™AutoFire vs Dealer Shock
AutoFire vs Dealer Shock: Pricing, Features & Fit (2026)
Dealer Shock builds and manages websites for independent dealers and used-car lots. It adds inventory, lead and AI marketing tools, sold month to month per site. Below, Dealer Shock and AutoFire™ side by side on price, contract, website, inventory, leads and feeds. Every claim about Dealer Shock links to its own public pages.
By AutoFire · Researched
The short answer
Dealer Shock fits a dealer who wants the site built and managed for them, month to month, with no setup fee. It costs $199 or $299 per site and offers a money-back guarantee every month. AutoFire starts free for 10 cars and costs $59.99 for 25. Its AI website assistant is live on paid plans, while Dealer Shock's pricing page lists one as coming soon.
At a glance
| AutoFire | Dealer Shock | |
|---|---|---|
| Published price | Free for 10 vehicles; $59.99 (25), $99.99 (75), $199 (200) per month | Starter $199 or Performance $299 per site per month; group sites and managed ads are custom priced |
| Contract and setup | No contract or setup fee; cancel anytime. Free plan and 30-day Pro trial need no card | Month to month with no setup fee; money-back guarantee on the latest monthly payment |
| Dealer website | Mobile dealer website with a page per vehicle; custom domain on paid plans | Built, hosted and managed for you; shoppers can browse by estimated monthly payment |
| Inventory tools | VIN decoding, photo tools, CSV and Frazer import, and import from your current website | Inventory management and syncing; VIN decoding with phone barcode scanning |
| DMS (deals and accounting) | No. Keep your DMS for deals and accounting | Not published |
| Leads and CRM | Lead inbox with the vehicle attached, test-drive scheduling, ADF export to your CRM | Lead workspace groups finance apps, test drives, trade-ins and inquiries by contact |
| Credit application | Links your lender or credit-app provider on the site; no SSN collection | Step-by-step finance applications; Performance recovers unfinished ones |
| Marketplace and ad feeds | CarGurus, Cars.com, Autotrader, Google and Meta feeds on paid plans (marketplace fees separate) | Syncs to the marketplaces and ad providers you use; posts to Facebook and Instagram |
| AI shopper chat | AI website assistant that answers from your live inventory, on paid plans | AI Customer Assistant listed as "coming soon" on the pricing page |
| Mobile app | iPhone app on every plan | Not published |
| Built for | Independent used-car dealers | Independent dealers and used-car lots; a separate group site for dealer groups |
Sources: Dealer Shock pricing · Dealer Shock AI Dealer Site · Dealer Shock inventory management · Dealer Shock lead management · Dealer Shock terms of service · Dealer Shock AI Group Site · AutoFire pricing · AutoFire features · AutoFire integrations
What is Dealer Shock?
Dealer Shock builds and manages websites for independent dealers and used-car lots. It adds inventory, lead and AI marketing tools, sold month to month per site. Pricing: $199 or $299 per site a month, with no setup fee or contract.
What Dealer Shock does well, from its own materials:
- Published per-site prices: Starter $199 a month and Performance $299 a month.
- No setup fees and no contracts; every plan is month to month.
- The money-back guarantee applies in any month, not just the first, for website subscriptions.
- Each plan has a self-serve Sign Up button next to Book a Demo.
- A free preview of your new site, with "No credit card, no commitment".
- Performance adds AI vehicle descriptions, automatic social posting, Local Reach pages and logo and image work.
Sources: Dealer Shock pricing · Dealer Shock terms of service · Dealer Shock free website preview
What to check before you choose Dealer Shock
- The entry price is $199 per site per month. AI features, branding and media, and contact insights need the $299 plan.
- The pricing page lists the AI Customer Assistant as "coming soon", but the homepage presents an AI chatbot without that label.
- Starter sites use only the logos and media you supply, and photo overlays must already be on the images.
- Prices can change with 30 days' notice.
- After termination, data is kept 30 days and then permanently deleted. Export it first.
- Asking for the money-back refund ends service immediately, while a plain cancel runs through the paid month.
Sources: Dealer Shock pricing · Dealer Shock home · Dealer Shock terms of service
Dealer Shock or AutoFire: which fits your lot?
Choose Dealer Shock if
- You want your website built, hosted and managed for you.
- You want AI vehicle descriptions, automatic social posting and Local Reach pages on the Performance plan.
- You want logo work, custom site imagery and branded photo overlays included.
- You want a money-back guarantee you can use in any month.
- You run a dealer group and want one vendor for every store's site.
Choose AutoFire if
- You want to start free for 10 cars, or pay $59.99 for 25.
- You want an AI website assistant that answers shoppers from your live inventory now.
- You want named CarGurus, Cars.com, Autotrader, Google and Meta feeds.
- You want an iPhone app on every plan.
Questions to ask on a Dealer Shock demo
- Is the AI chatbot on your homepage live, or still coming soon?
- Which marketplaces and DMS systems do you integrate with, by name?
- Who owns my domain, and how do I transfer it if I leave?
- How do I export my inventory, leads and content before the 30-day deletion?
- Which Performance features would I give up on Starter?
Switching from Dealer Shock to AutoFire
- Export your inventory, leads and content before you cancel; data is deleted 30 days after termination.
- Cancel rather than claim the refund if you need the site live through the paid month.
- Confirm in writing how to transfer your domain; the terms do not cover it.
- Import your inventory into AutoFire by CSV, or let AutoFire import it from your current website.
Paste your current website on the AutoFire homepage to preview your own cars on AutoFire, or compare plans by lot size.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Dealer Shock cost?
Dealer Shock lists Starter at $199 and Performance at $299 per site per month, with no setup fee. Group sites and managed advertising are custom priced.
Does Dealer Shock have an AI chatbot?
Its pricing page lists the AI Customer Assistant as coming soon, while its homepage describes an AI chatbot. Ask which applies. AutoFire's AI website assistant is on paid plans.
Does Dealer Shock require a contract?
No. Every plan is month to month and you can cancel anytime, with service through the paid month. AutoFire also has no contract.
Explore more
See whether AutoFire fits your lot
Explore a live dealer website, then compare inventory capacity and features against the tools your dealership needs.