Software · head to head
J.D. Power vs CDK Global

J.D. Power
Software
Customer satisfaction and automotive intelligence
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- They diverge on capability: J.D. Power covers Customer satisfaction surveys, CDK Global covers Dealer Management System.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which J.D. Power and CDK Global actually diverge.
| Attribute | J.D. Power | CDK Global |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Mobile, API | Web, Desktop, Api |
| Founded | 1968 | 2014 |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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 J.D. Power
- Customer satisfaction surveys
- Market research
- Competitive benchmarking
- Industry insights
- Performance metrics
- Dealer ratings
- Trend analysis
- Custom reports
Only in CDK Global
- Dealer Management System
- Sales desking
- F&I management
- Service scheduling
- Parts inventory
- Accounting
- CRM integration
- Digital retailing
Both cover
- Data encryption
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
J.D. Power
- Dealership Managementnot CDK Global
- Service Schedulingnot CDK Global
- Inventory Managementnot CDK Global
- Sales Operationsnot CDK Global
- Customer Relationshipnot CDK Global
CDK Global
- Dealership operationsnot J.D. Power
- Sales managementnot J.D. Power
- Service departmentnot J.D. Power
- Parts managementnot J.D. Power
- Financial reportingnot J.D. Power
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
J.D. Power
- Vehicle valuations are updated monthly and lag real-time market conditions
- Reliability ratings collapse below-average vehicles into a single two-star category, making it impossible to distinguish between poor and average models
- Survey methodology has acknowledged high disqualification rates that can skew data accuracy
- Valuations favor dealer pricing over private-party transactions, often resulting in inflated values for consumer use cases
CDK Global
Nothing recorded yet. See the CDK Global review.
Pricing, plan by plan
J.D. Power
On request- Insight Access$undefined/month
- Market reports
- Industry benchmarks
- Satisfaction data
- Premium Intelligence$undefined/month
- Everything in Insight Access
- Custom analysis
- Competitive data
- Enterprise Analytics$undefined/month
- Everything in Premium
- Advanced customization
- API access
CDK Global
On request- Drive$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 J.D. Power if
- You need customer satisfaction surveys.
- You work on Web, Mobile, API.
- You also want market research.
Choose CDK Global if
- You need dealer management system.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Api.
- You also want sales desking.
Questions people ask
- Is J.D. Power or CDK Global better?
- Neither clearly leads. J.D. Power starts at On request and CDK Global at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, J.D. Power or CDK Global?
- J.D. Power starts at On request and CDK Global at On request.
- Does J.D. Power or CDK Global run on more platforms?
- J.D. Power runs on Web, Mobile, API. CDK Global runs on Web, Desktop, Api.
- What is J.D. Power best used for?
- J.D. Power is most often used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations. Of those, dealership management and service scheduling are not what CDK Global is typically brought in for.
- What can J.D. Power do that CDK Global cannot?
- J.D. Power covers Customer satisfaction surveys, Market research, Competitive benchmarking, Industry insights. CDK Global covers Dealer Management System, Sales desking, F&I management, Service scheduling. Both handle Data encryption.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
J.D. Power: What is J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study (IQS)?
The IQS measures new-vehicle quality by tracking owner-reported problems within the first 90 days of ownership, using a survey of 227 questions across 10 vehicle categories plus real-world dealer repair data. Quality is expressed as problems per 100 vehicles (PP100).
SourceJ.D. Power: Does J.D. Power provide vehicle valuation data?
Yes. J.D. Power Values (formerly NADA Guides) provides vehicle valuation data for new and used cars, trucks, RVs, and motorcycles customizable by mileage and options, with monthly updates reflecting market conditions.
SourceJ.D. Power: What APIs does J.D. Power offer for dealership integration?
J.D. Power offers multiple APIs including Chrome Data for vehicle specifications and inventory management, ZappyRide API for EV data and chargers, and Automotive Digital Retailing API for incentives and rebates.
SourceJ.D. Power: Does J.D. Power own any dealership software products?
Yes. J.D. Power acquired Darwin Automotive, providing F&I (finance and insurance) menu software for automotive dealerships to streamline rating, contracting, and compliance.
SourceJ.D. Power: How accurate are J.D. Power vehicle valuations?
J.D. Power valuations reflect dealer pricing more closely than private-party transactions and are updated monthly, which means they lag sudden market shifts. Accuracy is lower for older or rare vehicle models with limited historical data.
SourceRelated pages
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