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Automotive · head to head

Shopmonkey vs TrueCar

Shopmonkey logo

Shopmonkey

Automotive

The all-in-one auto shop software

From
$215/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TrueCar logo

TrueCar

Automotive

Transparent pricing and deals on cars

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only TrueCar 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; TrueCar trueCar's consumer car-shopping and pricing tools are free to use; the company is monetized through dealer partnerships rather than a consumer subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Shopmonkey covers Digital estimates, TrueCar covers Price transparency.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shopmonkey and TrueCar actually diverge.

Attributes where Shopmonkey and TrueCar differ
AttributeShopmonkeyTrueCar
Starting price$215/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile, App
Founded20162005

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 TrueCar

  • Price transparency
  • Inventory search
  • Dealer ratings
  • Consumer reviews
  • Lead generation
  • Pricing reports
  • Market analysis
  • Mobile app

Both cover

  • Payment processors

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

TrueCar

  • Dealership Managementnot Shopmonkey
  • Service Schedulingnot Shopmonkey
  • Inventory Managementnot Shopmonkey
  • Sales Operationsnot Shopmonkey
  • Customer Relationshipnot 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

TrueCar

  • TrueCar's consumer car-shopping and pricing tools are free to use; the company is monetized through dealer partnerships rather than a consumer subscription

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

TrueCar

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Vehicle search
    • Price estimates
    • Dealer ratings
  • Dealer Plus$299/month
    • Lead generation
    • Dealer profile
    • Performance metrics
  • Enterprise$799/month
    • Everything in Dealer Plus
    • Custom integration
    • API access

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 TrueCar if

  • You need price transparency.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, App.
  • You also want inventory search.
TrueCar review

Questions people ask

Is Shopmonkey or TrueCar better?
Neither clearly leads. Shopmonkey starts at $215/month and TrueCar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Shopmonkey or TrueCar?
TrueCar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $215/month for Shopmonkey and Free for TrueCar.
Does Shopmonkey or TrueCar run on more platforms?
Shopmonkey runs on Web, Ios, Android. TrueCar runs on Web, Mobile, App.
Can I use TrueCar for free?
Yes. TrueCar 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 TrueCar is typically brought in for.
What can Shopmonkey do that TrueCar cannot?
Shopmonkey covers Digital estimates, Work order management, Digital inspections, Customer messaging. TrueCar covers Price transparency, Inventory search, Dealer ratings, Consumer reviews. Both handle Payment processors.

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
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
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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