# Real-Time Labor Guide Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is Real-Time Labor Guide the right Auto Repair solution for you? Explore 80 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/118918/Real-Time-Labor-Guide/reviews --- Real-Time Labor Guide 4.3 (80) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/118918/Real-Time-Labor-Guide/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 4th, 2026 # Reviews of Real-Time Labor Guide Ease of use 4.6 Customer Service 4.4 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews Jesse E Owner- Master MechanicAutomotive, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I love everything about Real-Time Labor Guide and wouldn't trade it for any of its competitors.... ever. “ December 16, 2023 CL Charles L OwnerAutomotive, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “The Customer owed balance needs to me on the main page so you know what folk are due/overdue at a glance instead of drilling into each work order & clicking thru to the end- its ridiculous to have to do that. “ September 16, 2020 Eric H Service manager Automotive, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “This has cut my service ticket time considerably and is quite accurate with the labor times posted. If you are a small shop then you must have this software to compete with the big boys and show a big time appearance to the customer, it reinforces professionalism and integrity of your shop,I.e. letterhead and breakdown of ticket with an appealing look.“ June 8, 2020 lw lance w OwnerAutomotive, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It sometimes doesn't have the correct hours for a job and sometimes no job listing at all this is probably less than 10 percent of the time“ June 8, 2020 SR Sabrina R service writerAutomotive, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “We also do repairs on classic cars and this is the best labor guide software out for estimating labor times for older vehicles.“ June 4, 2020 MK Mike K OwnerAutomotive, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Not being able to edit vehicle selection after starting tickets“ June 8, 2020 MS Maurice S OwnerAutomotive, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Cheap.“ March 2, 2023 RP Randy P MechanicAutomotive, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Sometimes finding the actual repair type is a little bit difficult due to the way they are categorized.“ May 26, 2020 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 80 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use SR Sandy R. OWNER Transportation/Trucking/Railroad Used the software for: 2+ years ### "I USE THIS EVERYDAY." May 26, 2020 5.0 Overall I love the program, I have used it for many many years now. Pros I really like how you can run reports, for labor, or techs, you can get a varierty of reports. Cons The thing I noticed if you get called away from the invoice program it will just log you out, and it does not always saved it. Alternatives considered [Manager SE](https://www.capterra.com/p/145351/Manager-SE/) Reason for choosing Real-Time Labor Guide It seemed easier for me to use Review Source Response from Dowell Systems May 27, 2020 Sandy - Thank you so much for your glowing review! I'm happy you find the reports useful - we have plans for even more reports to help you see how good your business is doing. As for logging you out - it should only do that if you're idle for more than 4 hours and that is for your safety and security. Any tickets you are in the middle of should be available in the in-progress section for you to pick up right where you left off. If either of those don't seem to be happening for you feel free to give us a call and we'll try to help figure out what's going on with your setup. JB Joe B. Owner operator. Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Real time labor a must have for auto repair shops!" June 8, 2020 5.0 When I first open my shop in 2013 I did not really know what I was going to do about and invoicing system. It was Motors Chiltons etc, but being a sole proprietor it was too much of a monthly fee for me to sign up for. I was about to open my shop a week later and I really didn’t know what I was going to do then I stumbled upon real time labor it was a godsend! Everybody has been so helpful at real time it’s easy to set up I highly recommend it for any shop owner. Thank you so much real time labor it would’ve been very difficult to start this business without you! I’m coming up on my seventh year in business August and I am still using real time labor to this day! Pros I started my shop in 2013. I found it very easy to use also cost effective. Cons There were a few glitches along the way when I first started using it but real time iron those out I really have nothing negative to say about real time and their product. Reason for choosing Real-Time Labor Guide I Chose real time labor because of its simplicity to use and affordability. Review Source RC Ron C. Production Manager Automotive Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Was great, now it's terrible!!" October 24, 2018 3.0 I LIKED the reports and the fact it was easy to use and WAS very user friendly, the new "upgrade" makes it take longer to create tickets, find previous customers, find previous tickets, etc. Overall the new system has convinced me to begin a new search for a reasonably priced mechanical software system, very frustrating as I was EXTREMELY pleased with it until the "upgrade". All my guys that use it have asked me if we can switch back, I have contacted Real-Time but have yet to receive a response. If we can't, I will be switching software again, and that is very frustrating. Pros It WAS extremely user friendly and easy to learn and use, now they have released an update and forced all users to use the "upgraded" version, which is actually a HUGE downgrade from a user-friendly perspective. It is cheap, that is the only current Pro I can think of for the current system. If they would let us revert back to the previous version, I would give it a 5 star in all categories. Cons Not user-friendly any more, complicated to navigate, requires extra steps to perform tasks that used to be simple. The new upgrade they introduced is a massive downgrade from the original program, I will be looking for a new system. Review Source Response from Dowell Systems October 30, 2018 Ron - It's never easy to hear a potential let down from a customer but I do appreciate your honest feedback. We went to great lengths to make sure the ticket process is exactly the same with the same number of steps and clicks - the only thing that changed was the look and feel and the search. I'm hoping you'll give us a chance over the next couple days because for the customers who have been using it for the last couple months in beta - they swear they would never go back. Nobody likes change and we wouldn't have made this serious investment unless it was absolutely necessary. Specifically - our previous version was released 6 years ago and performance/security technology has made huge advancements that we needed to include in our system. The new site is now more secure, will allow for future expansion in features and all the new tickets you all are making, and more mobile friendly. Thanks for being our customer all these years and I hope you'll give the new site a chance. JN Jaimie N. Owner Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Small Business Owner" June 4, 2020 4.0 I have been using the Real-Time Labor guide for years. I like it keeps my records so that i don't have a huge file or a lot of storage taken up. I use it daily for all my POS items and records including P & L, state tax and year end sales reports. Pros I like the customization capabilities for invoicing. You are able to add your own daily usage and create an invoice that fits your needs. Adding your logo and personal touches is great, plus editing is a cinch. Cons The increments of time for the automotive industry could be better when you are making your own labor task as opposed to canned tasks. Plus price per unit prints out in 1/10 of a cent so it must be edited on line items. Review Source Response from Dowell Systems June 5, 2020 Jaimie - Thank you so much for your detailed review! We are glad to hear you like all the customization you can do with your tickets. We really want to help you achieve that professional look. Thanks for being our customer all these years! MC Mike C. Owner Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Why not?" May 26, 2020 5.0 No complaints, just what I described above!! Pros Its very user friendly and pretty straight forward, but i might be bit tech savy over most! Cons As we proceed forward as we all know technology gets better, faster and cheaper as supply goes up. There are now competitors that offer a 3d screen of the parts area you are working on and suggested process and procedures at a much lesser price then Mitchelles or alldata. I would love to see Real Time step up to that!! Alternatives considered [Mitchell RepairCenter](https://www.capterra.com/p/83653/Mitchell-RepairCenter/) Reason for choosing Real-Time Labor Guide Price Review Source Response from Dowell Systems May 27, 2020 Mike - Thanks for your great review! We are always looking for ways to improve and give our customers more of what they are looking for. We appreciate the suggestion! MS Maurice S. Owner Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Good entry level product" March 2, 2023 3.0 Pros Cheap.Easy to use.Cloud based.Great for small startups Cons No QuickBooks integration.No way to “offload” transactions.Product is stagnant, no significant features added for year.Not very scalable It is easy to out grow the product which is sad.We will have to go to something else soon if we can not find a way to integrate with accounting software. Review Source JaZ John a Z. ownef Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "basic good quality" July 22, 2021 4.0 fair Pros ease of billing.license plate to vehicle id Cons lookup history is ineffective .mileage maintaince. mileage lookup too vague or non existent wish it had more features such as digital inspections.almost no updates.wouldn't mind paying more for better features Review Source KL Kameron L. Business Center Automotive Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Horrible customer service beware new customers" January 31, 2022 2.0 Labor guide appears to be a little low in labor times across-the-board Pros The pricing is about the only thing on the plus side for the software Customer service is not existent to say the least Cons Customer service not their software shut down over the weekend nobody to answer the phone calls or respond to emails customers standing in my shop waiting for invoicing software to come up and never happens horrible experience I recommend staying away from this company due to lack of customer service over the weekends I recommend staying with more reputable companies that have 24 hour customer service Review Source RG Ray G. Tech Automotive Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Are you kidding me ? Haters are just going to be Haters" June 12, 2016 3.0 What do you expect for $10.00 a month .... The program does what they claim it to do quite well. Sure some of the labor times are wrong just like every other labor "GUIDE" out there. At least they are attempting to create a "Real Time" program to be fair to the techs and customers. If you have a problem with the labor time let them know. I think with enough constructive criticism and truthful testimonies from real techs. The labor times will be changed accordingly until the times are correct. They also give you 3 labor options to choose from which the low one is close to Mitchell on several vehicles I have compared. We all do not have access to factory tools, equipment and data therefore the labor guide should reflect that as well, Hence a little more labor time. Getting the job done right or getting the job done in the allotted time of what a guide says are usually two different times anyhow. These are guides not mandatory labor times, should be used and modified as needed. Rust - Corrosion - Owner Repair - Oil/Grease Soaked Engine - Electrical Parts that have been upgraded with a new harness or pig tails.... Etc. Labor should be fair but not a race to meet the book time. Times are changing and labor guides should as well. Pros Affordable, Easy and quick to get an estimate now with invoicing options . A good second opinion for $10.00 a month if you have a system. Do not have to be at the shop computer to get an estimate for a repair. You can use your cell phone if needed. Cons Still working to get real time labor correct on all makes and models. Which would seem to be a ongoing process for the life of the program. Review Source Response from Dowell Systems June 22, 2017 Thank you for the review Ray. You are right - we will continually review and ask for feedback to get our labor guide as close to perfect as possible. EB Edward B. Owner Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Vin scanner and mobile app" May 26, 2020 4.0 Pros I really love the fact that you could type in the license plate and reveal the Vin number for a particular vehicle Cons I do a lot of presale inspections, Instead of using another application to scan the Vin on cars without a license plate is irritating. I would love to do it from inside Real-Time Labor Guide and it would be great if I didn’t have to be in a browser and could use a app Review Source Response from Dowell Systems May 27, 2020 Edward - Thank you for your honest review and the high marks you gave us. You are not the only one who has suggested a VIN scanner and we agree that it would make starting a ticket easier. It is definitely on our list of potential features for the near future We always appreciate new feature suggestions! JN Jens N. Owner/Operator Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best bang for the buck!" May 26, 2020 5.0 It's help me increase my profits and have better time management on jobs. Pros The price is great. Very easy program to use. The program has been getting better and better over the years. The quotes are very nice and professional. Cons Sometimes it's hard to find the task you're looking for. Some labor times are extremely low but those are getting much better. Review Source Response from Dowell Systems May 27, 2020 Jens - Thank you so much for your honest and glowing review! We're so happy to have you as a customer and that we can help you increase profitability and time management! MM Michael M. Owner Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Real Time Review" May 26, 2020 2.0 Average Pros Easy to use. Cons Not enough new content for quite a long time. The software has become stagnant and has many holes. Review Source Response from Dowell Systems May 27, 2020 Michael - Thank you for your honest review and for the high marks in Ease of Use and Customer Support. When you say that its time for some new features, we really can't disagree. We are beta testing a new integrated payment feature now that will be released to all users shortly, then a full suite of features soon after. Do you have a couple feature suggestions that should be at the top of our list? SR Sabrina R. service writer Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Excellent software!" June 4, 2020 5.0 It is a software we have used and loved for years and will continue to use! Pros We have used Real-Time Labor Guide for our shop for over 5 years and as our shop has grown we have purchased other softwares but always keep our real-time subscription. We also do repairs on classic cars and this is the best labor guide software out for estimating labor times for older vehicles. Cons Through the years the software has not made any big changes. Review Source RH Randy H. Owner Transportation/Trucking/Railroad Used the software for: 2+ years ### "I have used Real-Time Labor in our business for several years, It is very easy to use. " May 27, 2020 5.0 I would highly recommend this to anybody that need a guide for flat rate time. Pros We are mainly a heavy truck repair shop. Software is very easy to use. I use it as a guide for the flat rate repair. The information in it is consistent with other repair shops as far as time. Cons Only had a couple of things that was not covered as far a repair. Review Source Response from Dowell Systems June 4, 2020 Randy - Thank you for the fantastic review! We are so happy to have you as a customer! MK Mike K. Owner Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Review " June 8, 2020 4.0 Great Pros Easy to use. Cost effective. Able to access from any device or computer Cons Not being able to edit vehicle selection after starting tickets Alternatives considered [Mitchell RepairCenter](https://www.capterra.com/p/83653/Mitchell-RepairCenter/)[ALLDATA](https://www.capterra.com/p/10010667/Alldata/) Reason for choosing Real-Time Labor Guide Cost and less hassle Review Source RP Randy P. Mechanic Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great software for a great price" May 26, 2020 5.0 Pros I love this product. It makes doing my repair tickets easy Cons Sometimes finding the actual repair type is a little bit difficult due to the way they are categorized. Review Source Response from Dowell Systems May 27, 2020 Randy - Thank you for your honest and glowing review! We tried hard to setup the categories in a way that makes sense. Don't forget to use the keyword search if you ever have trouble finding something in the categories. MK MICHAEL K. owner Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Most accurate Labor guide I've found" June 9, 2020 5.0 Pros the ease of use is outstanding and the accuracy of the times is right on in most cases. Cons I have not yet found anything to not like Reason for choosing Real-Time Labor Guide the reviews and the cost of the software were excellent. I started twenty years ago with disc application, then cd application and now online where ever I may be. Review Source SO Sean O. Owner Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Good quality, Needs more HD" June 1, 2020 4.0 Its great, passwords can be a pain, though when are they not Pros I like it gives you options for time, wish it showed actual book, then real time. I wish it could integrate with sms. Cons Everything is fine with it, Drawbacks are minimal Review Source Response from Dowell Systems June 4, 2020 Sean - Thank you for your honest review and we are so happy to have you as a customer! JT Jeffery T. Owner Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great for beginner shops" June 10, 2020 4.0 I have been using this program for several years now, customer service is great. For a small shop this is a great investment. Pros The ease of using a tag number to get all information on vehicle. Cons Does not pre fill fields on frequently used parts. Reason for choosing Real-Time Labor Guide Pricing and no contact. Review Source KM Khaled M. Mechanic leader Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Greatest invoicing and labour guide system " May 26, 2020 5.0 Pros It saves all invoices and makes pricing a job a breeze Cons Search criteria should improve By adding make and model and year in the same category Review Source Response from Dowell Systems May 27, 2020 Khaled - Thank you so much for you honest and glowing review! We are so happy to have you as our customer! TM Tommatthes M. Ceo Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Good product for the price " May 26, 2020 4.0 Pros one stop to generate invoices .... keep track of sales Cons No ability to edit inventory (mistakes and prices Review Source Response from Dowell Systems May 27, 2020 Tommatthes - Thank you for your honest review and the high marks you gave us in Ease of Use, Value for the Money and Overall Quality! TP Tom P. CEO Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A great alternative time guide " May 26, 2020 5.0 It is a great resource when the embedded labor guides seem to be off-base. Also covers several operations missing from other labor guides. Pros This guide covers HD trucks as well as automotive, and covers several processes that the 'other' companies fall short on. Also allows for more labor intensive jobs where corrosion may be a factor. Cons I haven't found many 'gaps' in the system. It seems comlete. Reason for choosing Real-Time Labor Guide A great price for a great product. Review Source Response from Dowell Systems May 27, 2020 Tom - Thank you so much for your awesome review! We're so happy we can help when you are looking for a more complete resource. DS Danielle S. Service Advisor Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Not bad" July 31, 2019 3.0 Pros Overall very easy to use, and accessible. Cons Seems to be a little low on the labor guide Review Source MP Michael P. Owner mechanic Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Real-Time Labor Guide" June 1, 2020 5.0 Able to go back and see what I have done in the past. Pros Keeping track of all my invoices able to go back to review customers. Cons Nothing is a great product it does what it claims to do. Review Source Response from Dowell Systems June 4, 2020 Michael - Thank you so much for the awesome review! We work hard to give our customers what they need, and its great to get this kind of feedback. We look forward to serving you for many many more years! CR Carl R. Owner-Operator Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Auto repair" June 2, 2020 5.0 Good service Pros User friendly Very easy to navigate theu Cons I wish it had more in depth labor some smaller labor things it dont list Review Source Response from Dowell Systems June 5, 2020 Carl - Thank you for your review! We appreciate having you as a customer all these years! Similar Products Featured