TechMan Alternatives for UK Garages: What to Compare Before You Switch
Thinking of moving on from TechMan or a similar long-standing garage system? Here is a straight checklist for comparing alternatives, without the sales pitch.
16 October 2026 · 6 min read
TechMan has been used by UK garages for many years, and plenty of workshops are happy with it. If you are searching for alternatives, it is usually because something specific has started to pinch: price, the way the system is accessed, reporting, or how it fits with your accounts.
This guide is about working out what you actually need before you switch, so you do not swap one set of compromises for another.
Disclosure: we make Mechanics Hub, one of the alternatives. We don't quote other vendors' prices or features here because they change, so check their current details directly.
Start with why you want to switch
Write down the two or three things that genuinely annoy you about your current setup. Common ones we hear from garages:
- Costs that go up as the team grows.
- Needing to be on a particular PC in the office to do anything.
- Reminders that are manual or easy to forget.
- Invoices that need re-keying into the accounts.
- Technicians who won't use screens, so job details live on paper anyway.
Questions to ask every alternative
Put the same questions to every vendor, including us:
- What will it cost for my whole team, today and if I add a technician? Per user, per site or flat?
- Is there a minimum contract, setup fee or exit fee?
- Can I import my customers (for example from Xero) and my parts list from a spreadsheet?
- Can I get all my data out if I leave?
- Does it work in a browser and on a phone, or only on one computer?
- Can I print a paper job sheet for technicians who prefer it?
- Can I trial it on real jobs, not just a demo?
Moving your data across
The biggest worry about switching is losing history. In practice you need three things on day one: customers, vehicles and parts.
Customer contacts can often come straight from your accounts software. Parts and prices usually come from a spreadsheet export. Vehicles can be added as they come in, with registration lookups filling in make, model and MOT date. Old job history can stay in the old system as a read-only archive for a while.
A low-risk way to switch
You don't have to switch overnight:
- Week 1: import customers and parts, run new jobs in the new system alongside the old one.
- Week 2: move reminders and invoicing over, check VAT and the accounts sync.
- Week 3: stop booking into the old system and keep it for look-ups only.
Where Mechanics Hub fits
Mechanics Hub is a browser-based all-in-one system for independent UK garages: customers and vehicles, diary, digital and printable job sheets, health checks, VAT invoices with card payment links, automatic MOT and service reminders, stock control with spreadsheet import, and Xero sync with customer import.
The Workshop plan is £49 a month or £490 a year with unlimited technicians, and includes a free one-page garage website with online booking. There's a 14-day free trial with no card. If you run several sites and want full accounting inside the garage system, a larger platform may suit you better.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mechanics Hub cheaper than TechMan?
We don't publish other vendors' prices because they change. Mechanics Hub is £49 a month or £490 a year with unlimited technicians; compare that with a current quote for your team.
Can I bring my customers across?
Yes. You can import customers directly from Xero or from a spreadsheet, and parts from a CSV file. Existing records are never overwritten.
Do my technicians have to use tablets?
No. Job sheets can be printed on A4 with tick boxes and tyre/brake grids, so the office stays digital while the bays can stay on paper.
Bottom line
Be clear on what is not working, ask every vendor the same questions, and switch in stages. If you want to try Mechanics Hub, start a free trial and run a week of real jobs through it alongside your current system.