Trilix AI vs. Steer
Looking for a Steer alternative, or wondering whether Steer's new call assistants cover your phones? Steer calls itself "the front-of-house platform for auto shops." It brings online booking, service reminders, text and email campaigns, reviews and phones into one tool, and it lists quick lube, tire and multi-shop operators among the shops it's made for (Steer).
We build custom phone agents, camera analytics and dashboards for multi-location auto service groups, so we're not neutral. Steer and Trilix overlap on the phone and very little else, and this page shows where each one fits.
Checked October 28, 2026. Features and prices change, so confirm details with each vendor.
Quick answer
Steer is a front-of-house platform for auto shops: online booking, reminders, text and email campaigns, phones and AI call assistants, with plans from $189 to $629 a month. It fits shops that want marketing and booking in one tool. Trilix fits groups that want the phone agent tied to live bay status, cameras, POS data and one owner dashboard.
Side by side
10 points compared
AI phone answering
YesCall assistants for overflow and after-hours callsYes24/7 or on rules you set, per storeOnline booking
YesBooking tool and Reserve with GoogleBooking by phone into your scheduler where it connectsService reminders and campaigns
YesText and email campaigns, remindersNoNot offeredTwo-way texting
YesFrom Essentials upTexts and surveys as part of back-office automationCall intelligence
YesSummaries, sentiment, outcomes, employee summaries…YesCall audits and advisor coaching
The short version
Steer is a CRM and marketing platform for auto shops with booking, campaigns, two-way texting, call intelligence and AI call assistants. Plans are published, from $189 to $629 a month, plus add-ons (Steer pricing).
Trilix AI builds the phone agent and the operations layer around it: live bay status from cameras or POS, store-level call flows, upsell tracking and an owner dashboard across every location. We don't run marketing campaigns or reminders.
If your main goal is getting customers back in the door, Steer is built for that. If your main goal is answering every call at every store and seeing how the stores run, that's what we build.
Side-by-side
| Feature | Steer | Trilix AI |
|---|---|---|
| AI phone answering | Yes. Call assistants for overflow and after-hours calls | Yes. 24/7 or on rules you set, per store |
| Online booking | Yes. Booking tool and Reserve with Google | Booking by phone into your scheduler where it connects |
| Service reminders and campaigns | Yes. Text and email campaigns, reminders | Not offered |
| Two-way texting | Yes. From Essentials up | Texts and surveys as part of back-office automation |
| Call intelligence | Yes. Summaries, sentiment, outcomes, employee summaries on Ultimate | Yes. Call audits and advisor coaching |
| Shop system integrations | 40+ shop management systems | Custom connections to POS, phones and cameras where they allow it |
| Live wait times from bays | Not stated | Yes, from TrixLink cameras or POS |
| Camera analytics | Not stated | Yes. TrixLink on cameras you already have |
| Multi-store reporting | Enterprise plan for multiple locations | Executive dashboard with car counts, ticket average and calls per store |
| Pricing | $189 to $629/month published, add-ons extra | Setup fee plus monthly, quoted after a call |
"Not stated" means we didn't find it on Steer's public pages. Ask Steer directly.
Steer pricing (checked Oct 2026)
| Steer plan | Price | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Booking Tool | $189/month | Online booking, Reserve with Google, deferred work upsell, shop system sync |
| Essentials | $479/month | Booking Tool plus campaigns, reminders, two-way messaging |
| Ultimate | $629/month | Essentials plus call intelligence, opportunity hub, after-hours replies, AutoOps Pro |
| Enterprise | Custom | For multiple locations |
Source: Steer pricing. Steer also lists a Pro add-on at $80 a month per location (AutoOps Voice and an intelligent calendar, included in Ultimate) and a website at $100 a month. Its FAQ says a cancelled plan stays active for 30 days after the next billing date, with no prorated refunds.
What Steer does well
Steer covers the customer side of a shop in one place. Its call features show caller insights like average repair order, maintenance history and vehicles when the phone rings, plus AI call summaries, sentiment scores and outcome tracking (Steer pricing).
Its call assistants pick up overflow and after-hours calls, book into the calendars you choose, text booking links and directions, and route calls by your rules. There's also a practice mode where advisors rehearse tough calls against an AI customer and get scored (Steer call assistants). Steer has also announced it's joining forces with Call Inbound, a shop phone provider (Steer).
When Steer is the better choice
- Retention is your main problem. Reminders, deferred work follow-up and campaigns are Steer's core, and we don't offer them.
- You want booking on your website and Google. Steer's booking tool and Reserve with Google cover that out of the box.
- You want one published monthly price. Steer lists its plans. Ours are quoted after a call.
- Your shop system is on Steer's integration list. With 40+ supported systems, setup is likely simple.
When Trilix fits better
- The phone is the biggest leak. A quick lube on a Saturday morning gets "how long's the wait?" over and over. Our AI phone agent answers from live bay status read by TrixLink camera analytics or your POS, so the answer is real for that store at that minute.
- You want to see every store side by side. Calls, bookings, car counts and ticket average flow into the executive dashboard.
- You care about the counter as much as the phone. Our upsell AI gives advisors an assistant and tracks upsells, without the hard sell.
- You want one team on the build. One of our clients, a multi-store quick lube in Texas, runs our phone agent with call audits every 2 hours, camera analytics and private employee coaching (case study).
Plenty of shops could run both: Steer for reminders and campaigns, Trilix for phones and operations. Read our quick lube guide for how the phone side works.
What to ask any vendor
- Is pricing per location, and what does a 10-store rollout cost in total?
- Does the AI answer every call or only overflow and after-hours?
- Where does it get the current wait time for each store?
- Which of my systems does it read from, and which can it write to?
- Who reviews calls after launch, and how often?
- What's the cancellation notice, and do I keep my call recordings?
Frequently asked questions
Something else on your mind? Ask us directly or call 416-262-2723.
How much does Steer cost?
Steer lists a Booking Tool plan at $189 a month, Essentials at $479 and Ultimate at $629, with custom Enterprise pricing for multiple locations. Add-ons like Pro ($80 per location) and a website ($100) are extra (Steer pricing).
Does Steer have an AI receptionist?
Yes. Steer's call assistants answer overflow and after-hours calls, book appointments, send booking links by text and route calls by your rules (Steer).
Is Steer good for quick lubes?
Steer lists quick lube among the shop types it serves, and its strengths are booking, reminders and campaigns. Ask how its assistant handles drive-in questions like current wait times.
Does Trilix replace Steer?
Not for marketing. We don't send reminders or run campaigns. We build the phone agent, camera analytics, dashboards and back-office automation, and connect to the tools you keep where they allow it.
How much does Trilix cost?
A one-time setup fee plus a monthly fee, quoted after a first call. Most first builds go live in about 10 days. The AI cost guide explains what drives the price.
How do I decide which to start with?
Count missed calls per store for a week and compare with how many customers are overdue for service. Our missed call calculator helps with the phone side.
Keep reading
- Quick lubeFast phones, bay time, upsell and oil variance.
- AI phone agentAnswers every call 24/7, books visits and gives live wait times.
- Upsell AIAn advisor assistant and upsell tracking that raise ticket average without the hard sell.
- AutoLeap AIR alternativeA $99/month shop-software AI receptionist vs a phone agent built for multi-shop groups.
- A multi-store quick lube in TexasAI front-desk phone agent, call audits every 2 hours, camera analytics and private employee coaching.
See what we'd build for your stores
Tell us how many stores you run, your POS and how many calls go unanswered. We'll tell you straight whether you need us, Steer, or both.
Also see: Trilix vs AutoLeap AIR · Trilix vs Podium
Spotted something out of date? Email admin@trilix.ai and we'll fix it.