An AutoManager alternative for new and small used-car lots
GARAGEBIRDS is dealer management software for independent used-car dealers who want to know what every car really made. Its Free plan is free forever, with no credit card: inventory, true profit per vehicle, cash desking, built-in state forms for all 50 states, with auto-fill, contacts and unlimited users. Pro is $49 a month billed yearly ($588 a year), or $59 billed monthly.
AutoManager sells its products as separate plans: the DeskManager DMS from $88 a month, a dealer website with export to 250-plus marketplaces, from $70 a month, and a CRM from $140 a month, or a DMS and website from $144 a month. Its DMS has integrations with RouteOne, CUDL and Dealertrack, buy here pay here, with collections through its payments partners and accounting that syncs to QuickBooks Online, none of which GARAGEBIRDS has.
GARAGEBIRDS and AutoManager at a glance
| GARAGEBIRDS | AutoManager | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | Free plan $0. Pro $49 a month billed yearly ($588 a year), or $59 billed monthly | DMS from $88 a month; a DMS and website from $144 a month |
| Free plan | Yes. Free forever, no credit card | None listed |
| Trial | 14-day Pro trial with no card, started by an admin from Billing | A free demo and trial, length not stated |
| Contract or setup fee | No contract | Not stated on its pricing page |
| How it runs | In a web browser | Cloud-based, on Windows, Mac and tablets (DeskManager Online) |
| Users | Unlimited users | Not stated on its pricing page |
| Forms | Built-in state forms for all 50 states, with auto-fill: over 300 official forms, all on Free. Smart Print Forms: upload and map your own contracts and documents (Pro) | A library of contracts and forms, including Reynolds & Reynolds retail installment contracts and DMV forms |
| Buy here pay here (BHPH) | No | Yes: buy here pay here, with collections through its payments partners |
| Lender access | No network access. Finance desking (Pro) structures a financed deal for any lender, but it does not submit credit applications to lenders electronically | Integrations with RouteOne, CUDL and Dealertrack |
| Dealer website | No | Separate plan: a dealer website with export to 250-plus marketplaces, from $70 a month |
| Listing sites and marketplaces | Assisted marketplace posting — Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, eBay Motors, Cars.com, AutoTrader and more (Pro). Every listing kept on the car, with a reminder to update it when the price changes or the car sells. No automatic feeds | With the website plan: export to 250-plus marketplaces and a Facebook Marketplace auto-posting utility |
| Profit and cost tracking | Yes. Cost tracking with true profit per vehicle, on Free | Accounting that syncs to QuickBooks Online |
| Private-party purchases | Pro: a purchase record with the seller, the payoff and the state’s transfer forms | Not mentioned on its DMS or pricing pages |
| Consignment | Pro: the agreement, owner-approved costs, payout due dates and the owner’s statement | Yes: consignment management in DeskManager, its DMS |
Sources. Competitor information from each vendor’s public website, checked November 11, 2026. Prices and features change; see the linked pages for current details.
- AutoManager: automanager.com/pricing, automanager.com/auto-dealer-software, automanager.com/inventory-management, support.automanager.com/hc/en-us/articles/5472119132443-Consignors-in-DeskManager-Online, automanager.com/download-a-free-demo, automanager.com/technical-support/frequently-asked-questions
GARAGEBIRDS details are from our pricing section and features page. AutoManager is a trademark of its owner; GARAGEBIRDS is not affiliated with it.
Choose AutoManager if…
- You submit deals to lenders electronically. DeskManager has integrations with RouteOne, CUDL and Dealertrack. GARAGEBIRDS does not submit credit applications to lenders electronically.
- You run buy here pay here. DeskManager has buy here pay here, with collections through its payments partners. GARAGEBIRDS has no buy here pay here.
- You keep the books in QuickBooks. DeskManager has accounting that syncs to QuickBooks Online. GARAGEBIRDS has no accounting.
- You want a website and listing exports from your DMS vendor. Its website plan is a dealer website with export to 250-plus marketplaces, from $70 a month, with a Facebook Marketplace auto-posting utility.
Choose GARAGEBIRDS if…
- You want to start without a monthly bill. GARAGEBIRDS Free has no time limit, no cap on the number of vehicles and unlimited users.
- You want the true profit on every car: the purchase price, auction fees, transport and every recon dollar counted against the sale, on the Free plan.
- You take cars on consignment and pay the owners out. GARAGEBIRDS Pro works out the payout (see below).
- You want your state’s paperwork filled in from the deal. GARAGEBIRDS has over 300 official forms built in across all 50 states, all on Free; on Pro, your own contracts are mapped once and filled in for every deal after that.
Consignment: the record and the payout
AutoManager lists consignment management in DeskManager, its DMS. Its help article covers the consignor, the agreed selling price, notes, a summary of the agreement, and the signed agreement as an attachment. How the owner’s payout is worked out: Not described on its site. GARAGEBIRDS Pro keeps the agreement, owner-approved costs, payout due dates and the owner’s statement, so what you owe the owner when the car sells comes from the record, not a spreadsheet. More on consignment in GARAGEBIRDS, and how the options compare in dealer software with consignment.
What GARAGEBIRDS doesn’t do
- No lender integration: finance desking on Pro structures a financed deal for any lender, and you send the application yourself.
- No buy here pay here, no accounting or QuickBooks sync, and no multi-location.
- No dealer website and no automatic listing feeds. On Pro, the Posting Assistant autofills the listing form on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, eBay Motors, Cars.com, AutoTrader and more, and you publish each one.
Questions
How much does AutoManager cost?
AutoManager’s pricing page lists the DMS from $88 a month, a dealer website with export to 250-plus marketplaces, from $70 a month, the CRM from $140 a month, and a DMS and website from $144 a month. It offers a free demo and trial, length not stated. Prices change, so check AutoManager’s pricing page for current figures.
Does AutoManager have a free plan?
Its pricing page lists paid plans only. GARAGEBIRDS has a Free plan with no time limit, which you can keep for as long as it covers what your lot needs.
Does AutoManager work on a Mac?
Its FAQ says DeskManager Online is cloud-based, on Windows, Mac and tablets. GARAGEBIRDS also runs in a web browser, on a Mac, a Chromebook or a Windows PC.
Which one handles consignment payouts?
GARAGEBIRDS Pro keeps the agreement, owner-approved costs, payout due dates and the owner’s statement. AutoManager records the consignor, the agreed selling price, notes, a summary of the agreement, and the signed agreement as an attachment. The payout: Not described on its site.
Start free, and add Pro when you need it
Free forever, no credit card, no contract.