Shop-Ware vs Garage Hive

Shop-Ware7.6Visit Garage Hive6.8Visit

Higher score Shop-Ware #4 in Auto Repair Software 7.6/10 From $279/mo ✓ 3 of 6 features Visit Shop-Ware

vs

Garage Hive #8 in Auto Repair Software 6.8/10 From £145/mo ✓ 5 of 6 features Visit Garage Hive

• Shop-Ware fits best

  Larger shops wanting advanced controls

• Garage Hive fits best

  UK workshops needing integrated operations

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Side by side

Feature	Shop-Ware 7.6/10 Visit ↗	Garage Hive 6.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	7.6	6.8
Ranking	#4 in Auto Repair Software	#8 in Auto Repair Software
Best for	Larger shops wanting advanced controls	UK workshops needing integrated operations
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	$279/mo	Not published
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud
Platforms	Web	Web
Support	Email, Phone, Docs	Email, Phone, Docs
Integrations	10 integrations	15 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Shop-Ware 3/6 · Garage Hive 5/6
Work orders	✓	✓
Digital inspections	✓	✓
Appointment scheduling	Not published	✓ (best)
Parts inventory	✓	✓
Customer messaging	Not published	✓ (best)
Mobile app	Not published	—
Specs
Location support	Not published	Multi
Our review
Pros	Digital inspections share photos, videos and notes for customer approval Pro adds parts catalogs, labor guides, OE specs and API connections Master adds inventory and gross-profit tracking with coaching dashboards	Connects estimates, jobsheets, invoicing and technician scheduling Combines inspections, customer approvals and online booking Includes parts control and multi-location schedules, stock and reporting
Cons	Startup begins at $279 per location per month Two-way texting is limited on Startup Ultimate+ costs $999 monthly per location before annual billing	Paid plans start at £145 per month, with no free plan Available on web; no mobile app is listed Broad workflow may be more than a single-location garage needs
Our verdict	Shop-Ware is cloud-based automotive repair shop management software for independent repair shops, family-owned garages and multishop organizations. It brings repair orders, estimating, digital inspections, approvals, inventory, technician… Read the review →	Garage Hive brings workshop administration into a cloud-based system for vehicle repair businesses. It covers estimates, jobsheets, invoicing, technician scheduling and time tracking, alongside customer bookings and communication.… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Shop-Ware — where it wins

  • Digital inspections share photos, videos and notes for customer approval
  • Pro adds parts catalogs, labor guides, OE specs and API connections
  • Master adds inventory and gross-profit tracking with coaching dashboards

  Where it doesn't

  • Startup begins at $279 per location per month
  • Two-way texting is limited on Startup
  • Ultimate+ costs $999 monthly per location before annual billing

• Garage Hive — where it wins

  • Connects estimates, jobsheets, invoicing and technician scheduling
  • Combines inspections, customer approvals and online booking
  • Includes parts control and multi-location schedules, stock and reporting

  Where it doesn't

  • Paid plans start at £145 per month, with no free plan
  • Available on web; no mobile app is listed
  • Broad workflow may be more than a single-location garage needs

• Shop-Ware7.6/10 · From $279/mo

  A feature-rich shop system for teams that need repair controls, parts tools and reporting.

  Visit Shop-WareFull verdict →
• Garage Hive6.8/10 · From £145/mo

  An all-in-one workshop system for UK garages, starting at £145 per month.

  Visit Garage HiveFull verdict →