DealerCenter vs Wayne Reaves: which fits your lot?
DealerCenter sells one DMS at $99 a month, with RouteOne, Dealertrack and CUDL access and unlimited users, and prices buy here pay here, accounting, a CRM and a website as modules. Wayne Reaves sells tiers: from $75 a month (Pro DMS Lite, for cash-only dealers), Pro DMS at $125 a month (Pro DMS, cash and bank finance), and full buy here pay here with collections at $145 a month, with accounting and collections in the same system. Choose DealerCenter for many users and lender access from the first plan; choose Wayne Reaves for a cash-only start or buy here pay here with collections in one system. If you sell for cash or bring your own lenders and want to start without a monthly bill, GARAGEBIRDS starts free.
DealerCenter and Wayne Reaves, point by point
- Price. DealerCenter’s DMS is $99 a month. Wayne Reaves starts from $75 a month (Pro DMS Lite, for cash-only dealers); Pro DMS is $125 a month (Pro DMS, cash and bank finance); Pro DMS Ultimate has full buy here pay here with collections at $145 a month; and Wayne’s Value Pick, $340 a month, with unlimited users and a website.
- Users. DealerCenter: Unlimited users, with free training and support. Wayne Reaves: 3 simultaneous users on every plan; $10 a month for each extra, or $200 a month for unlimited.
- Lenders. DealerCenter includes credit-application submission and lender decisions through RouteOne and Dealertrack. Wayne Reaves has DealerTrack, RouteOne and CUDL connections from Pro DMS up, with separate subscriptions to those services where required.
- Buy here pay here and accounting. DealerCenter’s buy here pay here is $50 a month and Integrated Accounting $99 a month. Wayne Reaves has accounting and collections in the same system.
- Forms. DealerCenter has contract management with a free forms library, with eContracts at $3.00 per contract. Wayne Reaves has bill of sale and state forms on every plan, and lists billable forms, such as Reynolds & Reynolds LAW 553 at $2.98 a form.
- Website. DealerCenter’s is $99 a month. Wayne Reaves’ websites start from $79 a month (Website Starter, up to 10 vehicles).
- How it runs. DealerCenter: Web-based, with a mobile app. Wayne Reaves: browser-based, on desktop, tablet and phone.
GARAGEBIRDS, DealerCenter and Wayne Reaves at a glance
| GARAGEBIRDS | DealerCenter | Wayne Reaves | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | Free plan $0. Pro $49 a month billed yearly ($588 a year), or $59 billed monthly | $99 a month for the DMS | From $75 a month (Pro DMS Lite, for cash-only dealers); $125 a month (Pro DMS, cash and bank finance) |
| Free plan | Yes. Free forever, no credit card | None listed | None listed |
| Trial | 14-day Pro trial with no card, started by an admin from Billing | 30-day free trial (optional) | Not stated on its pricing page; it offers a free demo |
| Contract or setup fee | No contract | Not stated on its pricing page | Not stated on its pricing page; quarterly and annual discounts |
| How it runs | In a web browser | Web-based, with a mobile app | Browser-based, on desktop, tablet and phone |
| Users | Unlimited users | Unlimited users, with free training and support | 3 simultaneous users on every plan; $10 a month for each extra, or $200 a month for unlimited |
| 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) | Included in the DMS: contract management with a free forms library | Bill of sale and state forms on every plan; billable forms, such as Reynolds & Reynolds LAW 553 at $2.98 a form |
| Buy here pay here (BHPH) | No | Add-on module, $50 a month | Pro DMS Ultimate: full buy here pay here with collections at $145 a month |
| 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 | Included in the DMS: RouteOne, Dealertrack and CUDL access, and eFax deal submissions to any lender. Credit reports are extra: billed per report, plus a monthly fee for each bureau (Experian: $4.00 a report and $24.99 a month) | DealerTrack, RouteOne and CUDL connections from Pro DMS up, with separate subscriptions to those services where required |
| Dealer website | No | Add-on module: Premium Website $99 a month, or Premium Pro $125 a month | Separate plan from $79 a month (Website Starter, up to 10 vehicles), or included in Wayne’s Value Pick, $340 a month, with unlimited users and a website |
| 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 | Add-on module: Online Ad Post Premium, $50 a month, with direct feeds to any third-party listing site | Syndication to AutoTrader, Carfax, CarGurus and other marketplaces through its websites, with your own account on each |
| Profit and cost tracking | Yes. Cost tracking with true profit per vehicle, on Free | Add-on modules: Reconditioning ($99 a month) tracks parts, costs and vendor work tied to each unit; Integrated Accounting ($99 a month) offers centralized tracking of all vehicle sales and cost transactions | Cost, repair and expense tracking, plus accounting and collections in the same system |
| Private-party purchases | Pro: a purchase record with the seller, the payoff and the state’s transfer forms | Not mentioned on its site | Not mentioned on its pricing or DMS pages |
| Consignment | Pro: the agreement, owner-approved costs, payout due dates and the owner’s statement | Not mentioned on its site | A how-to: a “How to consign a car” video in its support library |
Sources. Competitor information from each vendor’s public website, checked between October 14, 2026 and November 11, 2026. Prices and features change; see the linked pages for current details.
- DealerCenter: dealercenter.com/pricing, dealercenter.com/dealer-management-system, dealercenter.com, dealercenter.com/?s=private+party, dealercenter.com/?s=consignment
- Wayne Reaves: waynereaves.com/pricing, waynereaves.com, waynereaves.com/dealer-websites, waynereaves.com/support-videos
GARAGEBIRDS details are from our pricing section and features page. DealerCenter and Wayne Reaves are trademarks of their owners; GARAGEBIRDS is not affiliated with them.
Which one to choose
- Choose DealerCenter if several people work the lot, you send credit applications to lenders from the first deal, and you’d rather add buy here pay here or accounting as modules.
- Choose Wayne Reaves if you start cash-only and want to pay least for it, or you carry your own notes and want collections and accounting in the same system.
- Choose GARAGEBIRDS if you sell for cash or arrange financing with lenders yourself and want the true profit on every car before you price it, with unlimited users and every built-in form is on the Free plan, with no limit. The Free plan costs $0; Pro is $49 a month billed yearly ($588 a year). GARAGEBIRDS does not submit credit applications to lenders electronically, and has no buy here pay here or accounting.
Side by side with GARAGEBIRDS: DealerCenter and Wayne Reaves. More options: the best DMS for independent dealers and how much a DMS costs.
Questions
Is DealerCenter or Wayne Reaves cheaper?
For a cash-only lot, Wayne Reaves: from $75 a month (Pro DMS Lite, for cash-only dealers), against DealerCenter’s $99 a month. With bank financing, Wayne Reaves’ Pro DMS is $125 a month (Pro DMS, cash and bank finance). Count users too: 3 simultaneous users on every plan; $10 a month for each extra, or $200 a month for unlimited at Wayne Reaves, unlimited at DealerCenter.
Which one is better for buy here pay here?
Wayne Reaves has full buy here pay here with collections at $145 a month. DealerCenter adds buy here pay here as a module at $50 a month, with Integrated Accounting at $99 a month.
Do both connect to lenders?
Yes. DealerCenter includes RouteOne, Dealertrack and CUDL access in its DMS. Wayne Reaves has DealerTrack, RouteOne and CUDL connections from Pro DMS up, with separate subscriptions to those services where required.
Is there a free alternative to both?
GARAGEBIRDS has a Free plan, free forever with no credit card: inventory, true profit per vehicle, cash desking, built-in state forms for all 50 states, with auto-fill and unlimited users.
Or start without a monthly bill
Free forever, no credit card, no contract. Pro’s 14-day Pro trial with no card, started by an admin from Billing.