Freedom251 › Auto Repair Shop Software
Shop Boss
What Shop Boss is
Shop Boss is auto shop management software for repair businesses that want shop operations together in one system. Its packages include unlimited repair orders and users, two-way text and email, parts ordering, reporting and workflows, vehicle lookup and history, technician views, and VIN scanning and license decoding. The listed tools also cover work order management, digital inspections, estimate approvals, parts inventory, and technician time tracking. With BOSS Inspect, technicians use a smartphone or tablet to show customers needed repairs, send inspection reports, and maintain records and updates. BOSS Board provides reports, real-time insights, customizable KPI boards, and comparisons of current and past performance. Shops can order parts from local suppliers and tires from national distributors through the system. BOSS Pay supports Venmo and PayPal for eligible Text-to-Pay customers, remote Text-to-Pay, and consumer financing; embedded payment processing has transaction fees. Shop Boss is web-based and also lists Android and iOS access. Gold starts at $179 a month when billed annually, and the pricing page also shows $199/Month. There is no free plan.
Who it suits
Shop Boss suits auto repair, collision, heavy duty truck, RV, tire, powersports or marine repair shops, and fleet management services. It is relevant to teams that need repair orders, inspections, parts workflows, vehicle records, and customer communication in one shop system.
What it does well
- All packages include unlimited repair orders and users.
- BOSS Inspect works on smartphones and tablets.
- Parts and tire ordering are available in the system.
- BOSS Board compares current and past performance.
- The pricing page lists over 130 built-in data transfer integrations.
What to know first
- There is no free plan.
- Gold starts at $179 a month billed annually.
- Embedded payment processing has transaction fees.
- Surcharging is not permissible in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York.
Limits
There is no free plan; Gold starts at $179 a month billed annually. Embedded payment processing carries transaction fees, and customer/vehicle or broader history and inventory data transfer options are paid once-off plans.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | monthly; annual option shown as $179/month · Calendars & appointments · Inventory/vendor management · Embedded payment processing · Canned jobs/sublets · Time/job clocks · Profit-per-hour forecasting · Parts/labor-guide integrations | $199 a month |
| CRM + Online Service Scheduler | annually; page also shows $249/Month · automated customer communication · service reminders · custom offers · online scheduling | $224 a month |
| Platinum | monthly; annual option shown as $314/month · Everything in Gold · Labor guides with diagrams/procedures · BI dashboard · Digital inspections · DVI integrations · Employee analytics · Real-time dashboard · Tire ordering · AI ProNotes | $349 a month |
| Customer & Vehicle Data Transfer | customer and vehicle data transfer | $399, paid once |
| Premier | monthly; annual option shown as $404/month · Everything in Platinum · Responsive website · Website maintenance/design · Monthly digital reporting · Quarterly digital reviews · Custom one-to-one training | $449 a month |
| Premier Plus | monthly; annual option shown as $584/month · Everything in Premier · 24/7 online booking · Custom scheduling rules · Automated reminders · Declined-work tracking · CRM · Email campaigns · Automated re-engagement · Customer segmentation | $649 a month |
| Customer, Vehicle, Repair History & Inventory Data Transfer | customer, vehicle, repair history, and inventory data transfer | $899, paid once |
As shopboss.net lists them, read 15 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the Shop Boss website.
- Choose a plan, starting with Gold at $179 a month billed annually.
- Book a demo through the contact option or call (858) 252-4007.
- Use the web-based service without downloads or updates.
- Arrange customer, vehicle, repair history, or inventory data transfer if needed.
Verdict
Choose Shop Boss if your repair operation needs a shared system for orders, inspections, parts, vehicle history, and shop reporting. The main reason to look elsewhere is its paid starting price, alongside transaction fees for embedded processing.
Questions
Is Shop Boss free?
No. Shop Boss has no free plan; Gold starts at $179 a month billed annually.
Which platforms does Shop Boss support?
The listed platforms are Android, iOS, and web. Shop Boss describes the service as web-based and says it works without downloads or updates.
What does the Gold plan include?
Gold includes unlimited repair orders, unlimited users, unlimited two-way text and email, and embedded payment processing. Transaction fees apply to payment processing.
Can technicians use Shop Boss for digital inspections?
Yes. BOSS Inspect works on a smartphone or tablet to present needed repairs, send inspection reports, and keep records and updates.
Which payment methods and services does BOSS Pay support?
It supports Venmo and PayPal for eligible Text-to-Pay customers, remote Text-to-Pay, and consumer financing. Transaction fees apply to embedded processing.
Where is Shop Boss based?
Its listed headquarters is 2035 Lakeside Center Way, Suite 100, Knoxville, TN 37922, United States.
Facts from Shop Boss's own pages
- API
- Shop Boss exposes a REST API returning JSON for customers, vehicles, repair orders, appointments, employees, parts, suppliers, quotes, inspections, and related records. · docs.shopboss.io, 15 Oct 2026
- API authentication
- API access requires a support-issued API key sent as a Bearer token, with endpoint permissions assigned to each key. · docs.shopboss.io, 15 Oct 2026
- API documentation depth
- Documentation includes an introductory guide, versioning, environments, authentication, rate limiting, error responses, and a reference with client examples for Shell, Ruby, Node.js, PHP, and Python. · docs.shopboss.io, 15 Oct 2026
- API environments
- The documentation lists production at api.shopboss.io and a development environment at dev.shopboss.io with separate development documentation. · docs.shopboss.io, 15 Oct 2026
- API limits
- The documented default limit is 500 calls per minute in production and 100 calls per minute in staging, with HTTP 429 responses when exceeded. · docs.shopboss.io, 15 Oct 2026
- Changelog
- The October 6, 2026 release added Publish RO, parts bin and notes fields, global phone lookup for quotes, and fixes for iPad printing, video playback, inspections, and storage fees. · feedback.shopbosspro.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Company founded and headquarters
- CB Insights lists Shop Boss as founded in 2012 and headquartered at 9915 Businesspark Avenue, Suite C, San Diego, California 92131. · cbinsights.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Company identity
- The Shop Boss privacy policy identifies CSB Technologies, a Vehlo Purchaser, LLC entity, as owner and operator. · shopboss.net, 15 Oct 2026
- Customer communications
- Shop Boss supports internal chat, customer texting for updates and estimates, and payment-linked messaging. · shopboss.net, 15 Oct 2026
- Customer portal
- The password-protected portal presents inspections, invoices, photos, messages, updates, service schedules, and payment access. · shopboss.net, 15 Oct 2026
- Dashboard
- BOSS Board provides customizable KPI boards, real-time insights, reports, and current-versus-past comparisons. · shopboss.net, 15 Oct 2026
- Data migration
- The pricing page lists over 130 built-in data transfer integrations and paid customer/vehicle or broader history and inventory transfer options. · shopboss.net, 8 Oct 2026
- Digital inspections
- BOSS Inspect lets technicians perform inspections on phones or tablets, send reports, retain records, and show customers recommended repairs. · shopboss.net, 15 Oct 2026
- Free trial
- The vendor offers a free trial but requires a form and meeting to complete trial setup; no duration is stated. · go.shopboss.net, 15 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- 2035 Lakeside Center Way, Suite 100, Knoxville, TN 37922, United States · shopboss.net, 28 Sept 2026
- Inspections
- BOSS Inspect lets technicians use a smartphone or tablet to show customers needed repairs, send inspection reports, and keep records and updates. · shopboss.net, 8 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The product advertises parts and labor-guide integrations, DVI connections to guides/parts/inventory, tire ordering, CARFAX, Kukui, and EService Intelligence connections. · shopboss.net, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: accounting and inventory
- A Capterra reviewer says the product lacks sufficient accounts-payable and inventory controls. · capterra.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: mobile performance
- A Capterra reviewer says the mobile app can lag or crash occasionally. · capterra.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: reliability glitches
- A G2 reviewer reports occasional glitches, including another shop's information appearing after login and phone numbers failing to save. · g2.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Notable company news
- Vehlo says it began in 2019 and reports more than 30,000 customers and over 50 million annual repair orders across its automotive technology products. · vehlo.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Parts and tires
- The software supports parts ordering from local suppliers and tire ordering from national distributors through the shop management system. · shopboss.net, 8 Oct 2026
- Parts ordering
- The parts workflow displays supplier stock, places orders from the management system, and synchronizes with other features. · shopboss.net, 15 Oct 2026
- Payment restriction
- Shop Boss says surcharging is not permissible in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York because of state laws. · shopboss.net, 8 Oct 2026
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