"What am I actually paying for" is a fair question, and it deserves a straight answer instead of a features list full of vague terms. Here is what sits inside the base plan, what is optional, and why some things are not priced on this page at all.
What is included every month
The monthly plan covers the parts of the site a shop cannot really operate without:
- A website with a page for every service you offer
- Your own domain, pointed at your site
- A lead inbox that catches every form submission and enquiry request
- A CRM to keep track of conversations, contacts and appointment requests
- Hosting, maintenance and ongoing support
- A blog you can post to, for shop updates, seasonal notes or specials
That is the whole base. There is no separate hosting bill, no maintenance retainer added on later, and no charge for the number of service pages you need, whether you are a tire shop with a handful of core pages or a full-service repair shop with a longer list.
What requests versus what confirms
One thing worth being precise about: the base plan lets a customer request a quote or request an appointment through a form on your site. That request lands directly in your lead inbox and your CRM, and someone at the shop follows up. It is not the same as a live calendar showing open slots and booking a customer straight in. That kind of connected, real-time booking is part of an add-on, because it depends on your own scheduling calendar being wired in. Both a tire customer asking "how much for four winter tires" and a repair customer asking "can someone look at this noise" work the same way in the base plan: the request comes to you, and you respond.
What costs extra, and why
A few things are genuinely optional, and they are optional because not every shop needs them on day one:
- Missed-call text-back (an optional add-on, priced separately), which automatically texts someone back when a call goes unanswered
- Regular blog articles written for you, if you would rather not write your own
- Actively growing and managing your reviews, on top of simply showing them on your site
- Ready-made social media posts for your accounts
- Paid ad campaigns on Google or Facebook, set up and managed
- An AI-based phone and chat front desk for after-hours or overflow enquiries
- Full managed marketing, where the work is handled for you end to end
None of these are required to have a working site. They exist because some shops get to a point where the base plan is generating more enquiries than the front desk can keep up with, and that is a good problem to have. At that point, the add-ons are there to help you keep up, not to unlock something that was artificially withheld.
Why there are no prices listed here for the add-ons
Every shop's situation is different: call volume, current review count, whether you already run ads, and what your front desk can realistically handle. Rather than post a one-size number that does not fit most shops, those get scoped and quoted directly, so you are not paying for capacity you do not need.
No setup fee and no contract
There is normally a setup fee for building a site from scratch, and right now that fee is waived. You also are not locked into a term. The plan is month to month, so if it stops making sense for your shop, you are not stuck explaining yourself out of a contract to leave. That matters for a decision like this: a shop should be able to try something without signing away a year up front.
The real question to ask
Before comparing any two providers on price, compare what each number actually includes. A cheaper monthly fee that does not include a lead inbox, a CRM, or ongoing support is not necessarily the better deal once you add those pieces back in separately. Ask specifically: is hosting included, is there a setup fee, is there a contract, and what happens to my leads if I do not have every add-on turned on.
See the real number before you decide
Top Local Auto builds your first site before you pay anything, so you can see exactly what is included before committing. It costs nothing to start, and it is 149 a month, month to month, if you keep it. No setup fee, no contract. Build your site and see the whole plan for yourself.