AutoChain vs Motasoft
How AutoChain and Motasoft compare on price, contract, trial, users and the features UK garages use every day. Every Motasoft fact comes from Motasoft's own website, and where it does not publish something, we say so.
Last checked: October 2026. Facts about Motasoft come from Motasoft's own website. Prices and features change, so confirm the details with Motasoft before you buy.
Two good systems, built for different garages
Motasoft
Motasoft says its Virtual Garage Manager (VGM) handles all aspects of the workshop, whether you are a one-person operation or a large business with multiple bays and technicians, and that it is used by over 1,000 garages across the UK. It sells three packages, Essential, Plus and Complete, from £55 a month plus VAT with MotasoftPay, with unlimited users, GSF and GroupTyre ordering, a direct Xero integration, and technician clocking in the Complete package.
AutoChain
AutoChain suits garages that want one plan with the core included: health checks and estimates customers approve online, online booking, pay-online invoice links, AI invoice scanning, Customer Intelligence surveys, job clocking and warranty company invoicing, with live Xero, QuickBooks Online or Sage Accounting sync, at £69.99/mo + VAT. Motasoft's Essential package costs less a month.
AutoChain and Motasoft compared
| Comparison point | AutoChain | Motasoft |
|---|---|---|
| Price model | One monthly plan with everything core included, plus optional add-ons. | Monthly subscription in three packages (Essential, Plus, Complete), with lower prices for customers who sign up to MotasoftPay. |
| 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. | With MotasoftPay: Essential £55, Plus £85, Complete £110 a month. Without: £65, £95, £149. Prices exclude VAT. Website £25 a month extra plus a £150 build fee. |
| Contract | Monthly rolling, cancel anytime. No setup fee. | Pricing page: no fixed-term contract. Homepage FAQ: a 12-month contract paid monthly by direct debit. Cancellation form: products require a 90 day notice period. |
| Free trial | First month free, no card needed. Add-ons are billed from day one. | Not published. Free demo offered. |
| Users and seats | Unlimited employees, no per-seat fees. | Unlimited users. |
| VRM and DVSA MOT lookup | Yes, free: VRM lookup and full DVSA MOT history by registration. | Yes: VRM lookup and DVSA MOT history, with VRM credits included each month. |
| Health checks with online authorisation | Yes, in the core plan. Customers review the health check and authorise work online. | Health checks in the technician app, sent to the customer as a digital report by email or SMS. Online authorisation: not published; quoting from the report is listed as upcoming. |
| Online booking | Yes, an online booking widget for your website, in the core plan. | Yes. Online booking linked to the live diary. |
| Online payments | Yes. Pay-online invoice links and card payments through Stripe (Stripe fees apply). | MotasoftPay payment links by SMS or email, and PayPal for online bookings. Payment during online booking through MotasoftPay: listed as coming soon. |
| 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: yes. GroupTyre: yes. NAPA Auto Parts: yes. 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. | A jobsheet kanban board sorted by status, and a scheduler showing bays and technicians. |
| 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. | Yes. Technicians can be clocked on and off jobs. |
| 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. Quotes are emailed, then converted to a jobsheet or invoice when the customer goes ahead. |
| 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. | Not published. The scheduler sets working hours and breaks for technicians. |
| Accounting | Live sync with Xero, QuickBooks Online or Sage Accounting. CSV export for Sage 50. | Direct Xero integration for sales and purchases. Export to Sage 50 and QuickBooks. |
| Support | Phone, Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, and email. Included in the plan. | UK-based phone and chat support, Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm. |
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 Motasoft to AutoChain
- Check your Motasoft contract and notice period first. Its pricing page says there is no fixed-term contract, its homepage FAQ says it offers a 12-month contract paid monthly by direct debit, and its cancellation form says its products require a 90 day notice period.
- 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 Motasoft, or book a free demo and we will walk you through AutoChain on your own jobs.
AutoChain vs Motasoft: questions
How does AutoChain pricing compare with Motasoft?
AutoChain has one plan at £69.99/mo + VAT with unlimited users. Motasoft sells three packages: Essential £55, Plus £85 and Complete £110 a month for customers who sign up to MotasoftPay, or £65, £95 and £149 without, all excluding VAT. A Motasoft website is £25 a month extra plus a £150 build fee.
Do AutoChain and Motasoft have contracts?
AutoChain is monthly rolling with no notice period. Motasoft's pricing page says there is no fixed-term contract, its homepage FAQ says it offers a 12-month contract paid monthly by direct debit, and its cancellation form says its products require a 90 day notice period.
Can customers approve work online?
In AutoChain, yes: customers approve health check items and estimate lines from a link. Motasoft sends health checks as a digital report by email or SMS and lists quoting from the report as upcoming; its estimates are emailed and converted when the customer goes ahead.
Do both work with GSF and GroupTyre?
Yes. Motasoft also lists NAPA Auto Parts. In AutoChain, GSF parts picked in GSF TradeHub land on the job, and GroupTyre stock and your trade prices are searched by tyre size.
Can I try AutoChain or Motasoft first?
AutoChain's first month is free and no card is needed. Motasoft offers a free demo and does not publish a free trial.
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