Dealer Spike
Dealer Spike runs the front. This runs the business.
Dealer Spike builds dealership websites, runs digital marketing and pushes your inventory to marketplaces. They say themselves they are an all-in-one website provider. It is not a dealer management system, and the question is what is running behind it.
It runs the whole dealership
Your website takes a lead. Then what. Where does the unit sit, where does the trade-in go, who books the pre-delivery, which technician is clocked onto it, and does the parts order attach to the job or to a notepad. That is the half we do: units in and out, deals and trade-ins, parts, customers, management reporting and the books.
A lot of dealers run a good website in front of a back end held together by spreadsheets and a system nobody likes. The front looks modern and the shop is still typing everything twice.
Things worth checking for elsewhere
Business intelligence
Included from Gold, not sold as a premium analytics tier. Where the margin actually came from this month, by department, by technician, by unit type.
A full mobile app
Not a technician companion app. Create the booking, open the job, add parts and photos, clock on, complete the inspection and finalise the job, all from the phone. No extra charge.
Unit inspections
Structured inspections against the unit, with photos, that turn into quoted work instead of a scribbled list that never gets sold.
A website, on Platinum
WorkshopWeb is included on the Platinum plan and it is built to be found. We do not run your ad campaigns, but you are not left without a site.
What runs where
| Dealer Spike | DealershipSoft | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | website, marketing and syndication | the dealer management system behind it |
| Your website | yes, that is the product | included on Platinum if you want ours instead |
| SEO and paid search | yes | no |
| Inventory syndication | yes | no, in the United States |
| Unit stock, trade-ins and deals | no | yes |
| The workshop: job cards, clocking, parts on the job | no | yes, and it is where this platform is strongest |
| Unit inspections with photos | no | yes |
| Business intelligence | no | included from Gold |
| Mobile app | no | yes, and it runs the whole job |
| Accounting | no | QuickBooks or Xero |
| Sales tax | no | yes |
| Pricing published | check with them | yes, on the website |
| Free trial | n/a | 14 days on the full plan, no card |
You can keep both
Most dealers running Dealer Spike keep it. It is doing a job DealershipSoft does not do, and we are not asking you to give up a website that is bringing you leads.
If you would rather consolidate, Platinum includes WorkshopWeb, a website built to be found. What we still would not do is run your ad campaigns or push listings to marketplaces.
Where we draw the line
So there are no surprises in week three
We do not run SEO or paid advertising campaigns for you.
No inventory syndication to marketplaces in the United States.
No title or DMV paperwork. Sales tax is handled.
Not built for new car franchises.
Questions dealers ask
Do I have to leave Dealer Spike to use DealershipSoft?
No. Dealer Spike is a website and digital marketing provider, DealershipSoft is the dealer management system. Most dealers who use both keep both.
Does DealershipSoft syndicate my inventory to marketplaces?
Not in the United States. If you need listings pushed to marketplaces, keep the provider you have.
What does DealershipSoft actually run?
Units in and out, deals and trade-ins, parts, customers, reporting and accounting, plus the workshop: job cards, technician clocking, parts on the job, inspections and full service history by serial number.
Do I get a website with DealershipSoft?
On the Platinum plan, yes. WorkshopWeb is included and built to be found.
How much does it cost?
Gold is $279 a month on the yearly plan including one user. Additional users are $20 a month each. No setup fee, no training fee, no cancellation penalty.
Keep the website. Fix what is behind it.
Fourteen days on the full plan with your own stock file. No credit card, no setup fee, no lock in contract.