Blog
From the shop floor
Guides for shop owners on software, inspections, marketing, and keeping the bays full.
July 18, 2026
Free Auto Repair Shop Software: What Actually Exists in 2026
The honest answer on free shop management software: what's genuinely free, what 'free' actually costs you, and the cheapest real options for a small shop.
July 18, 2026
Shopmonkey vs Tekmetric (2026): Which Fits Your Shop?
An honest side-by-side of Shopmonkey and Tekmetric on pricing, reporting, ease of use, and who each one actually fits, from a company that competes with both.
July 18, 2026
Tekmetric Pricing in 2026: What It Actually Costs
Tekmetric's real monthly cost for a small shop: published tiers, the add-ons that raise the bill, and how it compares to Shopmonkey and MyAutoShopPro.
July 12, 2026
The Best Apps for Auto Repair Shops in 2026
The apps and software auto repair shops actually use day to day: shop management, diagnostics, labor guides, parts ordering, and customer communication, plus what each one is for.
July 12, 2026
Best Auto Repair Software in 2026 (Top 6 Compared)
An honest comparison of Shopmonkey, Tekmetric, Shop-Ware, Mitchell 1, AutoLeap, and MyAutoShopPro. Real pricing, what each one does well, and who each one actually fits.
July 12, 2026
How to Run a Successful Auto Repair Shop
The habits that separate profitable auto repair shops from busy-but-broke ones: car count, average repair order, labor margin, communication, and the numbers to watch every week.
July 10, 2026
What Is a Service Writer? Duties, Pay & Tools
What a service writer actually does all day, what they earn in 2026, how the job differs from a service advisor, and what separates a good one from a great one.
July 8, 2026
Digital Vehicle Inspections: The Complete Guide
What a digital vehicle inspection is, why DVI shops see higher average repair orders, how to build your first inspection template, and the mistakes that make customers distrust the report.
July 6, 2026
Auto Repair Shop Marketing: What Fills Bays in 2026
A practical marketing playbook for independent repair shops: Google Business Profile, reviews, texting your own customer list, and the handful of paid channels worth the money.