ARI

Overview

ARI is a repair-shop platform for handling jobs, customer records and vehicle information alongside payments and shop administration. It is best suited to independent operators and smaller teams that want customers to review work and pay through a simple link. The free tier is tightly capped; its paid plans remove monthly invoice and user or device limits.

Key features

Repair workflow and shop administration

ARI brings job cards, estimates, digital inspections, invoices and payments together with client and vehicle records, parts inventory, accounting, appointments, reminders, time tracking and reporting. That breadth can reduce the need to split routine shop work across separate tools, particularly for an independent technician or mobile mechanic. It also supports estimate approvals and work order management, key steps in moving a repair from recommendation to authorized work.

Customer and vehicle tools

Customers can follow a repair, review and approve recommended work, book a visit and pay an invoice from a link, without installing an app or creating an account. That is a practical advantage for shops that want to keep approval and payment straightforward for customers. Vehicle tools include VIN decoding, license plate reading, service history and OBD scanning.

Integrations and data

Payment options include Square, 360Payments, PayPal, Stripe and Helcim; other listed integrations include PartsTech, M1, CarFax, CarMD, QuickBooks and Wisetack. ARI says accounts use secure usernames and passwords, sensitive data is encrypted and stored on Firebase, and user data is shared with CarFax only when users opt in. Support is advertised 24/7 by email.

Pricing

ARI offers a free tier described as a trial, with a limit of five invoices, estimates, inspections, clients, vehicles and other items. That is enough to explore a small workflow, but the item caps make it a poor fit for ongoing shop use. Paid accounts have no monthly invoice limit and no limit on added users or devices.

ARI Pro (monthly): 39.99 USD per month. It includes invoicing, inspections, inventory, accounting, appointments, reminders, time tracking, payments, reporting, credits, image attachments, priority support, a white-labeled client portal and a white-labeled booking page. It suits a shop that wants the full listed workflow without an annual commitment.

ARI Pro Plus (monthly): 59.99 USD per month. It includes the same listed features, with 3000 credits as a one-time allotment. The higher price is justified for buyers who specifically need that larger credit allotment.

ARI Pro (yearly): 399.99 USD per year, billed as 33.33 USD monthly. It includes the Pro feature set. Against monthly billing, the annual total is lower, but requires paying for a year upfront.

ARI Pro Plus (yearly): 599.99 USD per year, billed as 49.99 USD monthly. It includes the Pro Plus feature set and its one-time allotment of 3000 credits. As with yearly Pro, the lower monthly equivalent comes with an annual payment commitment.

Platforms

ARI supports Android, iOS, web and Windows, giving shops several options for accessing the system across mobile and desktop devices.

Who it's for

ARI is aimed at mobile mechanics, independent technicians, auto repair shops, dealers and other auto care professionals. Its combination of job handling, shop records and customer-facing approvals is most compelling for operators who want those tasks under one roof. Shops that need to keep using the free tier beyond a small trial will quickly encounter its item caps.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Customers can approve work, book and pay through a link without an app or account, reducing friction in the customer-facing workflow.
• Pro: Shop administration, vehicle tools and payment integrations cover a broad range of repair-business needs in one product.
• Pro: Paid accounts remove monthly invoice and added-user or device limits, which avoids those specific caps as a shop grows.
• Con: The free tier allows only five of each listed item type, making it a limited trial rather than a practical ongoing plan for a busy shop.
• Con: Pro Plus costs more than Pro, and its distinguishing stated benefit is a one-time 3000-credit allotment; buyers should choose it for that need, not assume it adds other capabilities.
• Con: The lower annual equivalents require paying the full yearly total upfront.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison, browse Automotive Repair Software.

• GEM-CAR is a paid option with a free trial and plans starting at 149.00 USD per month; consider it if that plan structure better fits your shop.
• Protractor starts at 249.00 USD per month for its CRM and online service scheduler plan; choose it when customer communication, reminders and retention offers are the priority.
• GetAFix has a free trial and custom pricing; its Starter plan is tailored by branches, users and modules and covers up to five users at one location.
• Shopmonkey starts at 239.00 USD per month for Basic, with three user licenses and additional users at $20/month; it may suit a shop comfortable with those seat terms.
• Tekmetric starts at 199.00 USD per month for Start, with unlimited users and repair orders per shop; it may suit teams prioritizing those allowances, though it has no free trial.
• Workshop Software offers a free trial and Silver at 99.00 AUD per year, billed at $1,188 + GST annually; consider it if its stated job, vehicle and booking management matches your needs.
• LxCars is a free web option.
• Carstio is a free web option.

Verdict

ARI is a strong fit for independent repair operators who want shop administration, vehicle tools and customer approvals and payments in one system. Its link-based customer portal and uncapped paid invoices stand out for that audience; look elsewhere if you need a genuinely usable free plan, or if the yearly prepayment and credit-plan choice do not fit your budget.