Auto Repair Shop Software That Works As Hard As You Do
Mechanics is purpose-built for independent auto repair shops. Work orders, diagnostics, parts inventory, customer history, and AI intelligence — all in one cloud platform. Free to start.
The Basics
What Is Auto Repair Shop Software?
Auto repair shop software replaces paper repair orders, spreadsheets, and disconnected systems with a single, cloud-based platform designed for the realities of running a repair shop. If you're still using handwritten ROs, managing inventory in a notebook, or tracking customer vehicles in your head, modern shop software transforms how you operate.
A good shop management system handles everything: creating and tracking work orders from estimate through invoice, managing parts inventory across multiple suppliers, storing complete vehicle history by VIN, tracking technician productivity and hours, and generating the reports you need to understand your actual profitability. It replaces the mental load of running a shop and gives you data.
For independent shops doing more than 5-10 cars a week, paper ROs and spreadsheets are costing you money. You're losing track of inventory, missing upsell opportunities, spending hours on paperwork, and making decisions based on guesses instead of data. The right software solution eliminates these leaks.
Mechanics goes further than traditional shop management software. We added AI diagnostics so you can describe symptoms and get ranked repair causes. We built network intelligence pooling fixes across thousands of shops. We created predictive outreach so you know when a vehicle is due for service before the customer calls. And we designed everything for simplicity — no training manuals, no IT support, no multi-year contracts.
Core Features
Everything Built for Mechanics
Digital Operations
Work Orders
Sequential RO Numbering
Every work order gets a unique number automatically. No more searching for the next RO in your notebook. Each one is tracked from creation through completion.
Full Lifecycle Tracking
Watch every job progress from initial estimate to labor and parts, through tech assignments and bay assignments, to final invoice and customer payment. Know exactly where every car is.
Estimate to Invoice
Convert estimates to work orders with one click. Add labor line items and parts. Apply manufacturer recalls. Update pricing in real time. Export professional invoices with your shop logo and payment terms.
Labor and Parts Per Job
Organize labor and parts by job type. Track actual vs. estimated time. See which part suppliers are costing you the most in warranty labor. Link parts directly to work orders so inventory updates automatically when jobs close.
Tech and Bay Assignment
Assign jobs to specific technicians and bays. Track who's working on what. See real-time bay utilization. Get AI suggestions on optimal assignments to maximize throughput.
Job Notes with Images
Add detailed notes and photos at any stage of the job. Snap pictures of the engine, damage, or parts. Include diagnostics results. Build a visual history that helps with comebacks and future service.
Work Order Example
Diagnostic Workflow
Intelligent Diagnostics
AI Diagnostics
Describe Symptoms, Get Ranked Answers
You don't need the vehicle data sheet. Just type what the customer told you: "grinding on startup," "oil pressure light flashing," "won't shift out of park." Mechanics analyzes the complaint and vehicle details, then returns ranked repair causes ordered by likelihood based on real repair data.
Network Intelligence
Every diagnostic you run feeds anonymized data back to the Mechanics network. See what fixed the same symptoms on thousands of other vehicles. Learn not just from your shop's history, but from every shop using the platform. The more shops use Mechanics, the smarter every diagnostic becomes.
Trained on Real Repair Data
Powered by Claude AI trained on thousands of real repair scenarios from independent shops, not generic automotive databases. We know what actually fixes cars at small shops because we've seen it happen across our network.
Streaming Responses & History
Get answers in real time as they stream. Link full job history to every diagnosis so you can see exactly what you did last time. Every diagnosis adds to your shop's knowledge base, making future diagnostics faster.
Supply Chain
Parts & Inventory
Track Stock on Hand
Log every part you stock with quantity, cost, and markup. See at a glance what's on the shelf. Track parts across multiple locations if you have branch shops. No more guessing if you have that spark plug set.
Reorder Points & Low-Stock Alerts
Set minimum stock levels for every part. Get alerts when you hit the reorder point so you never run out of the basics. Automatic reminders mean your inventory stays optimized without thinking about it.
Parts Tied to Work Orders
Pull parts directly into work orders. Inventory updates automatically when you close a job. See total parts cost per job. Identify which parts you sell most often and which ones sit on the shelf.
Supplier Management & Cost Tracking
Link parts to suppliers. Track which supplier each part comes from and at what cost. Identify which suppliers are costing you the most in warranty labor when their parts fail. Switch suppliers or parts based on real data.
Cost and Markup Tracking
Know your actual margin on every part. Track cost vs. selling price. See average markup by category. Find opportunities to adjust pricing or negotiate better supplier rates.
Inventory Dashboard
Customer Profile
Customer Intelligence
Customer & Vehicle Management
Full Vehicle History by VIN
Every vehicle gets a complete history in Mechanics. Search by VIN to pull up every service, every work order, every part replaced, and every tech who touched it. Nothing gets lost when a customer leaves and comes back years later.
Maintenance Schedules (Miles + Months)
Set maintenance schedules based on manufacturer recommendations or your shop's best practices. Track by mileage or calendar months. Mechanics knows which maintenance jobs are due for every customer vehicle.
Predictive Outreach
Know when each customer's vehicle is due before they call. Mechanics calculates expected service dates based on actual driving patterns and previous service intervals. Reach out with "your RAV4 is due for an oil change" instead of waiting for them to notice.
Customer Profiles with All Vehicles
Link every vehicle a customer owns to their profile. See phone, email, service history across all their cars. One customer, multiple vehicles — everything in one place.
Business Intelligence
Reporting & Dashboard
Revenue by Month
See total revenue, labor revenue, parts revenue, and trends month-over-month. Know if you're on track for your goals. Spot seasonal patterns in your business.
Bay Utilization
See how much each bay is being used. Identify if you have excess capacity to take on more work or if you're bottlenecked. Find opportunities to staff up or reconfigure.
Tech Efficiency
Track average jobs per tech, revenue per tech, and hours worked per tech. See who your stars are. Identify training needs. Manage payroll based on actual productivity.
Average Repair Order & Car Count
Know your average ticket — how much you're making per job. See how many cars you serviced this month. Track this over time to measure growth.
Low Stock & Recent Work Orders
Dashboard shows inventory alerts, recent jobs, and pending estimates at a glance. Everything you need to manage the shop day-to-day in one view.
Dashboard
Team View
Operations
Team Management
Role-Based Permissions
Create roles for different positions: Owner, Manager, Technician, Advisor. Each role sees what they need to do their job. Managers see reports and can approve invoices. Techs see their assigned jobs. You control who sees what.
Assign Jobs to Techs
Drag jobs to techs or use AI Bay Optimizer for automatic suggestions. Techs see their queue on mobile. Know who's working on what at any moment.
Track Hours Per Tech
See total hours worked per technician. Link hours to specific jobs. Track billable hours vs. shop hours. Calculate payroll based on actual time.
Manage Multiple Locations
If you have multiple shop locations, Mechanics supports all of them in one account. Each location has its own inventory, team, and reporting. Consolidate data at the owner level.
Advanced Features
The Intelligence Layer
What makes Mechanics different is not just organization — it's automatic intelligence that learns and improves every day.
Network Diagnostics
Cross-shop repair intelligence pooled from thousands of shops. See what actually fixed the same symptoms on vehicles just like your customer's. The network gets smarter every time a shop closes a job.
Supplier Quality Tracking
Automatically identify which parts fail and which suppliers cost you the most in warranty labor. Switch suppliers based on failure rates, not just price. Stop buying parts that fail.
Predictive Outreach
Know when each customer's vehicle is due for service before they call. Mechanics calculates expected service dates based on actual driving patterns. Reach out proactively instead of waiting.
Bay Optimizer
AI-suggested bay and technician assignments to maximize daily throughput and revenue. Match jobs to techs and bays based on skill, availability, and estimated time.
For Every Shop Type
Who Uses Mechanics
Independent Shops
1–5 bays
Replace paper ROs with professional digital work orders. Customers get professional invoices. You get organized. No more losing jobs or guessing what happened last time.
- •Digital work orders & invoicing
- •Track every job and customer
- •AI diagnostics included
- •$79/month for shop features
Growing Shops
5–15 bays
Multi-tech teams need coordination. Mechanics handles team management, bay optimization, and reporting on profitability. Run your shop like a real business.
- •Team management & job assignments
- •Bay optimizer & efficiency tracking
- •Revenue & profitability reporting
- •$149/month for all features
Solo Mechanics
1 person
Track your own jobs, vehicles you own, and service history. Personal mode is free forever. No credit card, no upsell, no tricks — just a tool that helps you stay organized.
- •Track personal vehicles & service history
- •AI diagnostics for your own cars
- •Maintenance scheduling
- •Free forever
vs. Competitors
How Mechanics Compares to the Most Popular Shop Software
We built Mechanics to be simpler and smarter than traditional shop management software. Here's how we compare to the most popular options:
Mechanics vs Mitchell 1
Mitchell 1 is OEM-focused and complex. Mechanics is purpose-built for independent shops and requires zero training.
Mechanics vs Tekmetric
Tekmetric is feature-rich but expensive. Mechanics gives you AI diagnostics and network intelligence at a fraction of the cost.
Mechanics vs Shop-Ware
Shop-Ware is on-premise and dated. Mechanics is cloud-native and works on any device. No installs, no updates, no IT support.
See detailed comparisons on each alternative page.
Why Choose Mechanics
Why Mechanics Is Different
Built for 2026
Cloud-native, no software installs, works on any device. Works on laptop in the office. Works on mobile in the bay. Works offline — jobs sync when you reconnect. Built from scratch for modern mechanics.
AI-First
We're the only shop software with AI diagnostics and network intelligence built in. Not a plugin. Not an add-on. The entire platform learns from every job and makes you smarter.
Free to Start
Personal plan is free forever. Shop plans start at $79/month. No credit card required. No long-term contract. Cancel anytime. We trust you to stay because we're better, not because you're locked in.
Pricing
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Personal
Free
Forever
Shop
$79
per month
Pro
$149
per month
Interested in learning more? See detailed pricing page
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is auto repair shop software?
Auto repair shop software replaces paper work orders and spreadsheets with a digital platform for managing every aspect of running a repair shop: work orders, parts inventory, customer history, technician assignments, invoicing, and reporting. It helps you organize jobs, track profitability, and run your business professionally.
Does Mechanics work for a solo mechanic?
Absolutely. We have a free Personal plan specifically designed for solo mechanics. Track your own vehicles, service history, and maintenance schedules. Use AI diagnostics for your own cars. It's free forever — no credit card required. If you later want to start a shop, you can upgrade to our Shop plan anytime.
Is there a free trial?
The Personal plan is free forever, so yes — you can try Mechanics for free. Just create an account at /register and start using it immediately. If you want to try Shop features, we offer a 30-day free trial with full access to all features. No credit card required to start the trial.
Can I import my existing customer data?
Yes. If you're switching from another system or have customer data in spreadsheets, we can help you import it. Contact our support team for assistance. Most imports can be done in a few days. We'll help you map your data correctly so your history comes over cleanly.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. Mechanics is designed to work on desktop, tablet, and mobile. Create work orders, assign jobs, update progress, and close invoices from your phone or iPad. Works online and offline — changes sync when you reconnect. Perfect for techs in the bay or managers on the go.
How does the AI diagnostic assistant work?
Describe the customer's symptom ("grinding on cold start") and enter vehicle details. Mechanics analyzes the complaint and returns ranked repair causes ordered by likelihood, powered by Claude AI trained on real repair data from thousands of shops. The AI also shows you what actually fixed the same symptoms at other shops, drawing from our network intelligence pool.
What's the difference between Shop and Pro plans?
Shop ($79/month) is for independent shops handling all the basics: work orders, inventory, customers, and diagnostics. Pro ($149/month) adds team management, the Bay Optimizer AI for job assignments, advanced reporting, and support for multiple shop locations. Choose Pro if you have multiple technicians or want AI-powered scheduling.
How does Mechanics compare to Mitchell 1 or Tekmetric?
Mitchell 1 is designed for large shops and dealerships with heavy OEM integration; it's complex and expensive. Tekmetric is a modern SaaS option but lacks real AI diagnostics. Mechanics is purpose-built for independent shops: simpler to use, more affordable, and the only platform with AI diagnostics and network intelligence built in. We've written detailed comparisons on our alternatives pages.
The Shop That Knows More
Wins More
Start free. No credit card. No sales call. No contracts. Just the tools you need to run a real repair shop — diagnostics, work orders, inventory, customer history, and AI intelligence in one platform.
No credit card required. Full access for solo mechanics. Shop plans start at $79/month.