A Karmak alternative built for the repair shop.
Karmak is a long-standing name with heavy-duty dealers and parts businesses. BigShop AI is built for independent truck, trailer and fleet repair shops, with an AI agent on every plan.
Credit where it's due.
From Karmak's own website, as of November 2026.
Karmak has served heavy-duty since 1981, and it says more than 4,000 locations run its software. Fusion serves large dealership groups, and Blaze serves smaller shops and dealerships in the cloud.
It goes deep on parts, dealership accounting with a built-in general ledger, OEM programs, and a dealer-branded app for fleet customers. In 2026 it announced new AI-powered business intelligence tools.
BigShop AI and Karmak, side by side.
| Topic | BigShop AI | Karmak |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Heavy-duty truck, trailer and fleet repair; auto shops too. | Heavy-duty dealers, parts distributors and repair shops; Blaze for smaller shops. |
| Track record | Newer and smaller. Built from shop owners' requests, with new features every week. | Since 1981; says more than 4,000 locations. |
| Where it runs | Cloud, in any browser, with BigShop apps for iPhone and Android. | Blaze in the cloud; Fusion with optional cloud hosting; mobile service and parts apps. |
| AI | An AI agent on every plan: reads vendor invoices into purchase orders, builds quotes from your own history, takes voice commands. | AI-powered business intelligence tools (Karmak iQ, Ember), announced in 2026. |
| Accounting | Built-in general ledger, bank feeds and financial reports, or two-way QuickBooks Online sync. | Built-in general ledger and dealership accounting. |
| Fleet & telematics | Samsara mileage, engine hours and fault codes; invoices sent to Fleetio, QuickManage and DataTruck. | Decisiv. For telematics partners, see Karmak's site. |
| Customers | Two-way texting, a customer portal with service requests and quotes, signed approvals, online payments, visit ratings. | Truckmore, a dealer-branded app with a customer portal, service requests and approvals. |
| Labor times & repair info | Global Labor Guide of typical hours and a web lookup of book times. No OEM repair procedures. | OEM labor reporting for Mack and Volvo. For labor guides, see Karmak's site. |
| Pricing | Published, from $199 a month. Free trial after a demo, no card needed. Month to month, no contract. | Not published; contact Karmak. |
| Data migration | Free on every plan, usually 5 to 10 hours. | Data migration and validation as part of implementation. |
| Support | Chat and email, and calls with our team when you need one. 24/7 on Pro. | Phone and email on weekdays, and a customer community. |
Karmak details from karmak.com, checked November 2026. Products change; if something here is out of date, email support@bigshopai.com and we'll fix it.
The small things shops love.
Most of these started as a shop owner's request.
- Shop TV boardsLive boards for the shop TV: who's on which job, and what's arriving today and tomorrow.
- Part scannersScan a barcode or part label on the web or the phone to find the part, its bin and stock.
- FaceID clock-inTechs clock in at a shop tablet in under a second. No cards, no buddy punching.
- Team chatGroup chats, @mentions and a chat on every work order. The app speaks seven languages.
- Ratings to reviewsCustomers rate each visit, and happy ones are offered your Google review link.
- A free shop websiteYour own website with Express Check-In for drivers, free on every plan.
An honest take.
These are different kinds of software. The size and shape of your business decides it.
Karmak may fit better if
- You run a truck, trailer or equipment dealership.
- A parts counter or parts distribution is a big part of your business.
- You need an enterprise system across many locations.
BigShop AI may fit better if
- You run an independent truck, trailer or fleet repair shop.
- You want AI that reads invoices, writes quotes and takes voice commands.
- You want to be up and running within days.
- You want published prices, no contract, and a team you can call.
We move your data for you.
Our migration team moves your records over, free on every plan. How switching works.
- Everything that mattersCustomers, units, past work orders and invoices, payments and open balances, parts and vendors.
- Usually 5 to 10 hoursMost migrations take 5 to 10 hours, while you keep running the shop.
- Checked before go-liveCompare customers, invoices and balances with your old system before you switch over.
- No contractMonth to month, cancel anytime.
BigShop AI vs Karmak questions
Is BigShop AI a good Karmak alternative?
For independent truck, trailer and fleet repair shops, yes. Karmak has served heavy-duty dealers and parts businesses for more than 40 years. BigShop AI is built for the repair shop itself: work orders, techs, fleet customers and getting paid, with an AI agent on every plan.
Is BigShop AI a dealer management system?
No. BigShop AI is shop management software for repair shops. It has inventory, purchase orders and accounting, but it isn't built to run an OEM dealership's sales or a parts distribution business.
Can you move my data from Karmak?
Yes. We migrate from any shop management software. Customers, units, work orders, invoices, payments and inventory move for free, and most migrations take 5 to 10 hours.
How does pricing compare?
BigShop AI's plans are published: $199, $399 and $699 a month by number of users, month to month with no contract. Karmak doesn't list prices on its website; ask Karmak for a quote.
Is BigShop AI as established as Karmak?
No. Karmak has decades in heavy-duty. BigShop AI is newer and smaller, which means quick answers, calls when you need them, and features built from shop owners' requests.
See it with your own shop's work.
A 30-minute demo, a free trial with no credit card, free data migration and no contracts.