ARI

ARI is auto repair shop software for managing appointments, diagnostics, estimates, digital inspections, invoices, payments, and promotion. Its tools include client and vehicle records, inventory, job cards, accounting, reminders, technician time tracking, and reporting. Customers can use a client portal to follow repair progress, review and approve recommended work, book visits, and pay invoices through a link without downloading an app or signing up. Vehicle tools include VIN decoding, license plate reading, service history, and OBD scanning. Listed integrations include payment processors such as Square, 360Payments, PayPal, Stripe, and Helcim, alongside PartsTech, M1, CarFax, CarMD, QuickBooks, and Wisetack. ARI is intended for mobile mechanics, independent technicians, auto repair shops, auto dealers, and auto care professionals. A free plan and trial are listed; the trial permits up to five items in categories such as invoices, estimates, inspections, clients, and vehicles. ARI Pro is $39.99 per month or $399.99 per year, billed at $33.33 monthly. Paid accounts have no monthly invoice limit or limit on added users or devices.

ARI combines shop administration, customer communication, and vehicle tools for auto care professionals. The trial has a five-item limit in listed categories; paid accounts remove monthly invoice and user or device limits.

ARI is aimed at mobile mechanics, independent technicians, repair shops, auto dealers, and other auto care professionals. It may suit businesses that want customers to review work and pay through a link without an app or signup.

Overview

ARI is an all-in-one shop platform for handling repair work and customer follow-through. It is best suited to independent operators and auto care teams that want customers to review, approve, and pay for work through a link; its five-item free trial is too limited for sustained shop use.

Its appeal is the combination of repair workflow, customer portal, and vehicle tools in one product. That breadth is useful for shops trying to coordinate jobs and customer communication together, though the small trial cap makes it hard to treat the free tier as an ongoing operating plan.

Key features

Shop workflow

ARI brings job cards, estimates, digital inspections, invoices, payments, inventory, and accounting into the repair workflow. Appointments, reminders, technician time tracking, and reporting extend it into daily shop administration. That makes it a practical fit for operators seeking one system for job handling and records rather than separate tools for each task. Paid accounts remove monthly invoice limits and limits on added users or devices.

Customer and vehicle tools

The customer portal lets customers check repair progress, review and approve recommended work, schedule visits, and pay invoices from a link, without installing an app or creating an account. This reduces friction around approvals and payment. Vehicle features include VIN decoding, license plate reading, service history, and OBD scanning, which complement the shop-management side of the product.

Integrations and data

ARI names Square, 360Payments, PayPal, Stripe, and Helcim among its payment integrations, plus PartsTech, M1, CarFax, CarMD, QuickBooks, and Wisetack. It says account access uses usernames and passwords, sensitive data is encrypted and stored on Firebase, and user data is shared with CarFax only if the user opts in. Email support is advertised as available 24/7.

Pricing

ARI offers a free trial with a cap of five invoices, estimates, inspections, clients, vehicles, and other items. That is enough to explore a small workflow, but not a workable free allowance for a shop handling regular jobs. Paid plans start at $33.33/mo with annual billing.

Annual billing lowers the monthly equivalent but requires paying the full year upfront. Pro Plus is the choice for buyers who need the 3000-credit allotment; Pro includes credits without that stated allotment. Both paid tiers retain the core workflow and white-labeled customer-facing pages, and paid accounts have no monthly invoice cap or added-user and device limits.

Platforms

ARI is available on Android, iOS, web, and Windows, giving shops and technicians multiple ways to access the system across devices.

Who it's for

ARI is aimed at mobile mechanics, independent technicians, repair shops, auto dealers, and other auto care professionals. Its link-based customer portal is particularly useful for businesses that want customers to approve work and pay without an app or account. Shops that need a free plan for ongoing volume should look elsewhere, since the trial stops at five items in each stated category.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Repair workflow, inventory, accounting, scheduling, time tracking, and reporting sit together, reducing the need to coordinate those tasks across separate systems.
• Pros: Customers can approve recommended work and pay from a link without downloading an app or signing up.
• Pros: Paid plans remove monthly invoice, user, and device limits, making them more viable for growing teams than the capped trial.
• Cons: The free trial is capped at five invoices, estimates, inspections, clients, vehicles, and other items, so it is not a meaningful long-term free option.
• Cons: Pro Plus costs more and its differentiating published benefit is a one-time 3000-credit allotment; buyers who do not need those credits may prefer Pro.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, start with Automotive Repair Software.

• AutoServe1 is worth considering if a shop wants a $399 a month Pro plan with unlimited text messaging, mobile estimate approval, and Text-to-Pay mobile payments.
• CCC ONE Repair Workflow is another paid option available on Android, iOS, web, and Windows.
• Mitchell RepairCenter is a paid alternative for teams using Android, iOS, or Windows.
• ShopKey Shop Management may suit shops that prefer to contact a Snap-on representative for pricing.
• GEM-CAR is a paid option with no free plan and a free trial; its I Standard plan is $149 a month and includes 100 GB storage and two users.
• GetAFix may suit buyers seeking a tailored quote based on branches, users, and modules; its Starter plan supports up to five users at one location.
• Protractor offers a $249 a month CRM + Online Service Scheduler plan with customer communication, service reminders and follow-ups, and targeted retention offers.
• Shopmonkey is a paid alternative whose Basic plan includes three user licenses, with additional users at $20/month.

Verdict

ARI is a strong fit for independent technicians and auto care businesses that want repair administration, vehicle tools, and customer approvals and payments in one platform. Its clearest advantage is a low-friction customer portal paired with broad shop workflow coverage; the main reason to look elsewhere is the five-item free-trial ceiling or a need for a different pricing model. For a small shop ready to pay, the annual Pro plan offers the lowest published monthly equivalent, while Pro Plus is reserved for buyers who value its one-time 3000-credit allotment.