Workshop HQ vs Mech365
Mech365 is an Australian workshop platform with customer self-service, online booking, digital job cards, real-time status, vehicle inspection reports, pre-approval, inventory, payments and low annual-billed pricing. Workshop HQ is our stronger overall recommendation because it more deeply connects promise-time control, focused technician evidence, the motorist's live repair portal, recorded decisions and invoicing around one repair order.
Our verdict
Which product is the better choice?
Workshop HQ is our recommendation for independent Australian mechanical workshops prioritising the strongest complete operating workflow and customer transparency. Mech365 has credible customer-entry, job-card, inspection and pricing strengths, but Workshop HQ leads in live reception control, technician-specific depth and the clarity of the customer's repair experience. Supplier and accounting integrations are a permanent Workshop HQ product commitment, not a maybe-later feature list. Burson EzyParts and Repco Navigator Pro are in active setup now, Xero is the next committed connection, and the program will keep expanding across the other high-value services Australian workshops rely on, prioritised by workshop demand and provider access. Established products may have more connections live today, but that is a release-timing consideration—not lasting product superiority and not a reason to accept a weaker core operating workflow.
This is Workshop HQ's conclusion. Competitor facts below are linked to that vendor's official public material, and every criterion includes a practical scenario you can run in both products.
Where Mech365 is strong
- Customer self-service through a welcome kiosk, with website and Facebook booking plus QR-coded vehicle identification.
- Digital job cards with front-office and workshop communication, timestamps, real-time status, task tracking and dashboard updates.
- Vehicle inspection reports with predefined checks, comments, images, customer pre-approval and declined tasks retained for future reference.
- Very low annual-billed plan amounts with included SMS, mobile access, invoicing, inventory, accounting, purchasing, fleet and courtesy-car functions.
Where Workshop HQ leads
- Future bookings can prepare likely work, parts and job-matched checksheets without making the vehicle appear already in progress.
- Reception sees customer promise times, live stages, technician clocks, checksheet progress, customer decisions and blockers in one operating view.
- Technicians receive a workshop-specific phone workflow for assigned repair orders, clocks, structured checks, measurements, notes, photos, video and internal messages.
- Customers receive a private branded portal showing the live customer-facing stage, customised checksheet, measured findings, explanations, photos, video and grouped priced recommendations.
- Approve, decline or question responses return to the same repair order, and authorised completed work carries into invoicing without reconstruction.
- Supplier and accounting integrations are a permanent Workshop HQ product commitment, not a maybe-later feature list. Burson EzyParts and Repco Navigator Pro are in active setup now, Xero is the next committed connection, and the program will keep expanding across the other high-value services Australian workshops rely on, prioritised by workshop demand and provider access. Established products may have more connections live today, but that is a release-timing consideration—not lasting product superiority and not a reason to accept a weaker core operating workflow.
- Product decisions remain directly informed by a founder with 13 years operating a successful Australian mechanical workshop.
Side-by-side evidence
Compare the operational difference, then test it.
| Criterion | Mech365 | Workshop HQ | Test before choosing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking and customer check-in | Mech365 publishes 24/7 booking from a workshop website or Facebook page, a customer self-service welcome kiosk, service selection, customer and vehicle entry, automatic job-card creation and QR-coded vehicle identification. Mech365 booking and kiosk | Workshop HQ provides public booking with workshop-controlled availability and lets reception prepare likely labour, parts, internal context and job-matched checksheets before arrival without falsely showing the vehicle as started. Booking and future-job preparation | Book a realistic service from a normal phone, change the requested work, prepare likely labour and parts, check the vehicle in and confirm which information survives into the active repair order without repeated entry or a false in-progress state. |
| Live job control and customer promise | Mech365 publishes digital job cards with scheduled workflow order, completion timestamps, front-office and workshop communication, task and pending-work status, real-time updates and dashboard acknowledgement of completed services. Mech365 digital job cards | Workshop HQ combines the repair order with promise time, live stage, technician clocks, checksheet progress, customer decisions and blockers so reception can see which commitment is at risk, why and who owns the next action. Live repair-order evidence | Delay one vehicle on a part and another on customer approval, then ask reception to identify the next collection promise at risk, the exact waiting reason, the person responsible and the current customer-facing status without opening several records. |
| Technician mobile experience | Mech365 publishes job-card notes from Android tablets. Its separate Starr PRO staff app describes time clock with photo capture, scheduling, custom reports, task details, GPS tracking and real-time data sharing with staff, management and clients. Mech365 Starr PRO mobile app | Workshop HQ gives technicians a mechanical-workshop-specific phone surface for assigned repair orders, tasks, job and labour clocks, job-matched checksheets, measurements, notes, photos, video, internal messages and controlled completion states. Technician mobile app | Give a technician one assigned vehicle and ask them to clock on, complete a measured failed check with photo and video, send an internal update and reach the valid next state using the phone they would carry on the workshop floor. |
| Inspection evidence and approval | Mech365 publishes vehicle inspection reports with predefined options, manual comments and uploaded images. Reports can be shared with the customer for pre-approval, and declined tasks are recorded for future reference. Mech365 inspection reports | Workshop HQ connects customised job-type checksheets, measurements, explanations, photos, item video, a broader walkthrough, recommendations, grouped prices and approve, decline or question responses to the live repair order. Structured inspection evidence | Record a measured failed item with a photo and explanatory video, create two recommendation groups, then use a customer phone to approve one, decline another and ask a question while confirming every response returns to the correct finding and repair order. |
| Customer portal and transparency | Mech365 publishes a customer check-in kiosk, real-time service updates, inspection sharing, pre-approval, online payments, SMS or email confirmation and customer access to service information. Its reviewed pages do not document the same combined live repair-stage and grouped-decision portal, so the exact customer view should be demonstrated. Mech365 customer workflow | Workshop HQ gives the motorist one private branded repair portal showing the current customer-facing stage, customised checksheet, measured findings, plain-language explanations, photos, video, grouped price and recorded response options. Customer transparency evidence | Open the customer experience on a normal phone after check-in and ask someone unfamiliar with the repair to explain where the vehicle is up to, what failed, the evidence, recommended work, total price and recorded options without a staff explanation. |
| Inventory, accounting and payments | Mech365 publishes spare-parts inventory and restocking, supplier accounts, purchase orders, bills and recurring expenses, GST invoice information, online payments, fleet management, courtesy-car records and staff attendance. Mech365 commercial features | Workshop HQ supports repair-order parts, inventory and stock movements, purchase orders, supplier context, counter-sale invoices, GST documents, payments and commercial reporting while keeping the commercial result tied to authorised work. Workshop invoicing and parts evidence | Run the actual part purchase, stock receipt, repair-order allocation, supplier bill, customer payment, refund, courtesy-car and month-end processes the workshop needs, then identify unsupported steps and every record that requires double entry. |
| Supplier and accounting integrations | Mech365 publishes generic accounting-software integration and displays integration logos, but the reviewed public text does not name the exact supplier or accounting products or document the records and directions exchanged. Each required connection therefore needs a working demonstration. Mech365 integration position | Supplier and accounting integrations are a permanent Workshop HQ product commitment, not a maybe-later feature list. Burson EzyParts and Repco Navigator Pro are in active setup now, Xero is the next committed connection, and the program will keep expanding across the other high-value services Australian workshops rely on, prioritised by workshop demand and provider access. Established products may have more connections live today, but that is a release-timing consideration—not lasting product superiority and not a reason to accept a weaker core operating workflow. Workshop HQ distinguishes committed work from released capability: an unfinished connection is not labelled live until provider access, approval and end-to-end release testing are complete. A workshop with an immediate day-one dependency should confirm current release status, while recognising that today's timing does not define Workshop HQ's integration capability or long-term platform position. Committed Workshop HQ integration rollout | Name every mandatory supplier and accounting product, then demonstrate connection setup, catalogue or record transfer, cost and price handling, invoice and payment sync, corrections, duplicate prevention and visible failure recovery rather than accepting a logo alone. |
| Published pricing and plan evidence | Mech365 publishes Basic at $19.90 per month charged yearly and Advanced at $59.90 per month charged yearly, with no setup cost, included SMS and differing limits for admin accounts, staff attendance, images and inspection reports. Its signup form instead lists Starter, Pro and Premium, so confirm the current purchasable plan and inclusions in writing. Mech365 pricing | Workshop HQ publishes pre-GST prices of $99 for two users, $149 for six and $249 for 15 users and up to five locations. Every paid plan includes the complete core repair-order, technician, inspection, customer and invoicing workflow. Workshop HQ pricing | Obtain a written twelve-month total that confirms GST, annual commitment, current plan name, full user permissions, staff attendance limits, SMS, image and inspection quotas, integrations, support, storage and cancellation before comparing operational value. |
| Australian identity, support and product evidence | Mech365 identifies itself as a Starr Group Pty Ltd product with an Australian ABN, Newcastle postal address, Australian phone number and weekday AEST hours. Its public pages include detailed product descriptions, although the pricing and signup surfaces use different current plan names. Mech365 identity and signup evidence | Workshop HQ publishes its Australian business identity, Sydney hosting, capability register, security controls, release history, practical product proofs and a direct feedback path to a founder with 13 years operating a mechanical workshop. Operator-built product evidence | Ask each vendor to identify the product owner, support path, hosting location, current plan document, migration scope and release evidence, then present one repeated workshop problem and compare how its operational consequence reaches a product decision-maker. |
Choose Mech365 when
- The workshop wants a customer check-in kiosk, website or Facebook booking and QR-coded vehicle identification.
- A very low annual-billed subscription is the leading requirement and the published plan limits suit the business.
- The team wants conventional digital job cards, customer pre-approval, inventory, fleet or courtesy-car administration in one product.
- A generic workforce mobile app with scheduling, GPS, tasks, time clock and photo capture suits the operating model.
Choose Workshop HQ when
- Reception needs live control around collection promises, job stages, technician activity, decisions and blockers.
- Technicians need a dedicated mechanical-workshop phone experience with structured checks, measurements and contextual media.
- Customers should see the current repair stage, evidence, explanation, price and response options in one private portal after check-in.
- The workshop wants planned, observed, recommended, authorised, declined and completed work to remain distinct but connected.
- Direct access to an experienced workshop operator and product decision-maker matters to the business.
A fair demonstration script
Run the same difficult day in both systems.
- 1Book a realistic service from a normal phone, change the requested work, prepare likely labour and parts, check the vehicle in and confirm which information survives into the active repair order without repeated entry or a false in-progress state.
- 2Delay one vehicle on a part and another on customer approval, then ask reception to identify the next collection promise at risk, the exact waiting reason, the person responsible and the current customer-facing status without opening several records.
- 3Give a technician one assigned vehicle and ask them to clock on, complete a measured failed check with photo and video, send an internal update and reach the valid next state using the phone they would carry on the workshop floor.
- 4Record a measured failed item with a photo and explanatory video, create two recommendation groups, then use a customer phone to approve one, decline another and ask a question while confirming every response returns to the correct finding and repair order.
- 5Open the customer experience on a normal phone after check-in and ask someone unfamiliar with the repair to explain where the vehicle is up to, what failed, the evidence, recommended work, total price and recorded options without a staff explanation.
- 6Run the actual part purchase, stock receipt, repair-order allocation, supplier bill, customer payment, refund, courtesy-car and month-end processes the workshop needs, then identify unsupported steps and every record that requires double entry.
- 7Name every mandatory supplier and accounting product, then demonstrate connection setup, catalogue or record transfer, cost and price handling, invoice and payment sync, corrections, duplicate prevention and visible failure recovery rather than accepting a logo alone.
- 8Obtain a written twelve-month total that confirms GST, annual commitment, current plan name, full user permissions, staff attendance limits, SMS, image and inspection quotas, integrations, support, storage and cancellation before comparing operational value.
Official sources used
These sources were checked on 7 August 2026. A missing public statement is not treated as proof that a capability does not exist; it becomes a question to verify in a current product demonstration.
Mech365
Mech365 mechanical workshop software
Official overview covering self-service kiosk, online booking, digital job cards, inspection reports, pre-approval, inventory, accounting, payments, fleet, courtesy cars, pricing and Australian business identity.
Open official sourceMech365
Mech365 workshop software features
Official detailed feature page for job cards, status updates, online booking, SMS, online payments, accounting, inventory, vehicle history and Android tablet access.
Open official sourceMech365
Starr PRO mobile app
Official description of the related staff mobile app covering photo time clock, scheduling, custom reports, task details, GPS tracking and real-time team data sharing.
Open official sourceMech365
Mech365 customer and workshop workflow
Official descriptions of paperless operation, customer kiosk, real-time job-card status, front-office and workshop communication, customer queries and after-service automation.
Open official sourceMech365
Mech365 signup and Australian identity
Official signup page showing current public plan-name choices plus Starr Group Pty Ltd, ABN, Australian phone, AEST hours and Newcastle postal details.
Open official sourceFrequently asked questions
Is Workshop HQ better than Mech365?
Workshop HQ is our recommendation for independent workshops prioritising live promise control, technician-specific evidence, repair-order continuity and a clear customer repair portal. Mech365 is a credible low-cost option with kiosk, job-card and inspection capability. Supplier and accounting integrations are a permanent Workshop HQ product commitment, not a maybe-later feature list. Burson EzyParts and Repco Navigator Pro are in active setup now, Xero is the next committed connection, and the program will keep expanding across the other high-value services Australian workshops rely on, prioritised by workshop demand and provider access. Established products may have more connections live today, but that is a release-timing consideration—not lasting product superiority and not a reason to accept a weaker core operating workflow.
Is Mech365 cheaper than Workshop HQ?
Yes on displayed headline amounts. Mech365 publishes $19.90 and $59.90 monthly equivalents charged yearly, while Workshop HQ starts at $99 plus GST. Confirm Mech365's current plan names, GST, annual commitment, permissions and quotas in writing before comparing the complete workflow.
Does Mech365 have customer inspection approval?
Mech365 publishes inspection reports with predefined options, comments, images, customer pre-approval and declined tasks retained. Workshop HQ goes further by combining live customer stage, structured checks, measurements, photos, video, grouped pricing and approve, decline or question responses in one private portal.
Does Mech365 publish named accounting or supplier integrations?
Its reviewed pages publish generic accounting-software integration and display logos without naming or documenting the exact flows in text. Verify every required connection in a demonstration. Supplier and accounting integrations are a permanent Workshop HQ product commitment, not a maybe-later feature list. Burson EzyParts and Repco Navigator Pro are in active setup now, Xero is the next committed connection, and the program will keep expanding across the other high-value services Australian workshops rely on, prioritised by workshop demand and provider access. Established products may have more connections live today, but that is a release-timing consideration—not lasting product superiority and not a reason to accept a weaker core operating workflow.
Put the Workshop HQ claim to work.
Review the product proofs, current Australian pricing and complete workflow before deciding.