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Automotive · head to head

Cars.com vs Tekmetric

Cars.com logo

Cars.com

Automotive

Your trusted automotive marketplace

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tekmetric logo

Tekmetric

Automotive

Complete shop management for independent shops

From
$179/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cars.com cars.com charges shoppers nothing; it is a free listings site monetised via dealer advertising, per the 31 Dec 2020 archive capture; Tekmetric every price is per shop, and each additional location needs its own plan subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Cars.com covers Vehicle listing, Tekmetric covers Work order management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cars.com and Tekmetric actually diverge.

Attributes where Cars.com and Tekmetric differ
AttributeCars.comTekmetric
Starting price$299/month$179/month
Founded19982016

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Mobile, App), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Automotive).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cars.com

  • Vehicle listing
  • Marketplace access
  • Lead generation
  • Dealer profile
  • Performance tracking
  • Mobile responsive
  • Photo and video gallery
  • Consumer research tools

Only in Tekmetric

  • Work order management
  • Vehicle history
  • Customer management
  • Scheduling system
  • Estimating tools
  • Invoicing
  • Customer portal
  • Mobile application

Both cover

  • Mobile apps
  • SSL encryption
  • Secure authentication

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cars.com

  • Dealership Managementnot Tekmetric
  • Service Schedulingnot Tekmetric
  • Inventory Managementnot Tekmetric
  • Sales Operationsnot Tekmetric
  • Customer Relationshipnot Tekmetric

Tekmetric

  • Shop management for independent auto repair shops: repair orders, estimates and invoicingnot Cars.com
  • Digital vehicle inspections shared with customersnot Cars.com
  • Managing parts inventory, vendors and technician job clocksnot Cars.com

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cars.com

  • Cars.com charges shoppers nothing; it is a free listings site monetised via dealer advertising, per the 31 Dec 2020 archive capture

Tekmetric

  • Every price is per shop, and each additional location needs its own plan subscription
  • Two-way texting, the real-time shop dashboard, the technician board and employee performance analytics require the Scale plan at $439 per month
  • The labor guide, time and job clocks and parts and inventory reports are withheld from the entry Start plan at $199 per month
  • Integrated payments, a dedicated account manager and quarterly business reviews are Enterprise only, and Enterprise is custom priced with no published rate
  • Multi-shop management is a $70 per month per shop add-on on top of a plan subscription at every location
  • The Tire Suite add-on costs an extra $39 per month per shop
  • The Marketing add-on costs an extra $345 per month per shop, more than the Scale plan itself
  • The discounted rates such as $179 per month require annual billing

Pricing, plan by plan

Cars.com

$299/month
  • Basic$299/month
    • Vehicle listings
    • Marketplace visibility
    • Basic lead management
  • Standard$699/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Advanced lead tools
    • CRM integration
  • Premium$1199/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Priority placement
    • Marketing support

Tekmetric

$179/month
  • Start$199/month
    • Inventory management
    • Digital vehicle inspections
    • Smart jobs
  • Grow$349/month
    • All Start features
    • Labor guide
    • Maintenance schedule
  • Scale$439/month
    • All Grow features
    • Two-way texting
    • Real-time shop dashboard
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Integrated payments
    • Dedicated account manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Cars.com if

  • You need vehicle listing.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, App.
  • You also want marketplace access.
Cars.com review

Choose Tekmetric if

  • You need work order management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, App.
  • You also want vehicle history.
Tekmetric review

Questions people ask

Is Cars.com or Tekmetric better?
Neither clearly leads. Cars.com starts at $299/month and Tekmetric at $179/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cars.com or Tekmetric?
Cars.com starts at $299/month and Tekmetric at $179/month.
Does Cars.com or Tekmetric run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Mobile, App, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Cars.com best used for?
Cars.com is most often used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations. Of those, dealership management and service scheduling are not what Tekmetric is typically brought in for.
What can Cars.com do that Tekmetric cannot?
Cars.com covers Vehicle listing, Marketplace access, Lead generation, Dealer profile. Tekmetric covers Work order management, Vehicle history, Customer management, Scheduling system. Both handle Mobile apps, SSL encryption, Secure authentication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cars.com: Is Cars.com free to use?

Yes. Cars.com is a free platform for shopping, researching, and comparing vehicles. Access to new, used, and certified pre-owned listings, expert reviews, safety recall information, and car payment calculators requires no subscription.

Source
Tekmetric: Are there per-user fees?

No, Tekmetric charges per shop, not per user. All plans include unlimited users, unlimited repair orders (ROs), unlimited support, and no hidden fees.

Source
Cars.com: Can I sell my car on Cars.com for free?

Yes. Cars.com offers free listings for private sellers. The platform also provides tools to obtain instant cash offers for vehicles at no cost.

Source
Tekmetric: Can I pay annually?

Yes, Tekmetric offers both month-to-month and annual subscriptions. Annual billing typically provides savings, and there are no long-term contracts required.

Source
Cars.com: Does Cars.com charge dealers for listings?

The homepage mentions free listing options but does not specify dealer pricing. For dealer advertising rates and premium listing options, you would need to visit the dealer section or contact Cars.com directly.

Source
Tekmetric: What add-ons are available?

Tekmetric offers Multi-Shop Management ($70/month per shop), Tire Suite ($39/month per shop), Marketing ($345/month per shop), and Integrated Payments (included in Enterprise plan).

Source
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