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Garage Assistant GA4 is a Windows desktop program that lives on a PC in your office, with your data stored on that machine. GarageWise runs in the cloud, so your whole garage works from any device, anywhere, with technical data included and backups handled for you.
Any device
Runs in your browser: office PC, laptop at home, phone under the ramp. GA4 is a Windows program on one PC.
Data included
HaynesPro technical data comes as standard. GA4 charges credits for every technical and VRM lookup.
Backed up for you
Your records live safely in the cloud. GA4 stores everything on your own PC, and off-site backups are your job.
The real difference is desktop versus cloud. GA4 is a traditional Windows program: a one-off £350 licence, installed on a standalone PC, with all your data stored locally on that machine. That keeps the upfront cost low, but it ties your garage to one computer in the office, leaves backups in your hands, and meters the extras, with credits charged for VRM lookups, technical data and SMS, and online booking sold as a separate subscription.
GarageWise runs in your browser. Book jobs from the front desk, check a wiring diagram on a phone in the workshop, review the day from home. HaynesPro technical data is included rather than charged per lookup, your data is backed up automatically off-site, and updates arrive without touching a PC. One flat price of £69.99 a month covers it.
| GarageWise | Garage Assistant GA4 * | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | In your browser, on any device, anywhere | Windows desktop program on a PC in the garage |
| Access away from the garage | Yes. Office, workshop floor, home, on the road | No. Standalone system; the Network Edition links PCs on your premises only |
| Price | £69.99/mo or £699.99/yr + VAT, everything included | £350 one-off licence + VAT, then credit packs for lookups & SMS, and online booking from £60/6 months |
| Technical data | Included. HaynesPro wiring diagrams, torque settings, service schedules & guided diagnostics | E3 Technical, charged per lookup with pay-as-you-go credits |
| Your data & backups | Stored in the cloud, backed up automatically | Stored on your own PC; SWS recommend you arrange off-site backups yourself |
| Free trial | 30 days, full product, no card required | Free trial with watermarked documents and record limits |
| Best for | Garages that want modern software the whole team can use anywhere | Single-PC garages happy with a one-off desktop purchase |
* Garage Assistant GA4 details are based on publicly available information at the time of writing and may have changed. Please check SWS Solutions' website for their current pricing and features. GarageWise is not affiliated with SWS Solutions.
Credit where it's due. GA4 has been around a long time, and a one-off £350 licence is a genuinely low cost of entry if you're a one-person operation, only ever use the office PC, and you're comfortable managing your own backups. But if you want your garage's system available wherever you are, with technical data included and nothing to maintain, GarageWise is built for how workshops run today.
Also comparing other systems? Read GarageWise vs TechMan and GarageWise vs Garage Hive, or see the full list of features.
