Automotive · head to head
Edmunds vs Shopmonkey
The short version
- Only Edmunds has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Edmunds edmunds' Dealership API terms of use limit cached API content to 30 days, after which it must be purged, and forbid copying, storing or archiving content beyond that window, per the vendor's own developer terms.; 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: Edmunds covers Vehicle reviews, Shopmonkey covers Digital estimates.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Edmunds and Shopmonkey actually diverge.
| Attribute | Edmunds | Shopmonkey |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $215/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile, App | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 1966 | 2016 |
Identical on both: 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 Edmunds
- Vehicle reviews
- Pricing tools
- Comparisons
- Expert ratings
- Buyer guides
- Dealer locator
- Lease calculators
- True Market Value pricing
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.
Edmunds
- 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 Edmunds
- Digital vehicle inspections sent to customers by text or emailnot Edmunds
- Tracking parts inventory, purchase orders and technician timenot Edmunds
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Edmunds
- Edmunds' Dealership API terms of use limit cached API content to 30 days, after which it must be purged, and forbid copying, storing or archiving content beyond that window, per the vendor's own developer terms.
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
Edmunds
Free- FreeFree
- Vehicle comparisons
- Expert reviews
- Price estimates
- Premium Dealer$399/month
- Lead generation
- Dealer profile
- Customer reviews
- Enterprise$999/month
- Everything in Premium
- Custom integration
- API access
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 Edmunds if
- You need vehicle reviews.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile, App.
- You also want pricing tools.
Choose Shopmonkey if
- You need digital estimates.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want work order management.
Questions people ask
- Is Edmunds or Shopmonkey better?
- Neither clearly leads. Edmunds starts at Free and Shopmonkey at $215/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Edmunds or Shopmonkey?
- Edmunds has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Edmunds and $215/month for Shopmonkey.
- Does Edmunds or Shopmonkey run on more platforms?
- Edmunds runs on Web, Mobile, App. Shopmonkey runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use Edmunds for free?
- Yes. Edmunds has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shopmonkey starts at $215/month.
- What is Edmunds best used for?
- Edmunds 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 Edmunds do that Shopmonkey cannot?
- Edmunds covers Vehicle reviews, Pricing tools, Comparisons, Expert ratings. 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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