A Tekmetric alternative for shops that fix trucks too.
Tekmetric is one of the best-known systems for auto repair. BigShop AI covers the same daily work, and adds what heavy-duty and fleet shops need, with an AI agent on every plan.
Credit where it's due.
From Tekmetric's own website, as of November 2026.
Tekmetric was built by a former shop owner and launched in 2017. It has become one of the most popular systems for auto repair, and it says more than 16,000 shops use it.
Its own labor guide, digital inspections, text-to-pay and a long list of integrations make it a strong choice for passenger-car shops, with month-to-month billing and no long-term contract.
BigShop AI and Tekmetric, side by side.
| Topic | BigShop AI | Tekmetric |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Heavy-duty truck, trailer and fleet repair; auto shops too. | Auto repair shops, single and multi-location. |
| Track record | Newer and smaller. Built from shop owners' requests, with new features every week. | Launched in 2017 by a former shop owner; says more than 16,000 shops use it. |
| Where it runs | Cloud, in any browser, with BigShop apps for iPhone and Android. | Cloud, in the browser, with Tekmetric Mobile for iOS and Android. |
| AI | An AI agent on every plan: reads vendor invoices into purchase orders, builds quotes from your own history, takes voice commands. | An AI-powered Digital Ads add-on, in early access. |
| Accounting | Built-in general ledger, bank feeds and financial reports, or two-way QuickBooks Online sync. | QuickBooks through a paid back-office add-on. |
| Fleet & telematics | Samsara mileage, engine hours and fault codes; invoices sent to Fleetio, QuickManage and DataTruck. | See Tekmetric's site. |
| Customers | Two-way texting, a customer portal with service requests and quotes, signed approvals, online payments, visit ratings. | Inspections and invoices by text or email, e-signed approvals, Text-to-Pay, two-way texting. |
| Labor times & repair info | Global Labor Guide of typical hours and a web lookup of book times. No OEM repair procedures. | Built-in Tekmetric Labor Guide; ALLDATA and ProDemand integrations. |
| Pricing | Published, from $199 a month. Free trial after a demo, no card needed. Month to month, no contract. | Published. Month to month or annual, no long-term contract. |
| Data migration | Free on every plan, usually 5 to 10 hours. | Migration from 150+ shop systems. For fees, see Tekmetric's site. |
| Support | Chat and email, and calls with our team when you need one. 24/7 on Pro. | Chat, email and phone, weekdays and Saturday mornings; unlimited support included. |
Tekmetric details from tekmetric.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.
For a pure auto repair shop, Tekmetric is a strong choice. The more trucks and fleets you serve, the more BigShop makes sense.
Tekmetric may fit better if
- You're an auto repair shop working on passenger cars.
- You want its marketing tools and tire add-on in one place.
- You need a specific integration from its large catalog.
BigShop AI may fit better if
- You work on trucks and trailers, or serve fleet accounts.
- You want AI that reads invoices, writes quotes and takes voice commands.
- You want bank feeds and your books in the same system.
- You want features built on request, 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, vehicles, 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 Tekmetric questions
Is BigShop AI a good Tekmetric alternative?
For shops that work on trucks, trailers or fleets, yes. Tekmetric is built for auto repair and does it well. BigShop AI is built around heavy-duty and fleet work, with an AI agent, built-in accounting and fleet integrations on top of the inspections, approvals and payments both offer.
Can you move my data from Tekmetric?
Yes. We migrate from any shop management software, Tekmetric included. Customers, vehicles, work orders, invoices, payments and inventory move for free, and most migrations take 5 to 10 hours.
How does pricing compare?
Both publish prices and neither requires a long-term contract. BigShop AI's plans are $199, $399 and $699 a month by number of users, with every AI feature on every plan. Check Tekmetric's website for its current plans and add-ons.
Do both have digital inspections and customer approvals?
Yes. Both offer digital inspections and let customers approve estimates from their phone. BigShop AI also has signed approval of work added to an order already under way, and a customer portal with service requests and messages.
Is BigShop AI as established as Tekmetric?
No. Tekmetric has been around since 2017 and serves thousands of shops. BigShop AI is newer, and makes up for it with quick support, 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.