Workshop Software

What it is

Workshop Software gives repair businesses one cloud system for customer bookings, job progress, estimates, inspections, stock, payments and invoices. It has web, iOS and Android access, plus APIs on Platinum. Plans start at A$119 a month plus GST in the Australian schedule, or $169 a month in the other listed schedule. There is no free plan, but a 14-day trial is available.

Who it suits. Independent repair shops managing jobs, bookings and invoices Multi-site workshops needing public APIs Vehicle businesses using digital inspections and customer approvals

Your product? You can pay for an editorial review of Workshop Software; CarCody's editors write the verdict · from $149/mo. How it works →

What Workshop Software does

Workshop Software is cloud-based management software for automotive and mechanical repair workshops. It takes a job from online booking through work orders, customer communication, inspections, inventory and invoicing.

Its dashboard shows job progress, quotes, stock, staff allocation and invoices. Customers can book through a website-connected form. The mobile app handles bookings, jobs, photos, videos, work hours and inspections.

Electronic inspections create paperless reports, send photos and costs to a customer's phone, and support approval before work proceeds. Customer and vehicle history records stay together for service work and communication.

Access, integrations and controls

You can use the service on the web, iOS and Android. The vendor recommends an internet connection faster than 5 Mbps for normal performance, and describes no self-hosted version.

Listed accounting connections include Xero, QuickBooks and MYOB AccountRight Online. Automotive connections include Carfax, PartsTech, Mitchell1 ProDemand, TireConnect, Repco, Burson, WorkshopData and VV Garage. Marketing and messaging connections include Podium, Mailchimp, two-way SMS and WorkshopWeb.

The Public API and Public Booking API are limited to Platinum and activated by administrators. API activation creates a key, secret and company ID; the secret is shown once. Data is encrypted in transit, access can be role-based, two-factor authentication is optional, and administrators can require Entra/Azure single sign-on.

What it costs to run

The listed Australian plans are A$119 a month for Silver, A$149 a month for Gold and A$249 a month for Platinum, each billed monthly and plus GST. Annual Australian prices are A$1188, A$1428 and A$2388, plus GST.

Another listed schedule prices Silver at $169 a month, Gold at $199 a month and Platinum at $299 a month. Yearly billing lowers those monthly rates to $149, $179 and $249, with annual totals of $1788, $2148 and $2988.

There is no free plan. A 14-day trial is offered. The pricing page notes small fees for each SMS and registration lookup, and says Silver and Gold data-import assistance may cost extra. WorkshopPay supports online and in-person payments, with integrated payments listed only in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA.

How the plans differ

Silver covers core job and vehicle management, bookings, data import and export, and—on the non-Australian schedule—the mobile app and Xero, QuickBooks and MYOB connections.

Gold adds the advanced phone app, business-intelligence reporting, electronic inspections and website bookings. Platinum adds multi-site management, the Public Booking API, the Public API, advanced service and WorkshopWeb.

Business-intelligence reporting and electronic inspections therefore start at Gold, while public API access is reserved for Platinum.

Who it suits

The maker lists auto mechanical, truck, farm machinery, motorcycle, boat and RV repair businesses as intended users. It fits a shop that wants bookings, estimates, approvals, technician time, inspections, inventory and invoices in one online system.

It may also suit multi-site operators that need the Platinum plan's multi-site and API options. Customers who want website bookings or electronic inspection approvals need Gold or higher.

Trade-offs to consider

Because the service is cloud-based, the shop needs internet access. It has no self-hosted deployment, and the vendor recommends more than 5 Mbps for normal performance.

The lowest Australian price is plus GST, while another schedule uses dollar prices and separate annual billing terms. SMS and registration lookups add small per-use fees, and some data-import help may cost extra.

The vendor states that it has no third-party security certifications. API access is limited to Platinum, and only administrators can view or manage it.

Verdict

Workshop Software covers the daily path of a repair business, from a customer's booking to an approved inspection, stocked work order and paid invoice. Its tier structure is clear: Silver handles core management, Gold adds reporting and digital inspection work, and Platinum is the choice for multi-site shops and public APIs. Check the applicable currency schedule, GST, internet requirement and usage fees before committing. The 14-day trial gives a shop time to test its workflow without a free ongoing plan.

Getting started

1. Visit https://workshopsoftware.com/.
2. Choose a Silver, Gold, or Platinum plan and monthly or yearly billing.
3. Start the 14-day trial.
4. Use the web, Android, or iOS platform.
5. For Workshop API access, select Platinum and use an admin account.

Limits

There is no free plan; the listed trial lasts 14 days. The Workshop API is available only on Platinum and only admin users can view and manage it. Integrated payments are available only in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA.