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Automotive · head to head

Carfax vs Tekmetric

Carfax logo

Carfax

Automotive

Vehicle history reports and information

From
$2.99/report
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tekmetric logo

Tekmetric

Automotive

Complete shop management for independent shops

From
$179/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Carfax cARFAX's dealer-facing mobile app is restricted to business subscribers and explicitly cannot be used with a consumer CARFAX account; Tekmetric every price is per shop, and each additional location needs its own plan subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Carfax covers Vehicle history reports, Tekmetric covers Work order management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carfax and Tekmetric actually diverge.

Attributes where Carfax and Tekmetric differ
AttributeCarfaxTekmetric
Starting price$2.99/report$179/month
Founded19842016

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Mobile, App), 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 Carfax

  • Vehicle history reports
  • Service records
  • Accident information
  • Ownership history
  • Title information
  • Manufacturer recalls
  • Odometer readings
  • Price analysis

Only in Tekmetric

  • Work order management
  • Vehicle history
  • Customer management
  • Scheduling system
  • Estimating tools
  • Invoicing
  • Customer portal
  • Mobile application

Both cover

  • Mobile apps
  • Email services
  • SSL encryption
  • Secure authentication

What people use each for

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

Carfax

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

Tekmetric

  • Shop management for independent auto repair shops: repair orders, estimates and invoicingnot Carfax
  • Digital vehicle inspections shared with customersnot Carfax
  • Managing parts inventory, vendors and technician job clocksnot Carfax

Where each one falls short

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

Carfax

  • CARFAX's dealer-facing mobile app is restricted to business subscribers and explicitly cannot be used with a consumer CARFAX account

Tekmetric

  • Every price is per shop, and each additional location needs its own plan subscription
  • Two-way texting, the real-time shop dashboard, the technician board and employee performance analytics require the Scale plan at $439 per month
  • The labor guide, time and job clocks and parts and inventory reports are withheld from the entry Start plan at $199 per month
  • Integrated payments, a dedicated account manager and quarterly business reviews are Enterprise only, and Enterprise is custom priced with no published rate
  • Multi-shop management is a $70 per month per shop add-on on top of a plan subscription at every location
  • The Tire Suite add-on costs an extra $39 per month per shop
  • The Marketing add-on costs an extra $345 per month per shop, more than the Scale plan itself
  • The discounted rates such as $179 per month require annual billing

Pricing, plan by plan

Carfax

$2.99/report
  • Single Report$2.99/report
    • One vehicle history report
    • Service records
    • Accident history
  • Unlimited Reports$34.99/month
    • Unlimited reports
    • Service history
    • Accident information
  • Dealer Package$299/month
    • Unlimited reports
    • Dealer branding
    • Customer tools

Tekmetric

$179/month
  • Start$199/month
    • Inventory management
    • Digital vehicle inspections
    • Smart jobs
  • Grow$349/month
    • All Start features
    • Labor guide
    • Maintenance schedule
  • Scale$439/month
    • All Grow features
    • Two-way texting
    • Real-time shop dashboard
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Integrated payments
    • Dedicated account manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Carfax if

  • You need vehicle history reports.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, App.
  • You also want service records.
Carfax review

Choose Tekmetric if

  • You need work order management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, App.
  • You also want vehicle history.
Tekmetric review

Questions people ask

Is Carfax or Tekmetric better?
Neither clearly leads. Carfax starts at $2.99/report and Tekmetric at $179/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carfax or Tekmetric?
Carfax starts at $2.99/report and Tekmetric at $179/month.
Does Carfax or Tekmetric run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Mobile, App, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Carfax best used for?
Carfax is most often used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations. Of those, dealership management and service scheduling are not what Tekmetric is typically brought in for.
What can Carfax do that Tekmetric cannot?
Carfax covers Vehicle history reports, Service records, Accident information, Ownership history. Tekmetric covers Work order management, Vehicle history, Customer management, Scheduling system. Both handle Mobile apps, Email services, SSL encryption, Secure authentication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Tekmetric: Are there per-user fees?

No, Tekmetric charges per shop, not per user. All plans include unlimited users, unlimited repair orders (ROs), unlimited support, and no hidden fees.

Source
Tekmetric: Can I pay annually?

Yes, Tekmetric offers both month-to-month and annual subscriptions. Annual billing typically provides savings, and there are no long-term contracts required.

Source
Tekmetric: What add-ons are available?

Tekmetric offers Multi-Shop Management ($70/month per shop), Tire Suite ($39/month per shop), Marketing ($345/month per shop), and Integrated Payments (included in Enterprise plan).

Source
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