Pitlane vs Tekmetric
Pitlane vs Tekmetric: a sharper modern alternative at a flat price.
Honest comparison: Tekmetric is a cloud shop management system; Pitlane writes the RO too now, plus AI throughout and inline payment, at a flat published price. What you keep, what you give up, when each one wins.
The short version.
Tekmetric is a cloud-based shop management system widely adopted by independent shops over the last few years. The RO workflow is solid: estimates with parts catalogs and labor guides, integrated DVIs, two-way messaging, QuickBooks sync, multi-shop tooling for groups. Pricing started accessible and has climbed through 2024–2025: 2-to-3 bay shops report monthly bills crossing $300 once messaging and reporting modules are on.
Pitlane writes the RO too. Per-line tech, clock-in/out time, parts cost and margin, AI-suggested lines from a customer concern, mid-job SMS authorization with finger signature, and inline payment on the RO header. CRM, review automation, 90/120/180 win-back sequences, declined-work recovery, DVIs with customer-side approval, and PitCrew AI are all native. Pricing is flat: $97/$197/$297 per month. What's still on the roadmap is the integrated parts catalog (PartsTech) and an OEM labor-times database. The two pieces Tekmetric has that we don't yet.
Which one should you pick?
Use Tekmetric when…
- You order parts from suppliers via Tekmetric's integrated catalog daily
- You quote labor against the built-in labor guides on most ROs
- Your multi-shop group already runs on Tekmetric's location-management tier
- Your QuickBooks workflow is tightly wired to Tekmetric's sync
Use Pitlane when…
- You want native RO writing with per-line tech, time, cost, and margin
- You want AI suggesting lines from the customer's concern + mid-job text authorization
- You want a take-payment drawer on the RO (cash, check, card, text-to-pay)
- You want flat published pricing ($97/$197/$297) instead of climbing quotes
- You want 0% Stripe platform fee and month-to-month, no notice period
- You want a 30-day no-credit-card trial without a sales call
If you depend on Tekmetric's integrated parts catalog and labor times every day, switching today means typing more. That's the real reason to stay. If you don't. Or your team enters parts and labor from supplier accounts and a labor matrix anyway. There's less holding you to Tekmetric than the install cost suggests.
Pitlane runs the same workflow with a more modern UI, weekly ship cadence, AI in every surface, a 0% Stripe platform fee, and roughly $100–$200/month back on the subscription. The 30-day trial doesn't gate on a sales call. Sign up, import a CSV, see for yourself.
When shops switch from Tekmetric entirely
Pitlane Growth at $197/mo (or $158/mo annual) is roughly $1,200/yr cheaper than a typical Tekmetric Pro setup. Plus 0% Stripe platform fee on every payment, instead of whatever processor margin you're stacking on top.
Tekmetric raised pricing significantly through 2024–2025. 2-to-3-bay shops report monthly bills crossing $300, sometimes $400 with messaging and reporting add-ons. The ASOG threads about it are easy to find. And shops are tired of negotiating mid-contract renewals.
- Native RO writing with AI-suggested lines, per-line tech + time + cost + margin
- Mid-job SMS authorization with finger signature, audit trail on every line
- Inline payment on the RO: cash, check, card, text-to-pay. Same page
- Combined print packet bundles RO + linked inspections + estimates onto one PDF
- Bidirectional linking: RO ↔ Inspection ↔ Estimate, so the whole job stays connected
- Walk-up customers add inline. First name + email/phone + VIN, never leave the new-RO form
- Published flat pricing. No quote, no sales call, same features at every shop size
- 0% Stripe platform fee. Your processor, your money
- Month-to-month, cancel anytime, weekly ship cadence
Honest tradeoff: an integrated parts catalog (PartsTech) and OEM labor times are still on the roadmap. Shops migrating off Tekmetric today type parts prices and labor hours from their own matrix until those land. Everything else. RO writing, customer relationship, AI, payment, combined print, linked workflow. Is native and modern.
Side by side.
| Feature | Pitlane | Tekmetric |
|---|---|---|
| Repair-order writing (lines, tech, time, payment) | Native + AI-assisted | Full RO workflow |
| Parts catalog + labor guides | Roadmap (PartsTech + OEM labor times) | Built in |
| Vehicle-aware CRM (VIN, service history) | Core feature | Built in |
| Automated Google review requests | Star-gated + 2-touch | Basic |
| Win-back sequences (90/120/180 days) | Fully automated on Growth+ | Manual campaigns |
| Declined-work follow-up automation | 30/60/90-day sequences (Pro+) | Manual |
| Digital vehicle inspections (DVI) | Customer-approval focused | Yes, integrated with ROs |
| PitCrew AI morning briefing | Every day, free | — |
| PitCrew AI review replies and rewrites | Built in | — |
| In-app concierge chat | Pro plan | — |
| Stripe platform fee | 0% (you connect your own) | Varies by processor |
| Typical monthly price | $97–$297/mo | Quote-based, typically $300+/mo |
| Contract | Month-to-month | Varies |
“Tekmetric wins on parts catalog and labor guide depth. Pitlane wins on AI, modern UI, payment workflow, and flat pricing. If you're not parts-heavy day-to-day, the math usually says Pitlane.”
Questions about switching.
Does Pitlane write the RO like Tekmetric does?
Yes, end-to-end as of May 2026. Per-line tech assignment, clock-in/out time tracking, parts cost and margin per line, AI-suggested lines from the customer's concern, mid-job SMS authorization with finger signature, inline payment on the RO header (cash/check/card/text-to-pay). The integrated parts catalog (PartsTech) and OEM labor times are the two pieces still on the roadmap.
Can I import my Tekmetric customer list into Pitlane?
Yes. Export customers, vehicles, and service history as CSV from Tekmetric, upload to Pitlane via /settings/migration, map the columns, and you're live. Most shops migrate in under an hour.
Do I need my own Twilio account or phone number for texting?
No. Pitlane owns the A2P 10DLC carrier registration and includes two-way SMS. Your texts go out on your shop's own local number, not a toll-free line. STOP and HELP are auto-handled, consent is tracked, and it's TCPA and CAN-SPAM compliant. You don't wire up a separate Twilio account.
What happens to parts pricing if I switch today?
Today, parts pricing on a Pitlane RO is whatever your advisor types. No live distributor pricing yet. That's the PartsTech integration on the roadmap. Most shops switching today already buy from supplier accounts (NAPA, WorldPac, AutoZone Pro) and keep doing that, entering prices manually until PartsTech lands. The savings on subscription typically covers the friction.
Does Pitlane replace Tekmetric's DVI?
Pitlane's DVI is built around customer phone approvals: Pass/Attention/Fail per checkpoint, required photos on anything below Pass, item-by-item approval, declined items flowing into automated recovery sequences. Tekmetric's DVI is tied more tightly into the estimate workflow. If approval rate and recovery is the goal, Pitlane's workflow is purpose-built for it.
Try Pitlane alongside Tekmetric. Switch when you’re ready.
30-day free trial, no credit card. CSV import from Tekmetricruns in under 10 minutes. Or keep both side-by-side as long as you want. There’s no cancellation clock on either tool.
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