Side-by-side comparison
The commitment comparison
What signing up actually commits you to
| Feature | Autera | Motasoft VGM |
|---|---|---|
| Free planWINAutera Solo is free forever; VGM advertises no free plan or trial. | ||
| Public, transparent pricing onlineCredit where due: Motasoft publishes from £65/month. | ||
| ContractWINMotasoft’s own site states a 12-month contract by direct debit. This is the structural difference. | None. Cancel any month. | 12-month contract, paid monthly |
| Starting priceWIN | £29 / month | £65 / month |
| Seat modelNeither of us charges per head, so hiring moves neither bill. Autera includes unlimited mechanics and unlimited admin users on every paid plan; VGM includes unlimited users at £65. What differs is the headline price and the term: £65 on a 12-month contract against £29 or £79 rolling monthly. | Unlimited mechanics and unlimited admin users | Unlimited users at £65 |
| Native iPhone & Android apps, full productWINVGM has a companion app for techs doing health checks; the management surface is web. Autera’s apps ARE the product: jobs, quotes, invoices, payments, all of it. | Technician companion app | |
| Setup time to first jobWIN | Under 30 minutes, self-serve | Demo-led |
| Online 24/7 customer bookingOnline booking is Motasoft’s heritage and it shows. Both do request-based booking well. | Workshop+ | |
| Live UK reg lookup / DVSA MOT history | DVLA + MOT history built in | |
| MOT reminder workflow | Workshop+ | |
| Vehicle health checks | Workshop+ | |
| Card payments | Stripe pay-by-link built in | MotasoftPay |
| Xero / QuickBooks / Sage | Xero + QuickBooks sync, Sage 50 export | Xero, Sage, QuickBooks listed |
| Parts integrations (GSF, GroupTyre)VGM’s GSF Car Parts and GroupTyre integrations are real advantages today. On Autera’s roadmap; manual entry until then. | Roadmap | |
| ADAS calibration certificates (PAS 1880)WIN | Workshop+ | Not advertised |
| Best fit | Garages that want apps, no commitment, and to start free | Garages happy to commit 12 months for a lower flat rate |
Comparison reviewed August 2026. Pricing and feature sets change frequently, check motasoft.co.uk for the latest from Motasoft VGM.
Why UK garages choose Autera
No 12-month handcuffs
Motasoft asks for a year. Autera asks for nothing: Solo is free forever, paid plans roll monthly, and cancelling takes under a minute from billing. Software should keep you by being good in month eleven, not by a signature from month zero.
The whole product in the app
VGM’s mobile app is a technician companion; the business runs in the browser. Autera’s native iPhone and Android apps carry everything — jobs, photos, quotes, invoicing, payments — because our most engaged customers run their day from a pocket, not a desk.
Cheaper to start, honest about scale
Autera starts free and Starter is £29 against VGM’s £65 entry, and neither product charges per mechanic, so the size of your team moves neither bill. At the other end we are straight with you: once your volume needs Workshop at £79, VGM’s £65 flat rate is the cheaper monthly price. The trade is their 12-month contract against our cancel-any-month.
Live in 30 minutes
No demo call, no onboarding project: sign up, type a reg, DVLA fills the vehicle, run the first job the same half hour. VGM onboarding is demo-led.
ADAS certificates built in
PAS 1880-compliant ADAS calibration certificates are part of the £79 Workshop plan, technician IMI numbers on every cert. VGM does not advertise ADAS certification.
Respect for a real competitor
VGM’s online booking pedigree and GSF/GroupTyre parts integrations are genuine advantages, and its £65 unlimited-users price is fair. If those are your deciding factors, it is a reasonable choice. Autera wins on apps, freedom and the price of finding out.
Common questions
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