Automotive · head to head
CarGurus vs Shopmonkey
The short version
- They diverge on capability: CarGurus covers Vehicle listing, Shopmonkey covers Digital estimates.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CarGurus and Shopmonkey actually diverge.
| Attribute | CarGurus | Shopmonkey |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $249/month | $215/month |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile, App | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 2006 | 2016 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 CarGurus
- Vehicle listing
- AI deal scoring
- Market pricing analysis
- Lead generation
- Dealer metrics
- Inventory insights
- Photo management
- Consumer reviews
Only in Shopmonkey
- Digital estimates
- Work order management
- Digital inspections
- Customer messaging
- Parts ordering
- Payment processing
- Appointment scheduling
- Reporting & analytics
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
CarGurus
- Dealership Managementnot Shopmonkey
- Service Schedulingnot Shopmonkey
- Inventory Managementnot Shopmonkey
- Sales Operationsnot Shopmonkey
- Customer Relationshipnot Shopmonkey
Shopmonkey
- Managing estimates, repair orders and invoicing in an auto repair shopnot CarGurus
- Digital vehicle inspections sent to customers by text or emailnot CarGurus
- Tracking parts inventory, purchase orders and technician timenot CarGurus
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
CarGurus
Nothing recorded yet. See the CarGurus review.
Shopmonkey
- Included user licences are capped at 3 on Basic, 4 on Clever and 5 on Genius, with each extra user costing $20 per month
- The Basic plan at $239 per month allows only 2 digital vehicle inspection templates; unlimited inspections require Clever
- Inventory management, purchase orders, time clock tracking and customisable workflow are all excluded from the Basic plan
- Multi-Shop is custom priced with no published rate and additional user licences on it are call-for-pricing
- The discounted rates of $215, $359 and $449 per month require annual billing rather than monthly
- Annual billing saves up to 10%, so the monthly premium is roughly 11% higher
Pricing, plan by plan
CarGurus
$249/month- Essential$249/month
- Vehicle listing
- Basic lead management
- Pricing data
- Pro$599/month
- Everything in Essential
- Advanced pricing intelligence
- Lead scoring
- Enterprise$1299/month
- Everything in Pro
- Custom pricing
- Dedicated support
Shopmonkey
$215/month- Basic$239/month
- 3 user licenses
- $215/month with annual billing (10% savings)
- 2-way text and email
- Clever$399/month
- 4 user licenses
- $359/month with annual billing
- unlimited DVI templates
- Genius$499/month
- 5 user licenses
- $449/month with annual billing
- coupons manager
- Multi-Shop$null/custom
- for franchises and 100+ location operations
- cross-location reporting
- standardization
Which should you pick?
Choose CarGurus if
- You need vehicle listing.
- You work on Web, Mobile, App.
- You also want ai deal scoring.
Choose Shopmonkey if
- You need digital estimates.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want work order management.
Questions people ask
- Is CarGurus or Shopmonkey better?
- Neither clearly leads. CarGurus starts at $249/month and Shopmonkey at $215/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CarGurus or Shopmonkey?
- CarGurus starts at $249/month and Shopmonkey at $215/month.
- Does CarGurus or Shopmonkey run on more platforms?
- CarGurus runs on Web, Mobile, App. Shopmonkey runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- What is CarGurus best used for?
- CarGurus is most often used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations. Of those, dealership management and service scheduling are not what Shopmonkey is typically brought in for.
- What can CarGurus do that Shopmonkey cannot?
- CarGurus covers Vehicle listing, AI deal scoring, Market pricing analysis, Lead generation. Shopmonkey covers Digital estimates, Work order management, Digital inspections, Customer messaging.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Shopmonkey: How much does Shopmonkey cost?
Shopmonkey's Basic tier is $239/month ($215/month annually), Clever is $399/month ($359/month annually), Genius is $499/month ($449/month annually), and Multi-Shop requires custom pricing. All prices are in USD with up to 10% savings with annual billing.
SourceShopmonkey: What features does each Shopmonkey tier include?
Basic includes 3 user licenses, 2-way text and email, and unlimited estimates. Clever adds 4 user licenses and workflow customization. Genius includes 5 user licenses and full platform features including Google Reviews Manager and automated estimate follow-ups.
SourceShopmonkey: What additional costs does Shopmonkey charge?
Shopmonkey charges $249 upfront plus $10/month per card reader device (available for Basic-Genius tiers). Additional user licenses on Basic cost $20/month each. Payment processing fees and QuickBooks Desktop integration require additional charges.
SourceRelated pages
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