Overview

MotorDesk combines dealership stock, advertising, customer communications, sales and website operations in one platform. It is best suited to vehicle businesses that want these workflows together, particularly those with enough stock and staff to justify a higher plan. Its breadth is appealing, but the entry tier’s tight caps and exclusions make plan fit a key part of the decision.

Created by UK software company Chief Mechanic Limited, MotorDesk launched in June 2021. It supports dealers in cars, motorbikes, vans, trucks, plant, caravans, farm vehicles and motorhomes, so its remit is broader than car retail alone.

Key features

Stock, listings and leads

Stock tools cover VRM or VIN data lookup, valuations, vehicle checks, AI-written descriptions, stock book automation and bulk editing. Dealers can publish inventory to marketplaces including AutoTrader, MOTORS, eBay Auction, CarGurus.co.uk, Carhuna, AA Cars, CarsVansandBikes and Dealer Auction. This combination can reduce repetitive listing work for active sellers, though vehicle data and valuation services may add charges.

Website enquiries, email, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, LINE and AutoTrader Leads are brought into one communications system. Lead routing, lead-source capture and workflow automation support follow-up across those channels. Website live chat is included on every membership plan without limits or additional cost, a useful inclusion for dealers that want to handle site visitors directly.

Sales and websites

Sales functions include offers, invoices, online payments and VAT and margin-scheme invoicing. Integrations certified by Sage Cloud Accounting, Intuit QuickBooks and Xero Accounting make it relevant to dealerships already using those accounting products. Website hosting includes UK-based high-availability cloud hosting, with a free domain name and SSL certificate option. However, Starter excludes online checkout, the deal builder and premium website templates, so dealers needing those capabilities must move beyond the entry plan.

MotorDesk describes role and privilege controls for staff accounts and SSL certificates for websites. It works in web browsers on any device and offers mobile and desktop apps for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux. Technical support is available; sales hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm London time.

Pricing

MotorDesk is paid software with no free plan and a 30-day free trial. A quick business verification is required to activate an account. Plans are based on vehicles published for sale and staff/email accounts, and listed prices exclude UK VAT.

Plan	Price	Vehicle and account limits	What to consider
Starter	£79/month	5 vehicles for sale; 1 staff/email account	Excludes online checkout, deal builder and premium website templates.
Growth	£149/month	25 vehicles for sale; 3 staff/email accounts	A more workable allowance for a small team, at nearly double Starter’s monthly price.
Scale	£269/month	50 vehicles for sale; 5 staff/email accounts	For dealerships that have outgrown Growth’s inventory or seat allowance.
Conquer	£499/month	100 vehicles for sale; 10 staff/email accounts	Raises capacity substantially, with a corresponding jump in monthly cost.
Command	£849/month	200 vehicles for sale; 20 staff/email accounts	Designed for larger operations needing more inventory and staff access.
Excel	£1,349/month	350 vehicles for sale; 35 staff/email accounts	High capacity, but a significant commitment for a dealership to budget for.
Prevail	Custom pricing	500+ vehicles for sale; 50 staff/email accounts	For very large stock volumes and teams.

Optional vehicle data, valuations, image background removal and messaging can incur additional charges, so the monthly plan price is not necessarily the full operating cost. Dealers should match both inventory and account limits to expected usage, rather than choosing solely on the headline price.

Platforms

Browser access works on any device, with apps for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux. That range suits teams mixing desktop and mobile work without restricting the platform to a particular operating system.

Who it's for

MotorDesk is a strong fit for dealerships that manage multiple kinds of vehicles, publish stock across marketplaces and want enquiries, sales administration and websites connected in one system. Smaller sellers may find Starter’s five-vehicle and single-account limits restrictive, especially if they need checkout, deal building or premium templates. Businesses with larger teams should weigh the stepped-up plan costs and potential optional charges against the time saved by consolidated stock and communications workflows.

Pros and cons

Broad dealership coverage: Stock, listings, communications, sales and website hosting sit within one platform, reducing the need to coordinate those functions across separate tools.
Wide vehicle and marketplace support: Support for vehicle categories beyond cars and publishing to named marketplaces suits diverse inventory and multi-channel sellers.
Useful follow-up tools: Lead routing, source capture, workflow automation and included unlimited website live chat help manage inbound interest.
Strict entry-tier limits: Starter permits only five vehicles and one staff/email account, and omits checkout, deal builder and premium website templates.
Costs can extend beyond the plan: Optional data, valuation, image and messaging services may add charges, and prices exclude UK VAT.
Capacity increases cost quickly: Higher vehicle and account allowances come at sharply higher monthly prices, which may be difficult to justify for smaller dealers.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison of tools in this category, browse Automotive CRM Software.

Dealer-Mate is another paid dealer-management option with Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows support and a free trial; its Cloud Monthly plan is $119.00 per month and can be cancelled anytime. Get My Auto CRM may suit teams seeking its CRM + Ava package, priced at $695.00 per month after a 60-day free trial, with one user and 5,000 text blasts per month.

DealerSocket CRM is a paid alternative for buyers considering an automotive CRM available on Android, iOS and web. Salesforce Automotive Cloud is worth comparing for buyers seeking its Automotive Cloud Sales & Service Core plan, at $300.00 per month billed annually, with automotive data models and flex credits for AI, Agentforce, Data and more. Tekion ARC CRM, VinSolutions and Vital Software are also paid options to consider.

DealersCloud CRM may suit buyers who want its Core Platform package of CRM and lead management, inventory and VIN decoding, deal desking and F&I, accounting reports, marketing feeds and a custom dealership website; its price is custom pricing.

Verdict

MotorDesk is a compelling choice for dealerships that want stock, multi-channel enquiries, sales administration and website tools in a single system, especially when the team needs its broad vehicle support and marketplace publishing. Its main drawback is the cost and capacity structure: Starter is notably constrained, while higher plans rise quickly and optional services can add expense. Choose it when consolidated dealership workflows justify those trade-offs; look elsewhere if a small inventory, limited budget or a need for a less restrictive entry plan takes priority.

	CarDog	MotorDesk
Free plan	No	No
Free trial		Yes
Paid from	$300/mo	£79/mo
Platforms	Android, iOS, Web	Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows
Free plan	No	No
DMS integration	Yes
SMS messaging	Yes	Yes
Workflow automation	Yes	Yes
Mobile app	Yes	Yes
Lead routing		Yes
Lead source capture		Yes

CarDog vs MotorDesk

CarDog

MotorDesk