Best Garage Management Software UK (2026): 11 Compared

This guide compares 11 garage management systems sold to UK garages in 2026, including AutoChain, garage management software built for independent UK garages. For each system it gives the published price, how users are charged, the contract terms and whether there is a free trial.

Every figure comes from the vendor’s own website and was checked on 21 October 2026. The pages are linked under each system. Where a vendor does not publish a figure, this guide says so instead of estimating it. Start with the quick table, then the picks for small garages, MOT centres and multi-site groups. For a closer look at two systems, see our side-by-side comparisons.

Garage management software compared at a glance

The table shows what each vendor publishes about price, users, contract and trial.

AutoChain, AutoSage, Garage Assistant GA4, Motasoft and Torq’d state that VAT is charged on top. Garage Hive, GarageDash, GDS, TechMan and Workshop Software do not say on their pricing pages whether VAT is included. TechMan shows its prices as images on its pricing page.

Best garage management software for each type of garage

These picks use only what each vendor publishes. They are shortlists to start from, not rankings, and AutoChain is judged on the same facts as everyone else.

Small garages and new workshops

A low, published monthly price, unlimited users and a free trial keep the cost of trying low.

• GarageDash: the lowest published price in this guide, £29 a month per garage, with a 14-day trial (card required).
• AutoChain: £69.99 a month + VAT with health checks, online booking and live accounts sync included, and the first month free with no card. See AutoChain pricing.
• Torq’d: £90 a month + VAT for one all-in plan, with a one-month trial and no card.
• Garage Assistant GA4: if you want a one-off purchase for a single Windows PC, £350 + VAT.

MOT centres

Look for DVSA MOT data on the vehicle, automated MOT reminders and a way for customers to book their MOT online.

• AutoChain: full DVSA MOT history by registration, automated MOT reminders by email or SMS, and an online booking widget, all in the core plan.
• Garage Hive: DVSA MOT integration, automated reminders and online booking linked to the live diary, with MOT lookups charged per unit.
• Autowork Online: an online MOT booking module, sold as an add-on.
• TechMan: MOT expiry lookup from DVSA records and MOT reminders on every plan; its web booking tool is listed under the Pro plan.

Multi-site groups

Check how each extra site is priced, and whether reporting can show every branch together.

• Garage Hive: says it is designed with multi-location garages in mind, with an Enterprise plan for groups.
• AutoSage: priced per branch, with unlimited users on every branch.
• Workshop Software: multi-site on its Platinum plan, from £199 a month billed yearly.
• AutoChain: run several sites from one account with the multi-site add-on, priced per site, with site filters on the dashboard and analytics.
• TechMan: a multi-site view of all your locations.

How to choose garage management software

• List what you do every day. Bookings, job cards, health checks, MOTs, tyres, parts ordering, invoicing. The best system is the one that covers your work without workarounds.
• Work out the real monthly cost. Add per-user charges, setup fees, SMS and lookup charges, and technical data to the headline price, for your team size today and in two years.
• Use it on real jobs. A free trial or a demo on your own jobs shows more than a feature list. Check it works on the workshop floor, on a phone or tablet.
• Check the contract and your data. Minimum term, notice period, and how you get your records out if you leave. The checklist below covers the rest.

For a fuller walkthrough, see how to choose garage management software.

What is garage management software?

Garage management software, also called a garage management system (GMS) or workshop management software, runs the day-to-day work of a vehicle workshop in one place. It typically covers the booking diary, job cards, estimates and invoices, customer and vehicle records, parts stock and reminders for MOTs and services.

For a longer explanation, see What is a garage management system?.

The 11 garage management systems in detail

1. AutoChain

AutoChain is cloud-based garage management software from AutoChain Limited, founded in 2023 and based in Brighton. It runs in a web browser with nothing to install.

• Price: £69.99 a month + VAT for the core plan, with no setup fee.
• Users: unlimited employees, with no per-seat charge.
• Contract: monthly subscription with no long-term contract.
• Free trial: the first month is free on the core plan and no card is required. Add-ons are billed from day one.
• Add-ons: SMS at £15 a month + VAT including 200 SMS credits, HaynesPro technical data at £49.99 a month + VAT per site (not part of the free month), multi-site priced per site, and pay-as-you-go Axel AI credits.
• Features: workshop calendar, job cards, digital vehicle health checks that customers authorise online, estimates, invoices with pay-online links through Stripe, automated MOT reminders, an online booking widget, and parts and tyre stock with purchase orders.
• Connects to: live sync with Xero, QuickBooks Online or Sage Accounting (CSV export for Sage 50), GSF parts ordering from the job, GroupTyre and Oak Tyres price and stock search, HaynesPro and Stripe.
• Set-up: most garages are set up in about 10 minutes. Enter a registration and the vehicle and its MOT history fill in.

Source: AutoChain pricing, AutoChain integrations, AutoChain product summary.

2. AutoSage

AutoSage is cloud-based garage management software that its maker, Poole Software Limited, describes as built for tyre garages, independent workshops and mobile fitters.

• Price: from £99.99 a month per branch, excluding VAT.
• Users: unlimited users on every branch at no extra cost.
• Contract: billed monthly, or yearly if you prefer.
• Free trial: none published. AutoSage offers a personalised demo.
• Included: training, set-up and historic data upload.
• Features: a technician mobile app that works fully offline and syncs when reconnected, plus job tracking, a scheduling diary, stock control, purchasing and invoicing.
• Connects to: accounting packages such as Sage and Xero through file-based integration.
• Hosting: Microsoft Azure.

Source: AutoSage pricing, Why AutoSage, AutoSage features.

3. Autowork Online

Autowork Online is cloud-based garage management software from MAM Software, also listed as a Klipboard product. It runs in a web browser with no installation.

• Price: not published. Its website describes a per-user monthly subscription.
• Users: charged per user.
• Contract: not published.
• Free trial: none published. You can request a demo.
• Features: online bookings, diary planning and drag-and-drop scheduling, a tyre sales module and online MOT booking. Klipboard describes it as built for workshops managing tyre and mechanical services together.
• Technical data: optional technical repair data is available.

Source: autowork.online, Autowork Online cloud, Klipboard: Autowork Online.

4. Garage Assistant GA4

Garage Assistant GA4, from SWS Solutions, is a traditional desktop application for Windows. It is sold for use on a single PC, with all data held on that PC.

• Price: £350 as a one-time purchase, plus VAT, with no monthly or yearly subscription.
• Usage charges: optional online services use credits. A pack of 100 credits is £17.60; an SMS costs 0.5 credit and a VRM lookup costs 1 credit.
• Online booking: optional, either on credits or as an unlimited-use subscription at £60 for 6 months or £100 for 12 months.
• Free trial: a free trial version with no time limit, though documents carry a watermark and the number of records is limited.
• Features: estimates, job sheets and invoices, customer and vehicle records, stock control, MOT and service reminders, and a 35-point vehicle health check that can be edited on mobile devices.
• Connects to: Xero and various Sage products, by data export.

Source: GA4 purchase page, GA4 features, GA4 trial download.

See AutoChain and Garage Assistant GA4 side by side.

5. Garage Hive

Garage Hive describes itself as a community-driven, cloud-based garage management system. It can be used on any PC, laptop or tablet.

• Price: from £145 a month.
• Users: charged per user (Full Users and Lite Users); per-user prices are not published.
• Contract: one-month rolling, then cancel anytime with a signed form. Autodata is on a quarterly commitment and Microsoft 365 on an annual one.
• Free trial: some feature pages mention a free trial or test drive, but no terms are published. Garage Hive offers a free demo.
• Features: estimates, job sheets and invoicing, work scheduling, automated reminders, online job authorisation by customers, online booking linked to the live diary, and vehicle health checks carried out on a device.
• Accounts: a choice between Garage Hive’s own accountancy system, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and integrations with Sage, Xero and QuickBooks.
• Connects to: Autodata technical data, GSF parts ordering, and payments through Pay by Garage Link (Pay360 and Stripe), Dojo, Humm and Payment Assist.

Source: Garage Hive pricing, Garage Hive terms, garagehive.co.uk.

See AutoChain and Garage Hive side by side.

6. GarageDash

GarageDash is sold as a native Windows app plus a browser-based web app that works on any device. A Mac app is listed as coming soon.

• Price: £29 a month per garage. This is the lowest published monthly price in this guide.
• Users: priced per garage, not per user, so the whole team is covered.
• Contract: cancel anytime.
• Free trial: 14 days. A card is required and is not charged until the trial ends.
• Features: jobs and work orders, customer and vehicle records, invoices and quotes, parts inventory, a booking calendar and reports.
• Switching: free onboarding, including help moving customers, vehicles and job history across.

Source: garagedash.co.uk.

7. GDS Workshop Manager

GDS (Garage Data Systems) was founded in 2006. Workshop Manager is offered in a desktop or a cloud version, and GDS says feature availability depends on the plan and version chosen.

• Price: the Express plan is from £149 a month with a £350 setup fee. The Managed plan is from £249 a month with a £450 setup fee.
• Users: per-user pricing is not published.
• Usage charges: SMS, VRM lookups and HaynesPro technical data lookups are charged as credits on top of the subscription.
• Contract: monthly rolling, subject to 3 months’ notice.
• Free trial: none published. You can book a demo.
• Features: diary and time management, job and workshop workflow, vehicle health checks, stock and parts management, and online booking.
• Connects to: Sage, Xero or QuickBooks, HaynesPro technical data and the NAPA Auto Parts catalogue.

Source: GDS Workshop Manager, GDS pricing, GDS features and FAQ.

8. Motasoft Virtual Garage Manager (VGM)

Virtual Garage Manager is Motasoft’s cloud-based system. Motasoft says it is used by over 1,000 garages across the UK.

• Price: three plans, excluding VAT. Essential is £55 a month, Plus is £85 and Complete is £110. Motasoft says these are discounted rates for customers who sign up with MotasoftPay. The same page also carries a higher set of prices, £65, £95 and £149, behind its MotasoftPay toggle.
• Users: unlimited on every plan.
• Setup: free.
• Contract: Motasoft’s pricing page says there is no fixed-term contract, while its homepage FAQ describes a 12-month contract paid monthly by direct debit. Confirm the term before you sign.
• Free trial: none published. Motasoft offers a free demo.
• Included each month: 100 SMS, 100 postcode lookups and 50 VRM lookups.
• Plan differences: Plus adds Haynes technical data. Complete adds the technician app and vehicle health checks.
• Connects to: Xero directly, Sage and QuickBooks through exports, GSF Car Parts for parts ordering and GroupTyre for tyre ordering.

Source: Motasoft pricing, motasoft.co.uk.

See AutoChain and Motasoft side by side.

9. TechMan

TechMan sells four plans: Starter, Lite, Advanced and Pro. It describes itself as web-based and cloud-based, and shows its prices as images on its pricing page.

• Price, Partner Plan: Starter £99, Lite £189, Advanced £315 and Pro £415 a month. Flexi Plan: £99, £239, £399 and £529 a month, plus an upfront fee of £199, £500, £1,300 and £1,300. VAT is not stated.
• Two ways to buy: a Partner Plan with no upfront cost on a minimum-term agreement (length not published), or a Flexi Plan on a 30-day rolling basis with an upfront fee that covers onboarding, setup and data migration.
• Users: TechMan says it does not charge per user, except on the Starter Flexi plan.
• Free trial: none published. TechMan offers a demonstration.
• On every plan: estimates and invoicing, supplier integrations with LKQ Euro Car Parts, GSF, NAPA and Dingbro, MOT and service reminders, and integrated HaynesPro E3 technical data. The pricing table lists unlimited Autodata access from Lite upwards.
• Advanced adds: tablet access for technicians, digital check sheets, paperless job cards and a customer portal.
• Pro adds: a web booking tool, telephone integration and a car sales module.
• Accounts: TechMan’s integrations page describes exports to Sage, Xero, QuickBooks and KashFlow; its invoicing page describes automatic sync with Xero, QuickBooks and Sage.
• Switching: TechMan’s team handles data transfer from your current system, though it says some limitations may apply depending on that system. Onboarding and 1-to-1 training are included; on-site training costs extra.

Source: TechMan pricing, TechMan integrations, TechMan customer portal.

See AutoChain and TechMan side by side.

10. Torq’d

Torq’d describes itself as a SaaS platform for independent garages, tyre shops and mobile mechanics. It sells one plan with everything included.

• Price: £90 a month, excluding VAT.
• Users: unlimited, with no per-user fees.
• Contract: cancel anytime, taking effect at the end of the billing period, with monthly or annual billing.
• Free trial: one month, with no card required.
• Features: bookings and job sheets, quotes and invoices, online booking, WhatsApp confirmations and reminders, and vehicle health checks with photos and media.
• Tyres: tyre stock, search and booking, a live GroupTyre supplier integration and tyre label scanning with a phone camera.
• Parts and accounts: GSF parts search by registration. Torq’d describes its invoicing as having “Xero-ready processes”.
• Switching: database migration support is included.

Source: Torq’d pricing, Torq’d billing terms, torqd.uk.

11. Workshop Software

Workshop Software is a cloud-based system with three plans and Android and iOS mobile apps.

• Price: Silver is £119 a month, or £99 a month billed yearly. Gold is £129, or £109 billed yearly. Platinum is £249, or £199 billed yearly.
• Users: additional users are £16 a month each.
• Usage charges: DVLA lookup and MOT history is 9p per lookup, and SMS carries a small fee per message.
• Contract: Workshop Software says there are no lock-in contracts and no expensive setup fees.
• Free trial: yes.
• Plan differences: Gold adds electronic inspections with inspection approval and online bookings from your website. Platinum adds multi-site.
• Connects to: Xero, QuickBooks, HaynesPro and GSF.

Source: Workshop Software plans, Workshop Software for garages.

More ways to narrow the list

These groupings also use only what each vendor publishes.

• Unlimited users for one price: AutoChain, GarageDash, Motasoft VGM and Torq’d. AutoSage includes unlimited users per branch.
• A free trial: AutoChain (first month free, no card), Torq’d (one month, no card), GarageDash (14 days, card required), Workshop Software and Garage Assistant GA4.
• A published price under £100 a month: GarageDash (£29), Motasoft VGM Essential (from £55 + VAT with MotasoftPay), AutoChain (£69.99 + VAT), Torq’d (£90 + VAT), TechMan Starter (£99 on the Partner Plan), Workshop Software Silver (£99 billed yearly) and AutoSage (from £99.99 per branch + VAT).
• Desktop software: Garage Assistant GA4 runs on a single Windows PC, GDS offers a desktop version and GarageDash has a Windows app.
• A one-off purchase instead of a subscription: Garage Assistant GA4.
• Tiered plans you can move up through: TechMan, Motasoft VGM, Workshop Software and GDS.
• Tyre tools: Torq’d (tyre stock and GroupTyre), AutoSage (built for tyre garages), Autowork Online (tyre sales module), Motasoft VGM (GroupTyre ordering) and AutoChain (GroupTyre and Oak Tyres price and stock search).
• Accounts built in: Garage Hive offers its own accountancy system on Microsoft Dynamics 365.

What to check before you sign

• Setup and onboarding fees. Some vendors charge one, some include setup in the monthly price.
• How users are charged. Per user, per branch or unlimited changes the real cost as your team grows.
• Contract length and notice period. Ask for both in writing.
• Usage charges. SMS, VRM lookups and technical data are often billed on top.
• Whether the price includes VAT.
• Data import. Ask whether your existing customers, vehicles and history can be brought across, and who does it.
• Accounting link. A live sync and a file export are different things. Check which one you are getting.

For a fuller checklist, see How to choose garage management software.

How this guide was compiled

We read each vendor’s own website, including its pricing page where one exists, on 21 October 2026. Only statements published by the vendor itself are used. Nothing here comes from review sites, resellers or other comparison articles.

Vendors change prices and plans. Confirm the current details with the vendor before you buy.