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Automotive · head to head

Cars.com vs Shopmonkey

Cars.com logo

Cars.com

Automotive

Your trusted automotive marketplace

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopmonkey logo

Shopmonkey

Automotive

The all-in-one auto shop software

From
$215/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; 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
  • They diverge on capability: Cars.com 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 Cars.com and Shopmonkey actually diverge.

Attributes where Cars.com and Shopmonkey differ
AttributeCars.comShopmonkey
Starting price$299/month$215/month
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, AppWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19982016

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 Cars.com

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

Only in Shopmonkey

  • Digital estimates
  • Work order management
  • Digital inspections
  • Customer messaging
  • Parts ordering
  • Appointment scheduling
  • Reporting & analytics
  • Parts suppliers

Both cover

  • Payment processing

What people use each for

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

Cars.com

  • 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 Cars.com
  • Digital vehicle inspections sent to customers by text or emailnot Cars.com
  • Tracking parts inventory, purchase orders and technician timenot 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

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

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

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 Cars.com if

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

Choose Shopmonkey if

  • You need digital estimates.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want work order management.
Shopmonkey review

Questions people ask

Is Cars.com or Shopmonkey better?
Neither clearly leads. Cars.com starts at $299/month and Shopmonkey at $215/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cars.com or Shopmonkey?
Cars.com starts at $299/month and Shopmonkey at $215/month.
Does Cars.com or Shopmonkey run on more platforms?
Cars.com runs on Web, Mobile, App. Shopmonkey runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 Shopmonkey is typically brought in for.
What can Cars.com do that Shopmonkey cannot?
Cars.com covers Vehicle listing, Marketplace access, Lead generation, Dealer profile. Shopmonkey covers Digital estimates, Work order management, Digital inspections, Customer messaging. Both handle Payment processing.

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
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.

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
Shopmonkey: 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.

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
Shopmonkey: 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.

Source
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