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Automotive · head to head

Shopmonkey vs Tesla

Shopmonkey logo

Shopmonkey

Automotive

The all-in-one auto shop software

From
$215/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tesla logo

Tesla

Automotive

Tesla owner app for remote vehicle control, charging and account management, useless without a Tesla

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tesla has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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; Tesla it is entirely hardware bound; there is no function for anyone who does not own or lease a Tesla, so it cannot be evaluated as standalone software.
  • They diverge on capability: Shopmonkey covers Digital estimates, Tesla covers Remote climate and charging control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shopmonkey and Tesla actually diverge.

Attributes where Shopmonkey and Tesla differ
AttributeShopmonkeyTesla
Starting price$215/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree app, hardware bound to a Tesla vehicle, some features need Premium Connectivity
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidiOS, Android
Founded2016Unknown

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 Shopmonkey

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

Only in Tesla

  • Remote climate and charging control
  • Phone as key
  • Vehicle locate and Summon
  • Charging network access
  • Service and software
  • Premium Connectivity features

What people use each for

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

Shopmonkey

  • Managing estimates, repair orders and invoicing in an auto repair shopnot Tesla
  • Digital vehicle inspections sent to customers by text or emailnot Tesla
  • Tracking parts inventory, purchase orders and technician timenot Tesla

Tesla

  • A Tesla owner preconditioning the cabin before getting in on a cold or hot daynot Shopmonkey
  • An owner using the phone as the car key instead of carrying a separate fob or cardnot Shopmonkey
  • Checking charge state and Supercharger availability before a road tripnot Shopmonkey
  • Scheduling a service visit or monitoring an over-the-air software update remotelynot Shopmonkey

Where each one falls short

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

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

Tesla

  • It is entirely hardware bound; there is no function for anyone who does not own or lease a Tesla, so it cannot be evaluated as standalone software.
  • Some remote features that owners of other connected cars get included, such as live traffic navigation and live camera viewing, sit behind the paid Premium Connectivity subscription on many vehicles.
  • Which features are free versus paid has changed across model years and firmware versions, so what a new owner reads online may not match what their specific car actually gets.
  • Phone-as-key relies on the phone's Bluetooth and battery; a dead phone or Bluetooth fault can leave an owner needing the physical key card as a backup.
  • App outages, which Tesla has had periodically, can temporarily remove remote access to features like climate preconditioning and vehicle locating that owners have come to depend on.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Tesla

Free
  • Standard ConnectivityFree
    • Over-the-air software updates
    • Basic remote lock, climate and location
  • Premium Connectivity$9.99/month
    • Live traffic-based navigation
    • Streaming media and internet browser
    • Live camera viewing and satellite-view maps

Which should you pick?

Choose Shopmonkey if

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

Choose Tesla if

  • You need remote climate and charging control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want phone as key.
Tesla review

Questions people ask

Is Shopmonkey or Tesla better?
Neither clearly leads. Shopmonkey starts at $215/month and Tesla at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Shopmonkey or Tesla?
Tesla has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $215/month for Shopmonkey and Free for Tesla.
Does Shopmonkey or Tesla run on more platforms?
Shopmonkey runs on Web, Ios, Android. Tesla runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use Tesla for free?
Yes. Tesla has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shopmonkey starts at $215/month.
What is Shopmonkey best used for?
Shopmonkey is most often used for managing estimates, repair orders and invoicing in an auto repair shop, digital vehicle inspections sent to customers by text or email, tracking parts inventory, purchase orders and technician time. Of those, managing estimates, repair orders and invoicing in an auto repair shop and digital vehicle inspections sent to customers by text or email are not what Tesla is typically brought in for.
What can Shopmonkey do that Tesla cannot?
Shopmonkey covers Digital estimates, Work order management, Digital inspections, Customer messaging. Tesla covers Remote climate and charging control, Phone as key, Vehicle locate and Summon, Charging network access.

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.

Source
Tesla: Do I need the Tesla app to drive the car?

No, but many convenience features such as phone-as-key, remote preconditioning and Supercharger payment depend on it.

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
Tesla: Is Premium Connectivity required?

No, but without it several features including live traffic navigation and live camera viewing are unavailable on many vehicles.

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
Tesla: Can I use the app without owning a Tesla?

No, it has no function without an owned or leased Tesla vehicle.

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