Side-by-side comparison
Real cost comparison
Example: a single-site independent getting started
| Feature | Autera | LaunchControl |
|---|---|---|
| Free-forever planWINAutera Solo is free forever, no card. LaunchControl is paid only, with a 28-day free trial. | ||
| Free trial, no card | 14 days on paid plans | 28 days |
| Public, transparent pricing online | ||
| Starting priceWINAutera Starter is £29/month. LaunchControl is one plan at £49 per location per month. | £29 / month | £49 / location / month |
| Pricing modelDifferent shapes: LaunchControl is one flat per-location price with unlimited users; Autera prices per mechanic with unlimited free office and admin logins. | Per workshop + per mechanic | Per location, unlimited users |
| Unlimited office / admin loginsNeither charges per office seat. LaunchControl includes unlimited users on its single plan; Autera charges per mechanic only, admins and front-of-house are free. | ||
| Annual discountWIN | ~20% off | Not advertised |
| No long-term contract | ||
| Cloud-native, mobile-first | ||
| Native technician appLaunchControl ships LaunchPad for technicians; Autera has a native technician app too. | ||
| Native iOS app | ||
| Native Android app | ||
| Native customer app (iOS + Android)WINLaunchControl customers use the LaunchBay website and booking portal in a browser; Autera ships a native customer app on both stores. | Web booking portal | |
| Official DVLA (VES) reg lookupWINAutera pulls first-party DVLA (Vehicle Enquiry Service) data on every plan. LaunchControl surfaces vehicle data through its HaynesPro integration. | Via HaynesPro data | |
| Official DVSA MOT history APIWINAutera reads MOT history from the official DVSA API on every plan. LaunchControl does not advertise a DVSA MOT history feed. | Not advertised | |
| MOT reminder workflow | Workshop+ | |
| ADAS calibration certificates (PAS 1880)WINPAS 1880-compliant ADAS certificates with technician IMI numbers. LaunchControl does not advertise an ADAS certificate feature. | Workshop+ | Not advertised |
| Per-job time tracking + team performanceWIN | Workshop+ | Not advertised |
| Autera AssistWINAutera Assist drafts professional job-card descriptions from a few words. LaunchControl ships a separate conversational assistant (Apollo); see the row below. | Not advertised | |
| Quote → invoice → payment in one tool | ||
| Online card payments | Stripe, same-day settlement | Dojo |
| Online booking portal | Workshop+ | LaunchBay |
| Branded invoices and PDFs | Starter+ | |
| Xero sync | Starter+ | |
| QuickBooks syncWINAutera syncs to both Xero and QuickBooks. LaunchControl integrates with Xero only. | Starter+ | |
| Parts ordering from the job sheetLaunchControl orders parts from the job sheet via LKQ Euro Car Parts. On the Autera roadmap; parts are entered manually until then. | Roadmap | |
| Manufacturer labour times + technical dataLaunchControl bundles HaynesPro labour times and wiring diagrams. Autera does not include a technical-data database. | Not yet | HaynesPro built in |
| Conversational AI assistantLaunchControl ships the Apollo AI assistant. Autera has Autera Assist for job descriptions but no conversational assistant yet. | Not yet | Apollo |
| Customer website builderLaunchBay builds a customer-facing website. Autera offers a booking portal but is not a website builder. | Booking portal, not a site builder | LaunchBay |
| Tyre search and orderingLaunchControl integrates Bond International for tyres. Autera does not offer tyre search today. | Not yet | Bond International |
| UK-hosted, GDPR-compliant | ||
| Free data exportWIN | Not advertised | |
| Free CSV migrationWINAutera imports your customers and vehicles from CSV at no charge. | Not advertised | |
| Best fit | Independent garages and mobile mechanics wanting a free start | Small independents wanting parts, tech data and AI in one box |
Comparison reviewed June 2026. Pricing and feature sets change frequently, check launchcontrol.co.uk for the latest from LaunchControl.
Why UK garages choose Autera
Genuinely free to start
Solo mechanics use Autera Solo free forever, no card. Run real jobs with real customers before paying a penny. LaunchControl is paid only, with a 28-day trial after which the £49/month begins.
Xero and QuickBooks
Autera syncs to both Xero and QuickBooks, so your bookkeeping fits whichever you already use. LaunchControl integrates with Xero only.
Official UK government data
Every Autera plan reads first-party DVLA (VES) vehicle data and the official DVSA MOT history API. Type the plate, the details fill in, and MOT history comes straight from the source.
Native apps on both stores
Autera has native iOS and Android apps for technicians and customers alike. LaunchControl has the LaunchPad technician app; its customer experience, LaunchBay, is a website and booking portal in the browser.
ADAS certificates built in
PAS 1880-compliant ADAS calibration certificates, with technician IMI numbers captured per cert, are included on the £79 Workshop plan. It is a compliance niche LaunchControl does not advertise.
A lower entry price
Autera Starter is £29/month with unlimited free office and admin logins, you only pay per mechanic. LaunchControl is one plan at £49 per location per month. Pay annually on Autera and save around 20%.
Common questions
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