Software · head to head
Fleetio vs CDK Global
The short version
- Only Fleetio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- They diverge on capability: Fleetio covers Vehicle tracking, CDK Global covers Dealer Management System.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Fleetio and CDK Global actually diverge.
| Attribute | Fleetio | CDK Global |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Api | Web, Desktop, Api |
| Founded | 2012 | 2014 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Fleetio
- Vehicle tracking
- Maintenance scheduling
- Fuel management
- Digital inspections
- Work orders
- Vendor management
- Analytics & reports
- GPS providers
Only in CDK Global
- Dealer Management System
- Sales desking
- F&I management
- Service scheduling
- Accounting
- CRM integration
- Digital retailing
- OEM systems
Both cover
- Parts inventory
- Accounting software
- SOC2
- Data encryption
- Role-based access
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Fleetio
- Fleet maintenance scheduling and vehicle inspection trackingnot CDK Global
- Managing parts inventory, work orders and fuel across a vehicle fleetnot CDK Global
CDK Global
- Dealership operationsnot Fleetio
- Sales managementnot Fleetio
- Service departmentnot Fleetio
- Parts managementnot Fleetio
- Financial reportingnot Fleetio
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Fleetio
- Priced per vehicle per month, so cost scales with fleet size rather than with the number of people using it
- The Professional and Premium plans are billed annually only, with no monthly option
- Tire management is excluded from both Essential and Professional
- API access is rate limited by plan, at 50 requests a minute on Professional against 250 on Premium
- Active automations are rationed, at 5 on Professional against 40 on Premium
- The published per vehicle prices assume a 5 asset band, so a different fleet size is a different rate
CDK Global
Nothing recorded yet. See the CDK Global review.
Pricing, plan by plan
Fleetio
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 5 vehicles
- Basic tracking
- Service reminders
- Pro$5/month
- Unlimited vehicles
- Fuel tracking
- Inspections
- Advanced$8/month
- Everything in Pro
- GPS integrations
- Fuel card integration
CDK Global
On request- Drive$undefined/month
- Core DMS functionality
- Sales & F&I
- Service & parts
- Drive+$undefined/month
- Everything in Drive
- Advanced CRM
- Digital retailing
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Everything in Drive+
- Custom integrations
- Dedicated support
Which should you pick?
Choose Fleetio if
- You need vehicle tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- You also want maintenance scheduling.
Choose CDK Global if
- You need dealer management system.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Api.
- You also want sales desking.
Questions people ask
- Is Fleetio or CDK Global better?
- Neither clearly leads. Fleetio starts at Free and CDK Global at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Fleetio or CDK Global?
- Fleetio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Fleetio and On request for CDK Global.
- Does Fleetio or CDK Global run on more platforms?
- Fleetio runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. CDK Global runs on Web, Desktop, Api.
- Can I use Fleetio for free?
- Yes. Fleetio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CDK Global starts at On request.
- What is Fleetio best used for?
- Fleetio is most often used for fleet maintenance scheduling and vehicle inspection tracking, managing parts inventory, work orders and fuel across a vehicle fleet. Of those, fleet maintenance scheduling and vehicle inspection tracking and managing parts inventory, work orders and fuel across a vehicle fleet are not what CDK Global is typically brought in for.
- What can Fleetio do that CDK Global cannot?
- Fleetio covers Vehicle tracking, Maintenance scheduling, Fuel management, Digital inspections. CDK Global covers Dealer Management System, Sales desking, F&I management, Service scheduling. Both handle Parts inventory, Accounting software, SOC2, Data encryption.