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Online scheduling calendar for auto repair shops: how to choose

An oil change takes 30 minutes, brakes take 90, and several vehicles are on the lifts at once. Your calendar has to know this. Here's what to check, in short.

Try Garago free for 30 days

Why take appointments online

  • Customers book 24/7, even when the shop is closed.
  • The phone rings less while you work.
  • Every appointment arrives complete: name, vehicle, service, contact details.

7 criteria to check

  • A time per service, not a fixed one-hour block.
  • The number of bays: a slot is only full when all of them are busy.
  • Your hours and days off, editable in a few clicks.
  • Phone bookings in the same calendar.
  • Automatic confirmation and reminder, with a link to cancel.
  • Works on your phone, with no app to install.
  • Your data exportable at any time.

Common mistakes

  • The same length for every service.
  • Two calendars (paper and online) that overlap.
  • Hours not updated before tire season.
  • Bookings open too far ahead.

What Garago does

Weekly calendar in Garago for a two-bay shop: confirmed appointments in green, to confirm in orange, to call in red
Garago's calendar, week view: each color shows where the customer's confirmation stands.
  • Online booking based on your hours, the length of each service and your bays.
  • Day, week and month views, on phone or computer.
  • Phone bookings added to the same calendar.
  • Close a day or a time range, with a warning if appointments are already booked.
  • Confirmations and reminders sent for you, by text or email.
  • A public page: drivers find you by service, make and city.
  • Export your appointments to Excel.

How much it costs

  • $109.99 per month with no commitment, or $88 per month on an annual plan.
  • $49.99 per month per additional shop.
  • 30-day free trial: card required, nothing charged before the trial ends.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to drop my current calendar?

Not overnight. Many shops enter new appointments in Garago during the trial, then drop the old calendar. You can export to Excel at any time.

Do my customers need an account?

No. They book with their name, email and phone number after confirming their email.

Can I manage the calendar from my phone?

Yes, in the browser, with no app to install.

Can two customers book the same slot?

No: a slot is only offered if a bay is free for the full length of the service.

Try Garago's calendar for 30 days

Set up your hours, services and bays in a few minutes, then receive your first online bookings.

Start the free trialSee pricing