The first question every shop owner asks about software is what it will cost every month. In Canada the answer has a twist: a lot of shop software is priced in U.S. dollars, so what you actually pay moves with the exchange rate and your card’s conversion charge.
This guide covers what you really pay for, how the exchange rate changes the number, how to compare a one-time licence with a monthly subscription, and what Garage costs in Canadian dollars.
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The short version
- Compare the all-in monthly cost in Canadian dollars, not the headline price.
- A price in U.S. dollars moves with the exchange rate: the Bank of Canada rate moved between 1.3515 and 1.4271 in the last 12 months.
- Your card may add a foreign currency conversion charge on top. Check your card agreement.
- A one-time licence still has costs: upgrades, support, the computer and the backups.
- Garage starts at $53 CAD/month, month to month, with a 7-day free trial.
What you actually pay for in auto repair shop software
Two systems with the same headline price can cost very different amounts by the end of the year. Before you compare, list every line:
- The plan itself, and whether it is priced per shop or per user.
- Users. How many people can log in, and what each extra one costs.
- Limits. A monthly cap on repair orders, photos or storage that pushes you to the next plan in your busiest month.
- Add-ons. Modules sold separately: inventory, scheduling, inspections, reports.
- Setup and onboarding fees, and whether a demo or training is mandatory.
- Contract length. An annual contract changes the risk of choosing wrong.
- Currency. If the price is in U.S. dollars, the exchange rate and your card’s conversion charge.
What the exchange rate does to a U.S.-dollar price
Take a hypothetical subscription at US$200 a month, a round number for the example, not any company’s price. At the Bank of Canada’s daily rates:
| Bank of Canada rate | US$200 in CAD | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4000 (a year earlier) | $280.00 | October 9, 2025 |
| 1.3515 (12-month low) | $270.30 | January 29, 2026 |
| 1.4271 (12-month high) | $285.42 | October 9, 2026 |
Then your card applies its own rate and may add a foreign currency conversion charge. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) uses 2.5% in its example; with that charge, the US$200 month at the 1.4271 rate becomes about $292.56, or about $3,511 a year. Your card agreement has your real charge. A U.S.-dollar card can avoid the conversion charge, as the FCAC notes, but you still carry the exchange rate.
How GST/HST applies to software you buy from a vendor outside Canada depends on your registration and the vendor’s; ask your accountant before you assume it.
Sources: Bank of Canada, daily exchange rates (indicative rates; your card issuer’s rate will differ); Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, How credit cards work and Choosing a credit card. Consulted October 11, 2026.
One-time licence or monthly subscription?
Some shops still look for software they can buy once and own. It is a fair instinct, and the only fair way to compare is the total over the years you will use it. Add up both sides:
With a one-time licence, count
- The licence price, and how many computers or users it covers.
- Paid upgrades when the software changes, and yearly support or maintenance if it is sold separately.
- The computer it runs on, and replacing it.
- Backups, and the cost of losing data if nobody takes them.
- Repair orders you can’t open from a phone at the car.
With a monthly subscription, count
- The monthly price in Canadian dollars, times the number of months.
- Extra users, add-ons and plan limits.
- The exchange rate and conversion charge, if it is priced in U.S. dollars.
- What happens to your data, and whether you can export it, if you leave.
Our own number, for the record: Garage Essential at today’s $53 CAD/month comes to $3,180 over five years, with updates included and access from any device. Premium, with up to 7 users and more features, is on the plans page for Canada.
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What Garage costs in Canada
- Essential, $53 CAD/month: one user, up to 100 repair orders a month, estimates, unlimited customers, vehicles, parts and services, 6 GB of photos and email support.
- Premium (see the current price): up to 7 users with role-based permissions, unlimited repair orders, the VIN scanner, inspection checklists and technical reports with photos, shop scheduling, inventory, point of sale, employee commissions, time and job clocks, cost and profit analytics, secure data backup, a customer recovery list (customers who haven’t come back within the time frame you set), 16 GB of photos, and live chat, text and email support.
- Both: priced in Canadian dollars, month to month; your province’s taxes already set up (GST/HST, PST, or GST and QST in Quebec), with as many taxes and fees as you need; repair orders and estimates sent by WhatsApp, iMessage or email. Runs in English or French. The 7-day free trial needs no credit card, and every feature is unlocked during it, including Premium.
How to compare quotes
- Ask for the all-in monthly price in Canadian dollars for your number of users.
- Ask what is included and what is an add-on, in writing.
- Ask about setup fees, mandatory onboarding and the contract length.
- Check the monthly limits against your busiest month, not an average one.
- Run a real week of work in the trial before you sign anything.
For the full checklist of questions, see how to choose auto repair shop software in Canada.
Frequently asked questions
How much does auto repair shop software cost in Canada?
It depends on the plan, the number of users and the currency. Compare the all-in monthly cost in Canadian dollars, including per-user fees, setup charges and the exchange rate if the price is in U.S. dollars. Garage starts at $53 CAD/month, month to month.
Why does a U.S.-dollar subscription cost more some months?
Because your card issuer converts it to Canadian dollars at its own exchange rate, and may add a foreign currency conversion charge on top. The Bank of Canada’s rate went from 1.3515 on January 29, 2026, to 1.4271 on October 9, 2026, so the same U.S. price cost more in Canadian dollars.
Is there auto shop management software with a one-time price?
Some software is still sold as a licence you buy once and install on your own computer. When you compare it with a subscription, add the paid upgrades, support, the computer it runs on and the backups you take care of yourself. Garage is not sold that way: it is a monthly subscription billed in Canadian dollars, with updates included, from $53 CAD/month.
What does Garage cost in Canada?
Essential is $53 CAD/month for one user and up to 100 repair orders a month. Premium, for up to 7 users, is on the plans page for Canada. Both start with a 7-day free trial, no credit card.
Is there a contract?
No. Garage is month to month and you can cancel anytime.
See the price in Canadian dollars, then try it
Seven days free, no credit card. Write real repair orders and print an invoice with your province’s taxes before you pay anything.
- ✓Month to month, cancel anytime
- ✓Billed in Canadian dollars, so the price doesn’t move with the exchange rate
- ✓Runs in English or French
7 days free. No credit card. Plans from $53 CAD/month. See both plans.
