed from day one. | Not published. Demonstration by remote access. |
| Users and seats | Unlimited employees, no per-seat fees. | Licensed per PC: each extra networked PC is £345. Lite cannot be networked. |
| VRM and DVSA MOT lookup | Yes, free: VRM lookup and full DVSA MOT history by registration. | VRM lookup through a Motor Specs account, as an optional paid service. DVSA MOT history: not published. |
| Health checks with online authorisation | Yes, in the core plan. Customers review the health check and authorise work online. | Not published. |
| Online booking | Yes, an online booking widget for your website, in the core plan. | Not part of GB Pro V3; GarageBase points to a separate online booking product, MOTORWeb. |
| Online payments | Yes. Pay-online invoice links and card payments through Stripe (Stripe fees apply). | Optional Payment Sense (Dojo) integration to receive payments. Online payment links: 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. A Workshop Job sheet Viewer shows job sheets in the workshop (an extra licence on another PC). |
| 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. |
| 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. | 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. | Holidays and days off can be blocked out in the diary for each bay. A leave module is not published. |
| Accounting | Live sync with Xero, QuickBooks Online or Sage Accounting. CSV export for Sage 50. | Export invoice data to Sage 50 Cloud or Xero by CSV file. QuickBooks: not published. |
| Support | Phone, Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, and email. Included in the plan. | Phone and email, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm UK time, plus remote support. Annual support optional. |
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 GarageBase to AutoChain
- Talk to us about your data before you switch.
- 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 GarageBase, or book a free demo and we will walk you through AutoChain on your own jobs.
AutoChain vs GarageBase: questions
How does AutoChain pricing compare with GarageBase?
GarageBase sells GB Pro V3 as a one-off Forever Licence: £695 for the full version or £495 for Lite, plus £345 for each extra networked PC and optional annual support, all excluding VAT. AutoChain is a monthly plan at £69.99/mo + VAT with unlimited users and no per-PC charges.
Is GarageBase cloud software?
No. GarageBase describes GB Pro V3 as Windows desktop software. AutoChain runs in the browser on any computer, tablet or phone.
Can I try either before I buy?
GarageBase offers a demonstration by remote access; a free trial is not published. AutoChain's first month is free and no card is needed.
How do I switch to AutoChain?
Create your account, add your garage details and start booking work. Customers and vehicles can be added as they come in, since entering a registration fills in the vehicle and its MOT history. Talk to us about your data before you switch.
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