Autera vs Garage Invoice

The Garage Invoice alternative
with native apps and instant signup.

Garage Invoice is a UK cloud workshop system at £45/month with VRM lookups, online booking, and four accounting integrations. Autera starts free, has native iOS and Android apps, and creates your account instantly.

Autera is best for garages who want to start free, need native phone apps, and want to be working in minutes rather than waiting for setup.

Garage Invoice is best for workshops looking for affordable cloud software with broad accounting integration (QuickBooks, Xero, Sage and FreeAgent) and unlimited VRM lookups included.

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✓Already on Garage Invoice? Free migration included →
FEATURE COMPARISON

Side-by-side comparison

6 clear winsAutera leads on 6 features Garage Invoice doesn’t match
FeatureAuteraGarage Invoice
Free planWINAutera Solo is free with no time limit. Garage Invoice has no free plan and no free trial. Their FAQ states they do not offer free trials.Solo, free forever
Instant account creationWINGarage Invoice: after subscribing you give business details and they configure the account, "typically up to 24 hours". Autera signup creates the account immediately.Yes, working in minutesUp to 24 hours
Monthly priceWINGarage Invoice is £45/month (excl. VAT) or £450/year. Autera Starter is £29/month.From £29/month£45/month
Annual priceGarage Invoice offers £399 for the first year, then £450/year + VAT. Whether Autera's annual is cheaper depends on the plan.From £348/year£450/year (first year £399)
Native iPhone and Android appWINGarage Invoice is cloud-based and works on mobiles in the browser, but does not list native iOS or Android apps. Autera ships native apps on every plan.
VRM lookupsBoth include VRM lookups in the plan. Garage Invoice covers UK, Ireland and Isle of Man registrations.IncludedUnlimited, included
SMS remindersGarage Invoice sends unlimited SMS through its own gateway using your Android device. Autera sends SMS on Workshop and above.Workshop+Unlimited (own Android device)
Online bookingBoth offer online booking for customers.
Customer portalGarage Invoice has a customer portal. Autera gives customers a public job tracker link.Public job tracker link
Vehicle inspections (RAG)Both offer red/amber/green vehicle inspections.
Online quote acceptance and e-signatureGarage Invoice has online quote acceptance with e-signatures. Autera sends customer authorisation links.Customer authorisation link
Live UK DVLA reg lookup
Quote, job card, invoice flow
MOT and service remindersWorkshop+
Accounting syncGarage Invoice integrates with four accounting platforms including FreeAgent. Autera syncs with three: Xero, QuickBooks and Sage.Xero, QuickBooks, Sage (Starter+)QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, FreeAgent
Garage website builderWINGarage Invoice charges £25/month plus a £15 setup fee for a garage website. Autera includes a website builder on Workshop and above.£25/month add-on + £15 setup
Data migrationWINFree, usually within one working dayNot stated

Comparison reviewed October 2026. Pricing and feature sets change frequently, check garageinvoice.co.uk for the latest from Garage Invoice.

WHY AUTERA

Why UK garages choose Autera

Start for nothing

Autera Solo is free forever. Garage Invoice has no free plan and no free trial, and starts at £45/month.

Instant account, not 24 hours

Sign up and raise a job in minutes. Garage Invoice configures your account after subscribing, typically up to 24 hours.

Native apps for the team

Autera has native iOS and Android apps on every plan. Garage Invoice works in a mobile browser but has no native app.

Website builder included

Every Workshop plan and above includes a website builder. Garage Invoice charges £25/month plus a £15 setup fee.

Lower entry price

Autera Starter is £29/month against Garage Invoice at £45/month. And Autera has a free tier below that.

Free data migration

Send whatever you have. We load your customers, vehicles, job history and staff free, usually within one working day.

QUESTIONS

Common questions

Yes. Autera Starter is £29/month against Garage Invoice at £45/month. And Autera Solo is free with no time limit. Garage Invoice does not offer a free plan or a free trial.

No native app. Garage Invoice is cloud-based and works in a mobile browser. Autera has native iOS and Android apps on every plan.

FreeAgent integration (Autera covers Xero, QuickBooks and Sage but not FreeAgent). E-signature on quote acceptance. Unlimited SMS through your own Android device at no extra charge. If FreeAgent is your accounting platform, that is worth knowing.

No. Their FAQ says they do not offer free trials. They have a demo you can request. Autera has a free Solo plan with no time limit.

Export what you can, in whatever format it gives you. We load your customers, vehicles, job history and staff free, usually within one working day. No fee, on any plan.

Comparing other UK garage software too?

vs ServiceM8vs Garage Hivevs Garage Assistantvs MAM Autoworkvs LaunchControl

Or explore Autera by feature:

Garage management softwareMOT remindersInvoicingVehicle health checks
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Start free. No credit card. Most UK garages are live in under 30 minutes.

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Send it over in whatever state it is in. We load your customers, vehicles, job history and staff for you, free, usually within one working day.

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