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Automotive · head to head

iATN vs Tekmetric

iATN logo

iATN

Automotive

Community-powered automotive technical advice

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tekmetric logo

Tekmetric

Automotive

Complete shop management for independent shops

From
$179/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only iATN has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: iATN business+ tier labeled as 'Best Value' but costs $45/month, a 25% increase over Business plan at $36/month; Tekmetric every price is per shop, and each additional location needs its own plan subscription
  • They diverge on capability: iATN covers Discussion forums, Tekmetric covers Work order management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which iATN and Tekmetric actually diverge.

Attributes where iATN and Tekmetric differ
AttributeiATNTekmetric
Starting priceFree$179/month
Free tierYesNo
Founded19962016

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 iATN

  • Discussion forums
  • Question posting
  • Expert responses
  • Knowledge base
  • Community profiles
  • Search functionality
  • Archives access
  • Real-time notifications

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

What people use each for

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

iATN

  • Automotive technician community and knowledge sharingnot Tekmetric
  • Technical support and peer-to-peer troubleshootingnot Tekmetric
  • Job listings for automotive industry positionsnot Tekmetric

Tekmetric

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

Where each one falls short

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

iATN

  • Business+ tier labeled as 'Best Value' but costs $45/month, a 25% increase over Business plan at $36/month
  • Job posting on iATN Auto Pro Careers costs additional $50 per off-site position posting outside free Business+ allowance
  • Individual plan limited to single concurrent browser connection, restricting multi-device usage for solo accounts

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

iATN

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Participation in TechHelp
    • Forums access
    • Live chat access
  • Individual$19/month
    • Knowledge Base access for single personal user
    • Classified ad posting
    • Single concurrent browser connection
  • Business$36/month
    • Business use at one location
    • Up to 4 concurrent browser connections
    • Knowledge Base access
  • Business+$45/month
    • Up to 4 employee sub-accounts
    • Private team forum
    • $10/month discount on Identifix Direct-Hit subscription

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 iATN if

  • You need discussion forums.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, App.
  • You also want question posting.
iATN 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 iATN or Tekmetric better?
Neither clearly leads. iATN starts at Free and Tekmetric at $179/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, iATN or Tekmetric?
iATN has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for iATN and $179/month for Tekmetric.
Does iATN or Tekmetric run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Mobile, App, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use iATN for free?
Yes. iATN has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tekmetric starts at $179/month.
What is iATN best used for?
iATN is most often used for automotive technician community and knowledge sharing, technical support and peer-to-peer troubleshooting, job listings for automotive industry positions. Of those, automotive technician community and knowledge sharing and technical support and peer-to-peer troubleshooting are not what Tekmetric is typically brought in for.
What can iATN do that Tekmetric cannot?
iATN covers Discussion forums, Question posting, Expert responses, Knowledge base. Tekmetric covers Work order management, Vehicle history, Customer management, Scheduling system. Both handle Mobile apps, SSL encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

iATN: How much does iATN membership cost?

Free Basic plan with TechHelp and forums. Individual at $19/month for one user, Business at $36/month for one location with up to 4 concurrent connections, Business+ at $45/month for up to 4 employee sub-accounts.

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
iATN: What are the concurrent connection limits for different iATN tiers?

Individual plan supports 1 concurrent browser connection. Business and Business+ plans allow up to 4 concurrent browser connections from one location.

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
iATN: Does iATN Business+ include a discount on other services?

Business+ members receive a $10/month discount on Identifix Direct-Hit subscription, equaling $120 annual savings.

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
iATN: How much does it cost to post a job on iATN?

Job posting on iATN Auto Pro Careers is free for Business and Business+ members posting on-site positions (one per 30 days for Business; multiple for Business+). Off-site positions cost $50 per job posting.

Source
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