Cheapest garage management software UK 2026

First-year cost comparison (2-user garage)

This table estimates the total first-year cost for a two-person independent garage. We assume moderate usage: ~200 DVLA lookups/month, ~150 SMS/month, and the garage needs a basic website.

Estimates based on publicly available pricing, checked 19 August 2026. AGN prices converted to include VAT at 20%. TechMan credit estimates assume moderate DVLA/SMS usage. Garage Hive setup is a conservative estimate based on independent sources. Pricing reflects standard published rates and does not include promotional offers, limited-time discounts or negotiated rates. Actual costs will vary; confirm current pricing directly with each provider.

1. Motasoft VGM: cheapest by headline price

At £65/month, Motasoft Standard is the cheapest UK GMS. Free setup, no contract, DVLA included. The catch: SMS is charged separately as credit packs (~£15/month for moderate use), and the website add-on is £50/month. Even with these extras, the first-year total is around £1,560, the lowest in the market.

For Haynes Pro technical data, the Plus tier at £95/month is still excellent value. Full Motasoft pricing breakdown.

2. TechMan Partner: cheapest with Autodata access path

TechMan Partner at £99/month has no setup fee, but comes with a 12-month contract. Credit charges for DVLA lookups and SMS add roughly £50/month for moderate use. Autodata isn't included at this tier; you need the Flexi plan at £199/month with a ~£995 setup fee. Without a website, the first-year cost is around £1,788. Full TechMan pricing breakdown.

3. Garegi: cheapest with a website included

Garegi's £200/month isn't the cheapest headline price, but it includes a booking website, 300 SMS/month, DVLA lookups and no setup fee. The first-year total is a predictable £2,400 with nothing added on top. For garages that would otherwise pay separately for a website and SMS, the all-inclusive price can work out comparable to cheaper systems. Full Garegi pricing.

4. Auto Garage Network: cheapest managed package

AGN's GMS starts at £135+VAT/month (£162 inc. VAT). Adding the website package and managed SEO pushes the first-year total to nearly £6,000. It's not cheap, but for garages that want someone else to handle website and SEO entirely, AGN's combined package saves the hassle of coordinating multiple suppliers. Full AGN pricing breakdown.

5. Garage Hive: most expensive for small teams

Garage Hive's headline price of £145/month is mid-range, but the Microsoft licence adds ~£62 per user per month. For a two-person garage, that's £124/month extra. Adding reported setup costs of £2,000+, the first-year total exceeds £5,200 before website costs. The cost is justified for garages that use Power BI reporting and Autodata daily. Full Garage Hive pricing breakdown.

The real question: cheap or predictable?

The cheapest headline price isn't always the cheapest total cost. Credit charges, per-user fees, setup costs and website add-ons all change the maths. Consider what you actually need:

• Watching every pound: Motasoft Standard at £65/month if you can live without a fancy website.
• Low entry, upgrade later: TechMan Partner at £99/month if credit charges stay manageable.
• No surprises: Garegi at £200/month if you want everything in one price including a website.