The best shop management software for a multi-location auto repair group usually comes down to one question the pricing page doesn't answer up front: does the price stay flat as you add locations, or does every new shop add another line to the bill? Below is an honest breakdown of ShopSynq AI Pro, which we build, and Tekmetric, one of the more established names shop groups already know.
Quick Comparison
| Software | Best For | Starting Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ShopSynq AI Pro | Growing 2-5 location groups | $249/mo flat | Multi-location support included, unlimited users, no per-shop add-on. |
| Tekmetric | Larger, established shop groups | $199/mo + $70/mo per additional shop | Multi-Shop Management is a paid add-on stacked on top of a full plan per location. |
| Shop-Ware / Protractor | Large operations wanting deep integrations | Contact for pricing (~$224-$359/mo+ per shop) | Full-featured, built for scale — and priced for it. |
ShopSynq AI Pro
ShopSynq AI's Pro plan is $249/mo with unlimited user seats and multi-location support included as a standard feature, not an add-on. An owner adds a new location directly from Settings > Shop Profile, and the Team tab groups members by the location they're assigned to. Advanced analytics — revenue by service type and vehicle make, top customers, tech productivity, 12-month trends — can be viewed per location or rolled up across the whole group, so an owner running two or three shops isn't stitching together separate reports by hand.
The honest tradeoff: Pro's multi-location tools are built for a shop owner actively running a growing group, not a large corporate operation that also wants white-label branding or dedicated account management. For that scale, ShopSynq's Enterprise tier is custom-priced and adds white-label options, custom integrations, and dedicated support with an SLA.
A two-location shop and a twenty-location chain don't need the same software. Pro is built for the owner who just opened their second or third shop and needs one login, one price, and reporting that actually rolls up — not a platform that charges more every time they grow.ShopSynq AI Team
Tekmetric
Tekmetric is a well-established shop management platform with four tiers — Start ($199/mo), Grow ($349/mo), Scale ($439/mo), and custom Enterprise — all with unlimited users and unlimited repair orders on every tier. Running more than one location requires its Multi-Shop Management add-on, an additional $70/month per shop stacked on top of a full plan subscription for each location. For a group with two shops on the Start plan, that's roughly $199 + $199 + $70 = $468/mo before any of the higher tiers. It's a real, capable platform — the cost simply scales with location count in a way a flat-priced plan doesn't.
Shop-Ware and Protractor
Shop-Ware (roughly $224-$250/mo) and Protractor (starting around $359/mo billed annually) are both full-featured platforms with long track records, known for strong digital approval workflows and deep third-party integrations respectively. Both are reasonable choices for a larger, established multi-shop operation with the budget and staff to support that scale — and both price per location, so the total climbs with every shop added, similar to Tekmetric's add-on model.
FAQ
What's the best shop management software for a growing multi-location auto repair group?
ShopSynq AI Pro, at $249/mo, includes multi-location support, unlimited user seats, and location-filterable advanced analytics as one flat price — there's no per-location add-on fee as a shop group adds a second or third location.
Does Tekmetric charge extra for multiple locations?
Yes. Tekmetric's base plans start at $199/mo, and running more than one shop requires its Multi-Shop Management add-on at an additional $70/month per shop, on top of a full plan subscription for each location.
How does ShopSynq AI Pro handle team management across locations?
Settings > Shop Profile lets an owner add locations directly, and the Team tab groups members by the location they're assigned to. Advanced analytics — revenue by service type, top customers, monthly trends — can be filtered per location or rolled up across the whole group.
When does a multi-location shop need Enterprise instead of Pro?
Pro covers the operational needs of a growing multi-location group — shared reporting, unlimited users, one flat price. Enterprise is custom pricing for larger operations that also want white-label options, custom integrations, and dedicated support with an SLA.
Is Tekmetric or Shop-Ware better for a larger, established multi-shop group?
Both are established platforms with deep feature sets built over years, and either is a reasonable choice for a larger group with the budget and staff to support that scale. The tradeoff is cost: Tekmetric's per-shop add-on and Shop-Ware's per-location pricing both add up fast as a group grows, in a way ShopSynq AI Pro's flat price does not.