Autera vs ServiceM8

The ServiceM8 alternative
built for UK garages, not adapted.

ServiceM8 is a capable product used worldwide. Autera is built specifically for the UK independent garage: live DVLA lookups, UK VAT, ADAS certifications, and cheaper at scale.

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✓Already on ServiceM8? Free migration included →

FEATURE COMPARISON

Side-by-side comparison

17 clear winsAutera leads on 17 features ServiceM8 doesn’t match

Feature	Autera	ServiceM8
Free plan
Starting price (paid)ServiceM8 Starter caps at 50 jobs/mo; Autera Starter has no job cap.	£29 / month	£25 / month
No monthly job cap on entry planWINServiceM8 Starter caps at 50 jobs/mo.
Unlimited jobsWINServiceM8 Premium hits unlimited at £119; Autera Workshop is £79 with no cap.	From £79 / month	£119 / month
Annual discountWIN	~20% off	None listed
Setup fee	None	None
Digital job cards
Quote → invoice → payment in one tool
Online customer payments	Stripe built-in	Stripe / Square
One-tap quote acceptance
Live UK DVLA reg lookupWINAutera uses live DVLA data; ServiceM8 not built for UK regs.
UK VAT on invoices
GBP-native invoicingWINAutera is UK-default. ServiceM8 supports GBP but defaults to AUD.		Multi-currency
UK MOT reminder workflowWIN	Workshop+
Built specifically for UK garagesWINServiceM8 is used globally but not optimised for UK garage workflows.
UK-hosted dataWINServiceM8 hosts globally; Autera keeps UK customer data in the UK.
ADAS calibration certificates (PAS 1880)WIN	Workshop+
Parts inventory tracking	Workshop+	Add-on / limited
Per-job time tracking	Workshop+	Add-on
Calendar / scheduling	Workshop+
Customer quote-acceptance & pay-by-link portal		Limited
CSV import for customers + vehiclesWIN		Paid migration
Multi-user	Starter+ (3 mechanics + unlimited free admins)	Starter+ (unlimited but per-job priced)
Role-based access	Workshop+
iPad app
Android tablet appWINServiceM8 is iOS-only.
Android appWIN	Full feature parity	ServiceM8 Lite - time tracking, scanning, proposals and chat are iOS only
Web dashboard
API access	Planned 2026	Premium+
Data on cancellationWIN	Full export, kept for 60 days	All data deleted. Backup zip is not re-importable.
Overage chargesWIN	None. Flat monthly price.	5p per SMS overage. 15p per job above plan cap.

Comparison reviewed May 2026. Pricing and feature sets change frequently, check servicem8.com for the latest from ServiceM8.

WHY AUTERA

Why UK garages choose Autera

Built for the UK

DVLA plate lookup fills in make, model, year and colour in seconds. UK VAT handling, pounds sterling, and workflows designed around how British garages actually run.

Cheaper at scale

ServiceM8 Premium costs £119/month for unlimited jobs. Autera Workshop is £79/month with no job cap whatsoever. More jobs, less money.

ADAS certificates built in

Create, store and email PAS 1880-compliant ADAS calibration certificates with technician IMI numbers captured per cert. ServiceM8 has no equivalent built-in.

Android, iPad, and web

ServiceM8 is iOS-only. Autera runs on any Android tablet, iPad, or web browser, so technicians, managers and owners all have access on whatever device they use.

Real annual savings

Pay annually and save ~20%. That is roughly two months free per year. ServiceM8 has no published annual discount.

UK-focused team

Built in the UK, for UK garages. We understand MOTs, DVLA, UK VAT, and the way British workshops actually operate day to day.

QUESTIONS

Common questions

Yes. For the first 50 garages we’ll do it for free. Export from ServiceM8 (CSV for customers, vehicles, jobs), send the files to support@getautera.com, and we’ll import them for you. See /migrate-from-servicem8 for the full process.

No. ServiceM8 Starter caps at 50 jobs per month and you pay per-job above that. Autera Starter (£29/month) and Workshop (£79/month) have no job cap at all. You’re billed monthly per workshop, not per job.

Yes. Autera’s customer data is held in UK data centres (Cloudflare + IONOS). ServiceM8 is hosted globally with the company based in Australia. If UK data residency matters to your customers or your insurer, this is a real difference.

Yes. Autera has native apps for both iPad and Android tablets, plus a web dashboard. ServiceM8’s mobile experience is iPhone and iPad only, so if any of your technicians use Android, that’s a hard blocker.

Not natively. ServiceM8 is a global field-service product, not built around UK regs. Autera does live DVLA lookups (type the plate, the rest fills in) and includes UK MOT reminder workflows on the Workshop plan.

ServiceM8 Premium (unlimited jobs) is £119/month. Autera Workshop (unlimited jobs, 6 mechanics, ADAS certs, MOT reminders) is £79/month. Autera also offers a free Solo plan and a 20% annual discount; ServiceM8 doesn’t publish an annual discount.

Comparing other UK garage software too?

vs Garage Hive vs Garage Assistant vs MAM Autowork vs LaunchControl

Or explore Autera by feature:

Garage management software MOT reminders Invoicing Vehicle health checks

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