Compare › Guide

Best shop management software for small shops (1-3 bays), 2026

If you run one to three bays, the biggest swing in cost is users and add-ons, not the sticker price. Here is every system in our tracker that says it fits small shops, sorted by its lowest published monthly price.

Quick answer

Lowest published price: ARI ($39.99/mo, or $33.33/mo paid yearly) and Digital Wrench ($39.95/mo for one computer).
Budget plan from a better-known cloud system: Torque360 Starter ($89.99/mo billed annually).
Unlimited users without paying per tech: Tekmetric (from $179/mo yearly), ARI and Shop-Ware state unlimited users or free team logins.
Shopmonkey starts at $215/mo yearly with 3 users; a 4th tech is +$20/mo.

We picked by published price, users and confirmed features. We have not tested these products. "Best" depends on your parts suppliers, labor guide and how you take payments.

What to check before you switch

Users: count every tech who needs a login.
Labor guide and repair data: often only on mid-tier plans.
Payments: processing rates are usually "call for pricing".
Data migration: some vendors charge for it (Shopmonkey lists $500; Shop Boss $399-$899).
Contracts: most cloud systems are month-to-month; some intro rates need 13+ month terms.

All small-shop options by price

ARI

$39.99/mo, or $399.99/yr ($33.33/mo) · Solo techs and 1-3 bay shops wanting the lowest published price

Confirmed on vendor site: DVI, Parts ordering, QuickBooks, Payments / text-to-pay, Scheduling, CARFAX, Inventory, Unlimited users

Free trial: Freemium: free for a limited number of invoices

Visit ARI

Digital Wrench

$39.95/mo for one computer · Very small shops that want simple, low-cost work orders

Confirmed on vendor site: few features confirmed on the pages we read

Free trial: Not published

Visit Digital Wrench

Garage360

From $79/mo · Small shops looking for a low entry price

Confirmed on vendor site: few features confirmed on the pages we read

Free trial: Not published

Visit Garage360

Torque360

From $89.99/mo billed annually · Solo mechanics and 1-3 bay shops on a budget

Confirmed on vendor site: Payments / text-to-pay, Scheduling

Free trial: Not published

Visit Torque360

MaxxTraxx

From $99/mo · Small to mid-size shops wanting a no-contract system with accounting

Confirmed on vendor site: Payments / text-to-pay, Scheduling

Free trial: Not published

Visit MaxxTraxx

NAPA TRACS

Starts at $109/mo · NAPA AutoCare shops and small shops wanting built-in Mitchell 1 labor data

Confirmed on vendor site: Parts ordering, Two-way text, Scheduling, Labor guide, Inventory, Unlimited users

Free trial: Not published

Visit NAPA TRACS

Tekmetric

From $179/mo billed annually ($199 month-to-month) · Independent shops of any size that want unlimited users and no contract

Confirmed on vendor site: DVI, Payments / text-to-pay, Two-way text, Labor guide, Inventory, Unlimited users

Free trial: Not published (demo-led)

Visit Tekmetric

AutoLeap

From $179/mo billed annually ($199 month-to-month) · Small to mid-size shops; also sells its own AI receptionist (AIR)

Confirmed on vendor site: DVI, Parts ordering, Two-way text, CARFAX

Free trial: Not published

Visit AutoLeap

Shop Boss

From $179/mo billed annually ($199 monthly) · Small to mid-size shops wanting month-to-month plans

Confirmed on vendor site: Scheduling, Labor guide, Inventory

Free trial: Not published

Visit Shop Boss

Shopmonkey

From $215/mo billed annually ($239 month-to-month) · 2-10 bay shops that want an all-in-one cloud system

Confirmed on vendor site: DVI, Parts ordering, QuickBooks, Payments / text-to-pay, Two-way text, Scheduling, CARFAX, Labor guide, Inventory

Free trial: Not published (third-party tracker says no free trial)

Visit Shopmonkey

BOLT ON Technology

Shop Success Essentials from $245/mo (13-month contract, paid upfront intro rate) · Shops that mainly want customer communication, marketing and DVI on top of an existing system

Confirmed on vendor site: DVI, Scheduling

Free trial: Not published

Visit BOLT ON Technology