Freedom251 › Automotive Software
Pitlane
What Pitlane is
Pitlane is a web-based CRM and workflow system for independent auto repair shops in the United States. Repair orders support technician assignment by line, clock-in and clock-out tracking, parts costs and margins, and AI-suggested lines. Technicians can record digital inspections with photos, while customers approve inspection items or added work from a phone with a signature. Each shop receives a local number for two-way SMS, and the system automates service reminders, post-pickup Google review requests, and win-back messages at 90, 120, and 180 days. PitCrew AI drafts repair-order lines, estimate notes, review replies, and declined-work recovery messages, but does not text customers or post reviews itself. Customers pay through texted Stripe links; Pitlane charges no platform fee, while Stripe fees apply. The Everything included plan costs $200 a month, includes unlimited customers, vehicles, and user seats, and offers 500 AI actions monthly with a 150-per-day cap. A 30-day trial is available.
Who it suits
It suits independent US auto repair shops needing repair orders, inspections, messaging, approvals, payments, and follow-ups in one web system. Shops should note the stated Stripe and AI limits.
What it does well
- Repair orders include technician time tracking
- Digital inspections support photos and signatures
- Automated reminders and review requests
- Unlimited customers, vehicles, and seats
- CSV migration from several listed systems
What to know first
- Costs $200 a month
- Stripe processing fees still apply
- No in-counter card reader yet
- SOC 2 audit is not complete
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Everything included | $200/mo · Unlimited customers, vehicles, and user seats · 100 outbound texts during the 30-day trial · PitCrew AI: 500 actions/month and 150/day · Stripe processing fees of 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction | $200 a month |
As usepitlane.com lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Pitlane brings customer communication, shop workflow, inspections, and payments into one web product. Its paid plan is broad, but shops must account for Stripe charges, AI caps, and the missing card reader.
Facts from Pitlane's own pages
- AI
- PitCrew drafts repair-order lines, review replies, estimate notes, and declined-work recovery messages; it does not text customers or post reviews on its own. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- AI data handling
- PitCrew uses Anthropic’s API, and Pitlane says prompts and completions are not used to train Anthropic models under its commercial API terms. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Company
- Pitlane is a product of Auto Shift Media, headquartered in Ohio, United States, and serves independent auto repair shops in the United States. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Data migration
- CSV import brings in customers, vehicles, VINs, and last-visit dates; repair-order line items and inventory counts remain in the prior system. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Data portability
- Users can export workspace data as CSV and cancel or permanently delete their data from Settings. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Follow-ups
- Pitlane automates Google review requests after pickup, service reminders, and win-back messages at 90, 120, and 180 days. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- Ohio, United States · usepitlane.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Inspections and approvals
- Technicians can record digital inspections with photos, and customers can approve inspection items or added work from their phone with a signature. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The site lists Stripe, per-shop SMS, Google reviews, Resend transactional email, and CSV migration from systems including Mitchell 1, Tekmetric, Shopware, and Shopmonkey. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Messaging
- Each shop gets a dedicated local number for two-way SMS, with automated STOP and HELP handling. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Payments
- Customers pay through texted Stripe links; Pitlane charges no platform fee, while Stripe’s standard processing fees apply, and there is no in-counter card reader yet. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Product
- Pitlane is a customer-facing CRM and shop workflow system for independent auto repair shops. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Repair orders
- It supports repair-order writing with per-line technician assignment, clock-in/out tracking, parts cost and margin, and AI-suggested lines. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Security
- Pitlane describes row-level shop data isolation, encryption at rest and in transit, HTTPS with TLS 1.2+, and two-factor sign-in; its own SOC 2 audit is not complete. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- Support is by email at [email protected], and the pricing page says email support replies the same business day. · usepitlane.com, 7 Oct 2026
Where Pitlane stands on Freedom251
- Automotive Software#11 of 25
- Automotive Repair Software#20 of 33