2026 Comparison
Hoist vs SAM / Auxo
NZ's long-standing incumbent vs the independent challenger
SAM has been New Zealand's incumbent workshop software for decades, and its owner Auxo (part of the MTA since 2020) now sells webSAM and Auxo Workshop alongside it. Hoist is the independent, cloud-native alternative: one published plan with every feature on, three users included, and no tier to climb as the team grows. Whichever direction you're heading, moving off desktop SAM means learning a new system, so it is worth comparing the whole market rather than taking the upgrade in front of you. Every Auxo row below comes from their own product pages rather than a guess, including the ones that go their way.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Hoist | SAM / Auxo |
|---|---|---|
| Two-way customer texting | Included. Replies land in a thread against the customer | No. Outbound reminders only - inbound replies are not in their published feature list |
| Connected mailbox | 1 included, +$10/month each after | No. Not in their published feature list |
| Deferred work tracking | Declined work stays on the vehicle, ready to quote next visit | No. The nearest is an outstanding-estimate prompt, on Pro and above |
| Support channels | Live chat, phone and email for every customer, NZ based (Upper Hutt) | Chat, per their feature list. Auckland HQ, staff in NZ and AU |
| Data migration | Free, and we do it for you. Customers, vehicles and service history | Not published |
| Product lineage | Cloud-native, built for the browser | Desktop SAM, webSAM (browser-based), Auxo Workshop (cloud) |
| Users included | 3 on the one plan, +$10/month each | webSAM 1 user, +$19/month each. Auxo Workshop 2 or 5 by tier (a 7-user tier is coming soon) |
| Pricing structure | One plan, every feature, published | webSAM & Auxo Workshop published by tier; desktop SAM quote-only |
| Vehicle Rego Lookups | 5c cached / 24c live, published | 20c per lookup, not published on their site |
| Xero Integration | Two-way sync: customers, invoices, payments and credit notes | Yes |
| Service Reminders | Yes, plus custom reminders you set yourself, by SMS and email | Yes |
| SMS | 12c per message sent | Auxo Workshop 10c, under ours. webSAM from $9.50/month for 45 texts |
| Technician Scheduling | Yes. Bays and techs on one calendar, drag and drop | Yes |
| Work Order Management | ||
| Customer Database | ||
| WoF/CoF Tracking | ||
| Mobile Access | Responsive web app on every plan. Native app releasing September 2026 | Tech mobile app, out now, but not on the Essentials tier |
| Ownership | Independent, NZ-built | Auxo Software (MTA-owned) |
| Free Trial | 14-day free trial, no card required | Auxo Workshop free trial; webSAM 7 days |
Pricing Comparison
Hoist
$140/month + GST
- One flat rate - no tiers, no per-feature upsells
- All features included
- 3 users included, +$10/month per additional user
SAM / Auxo
$99+/month NZD
- webSAM: $99/month for 1 user, +$19/user (Auxo site, Jul 2026)
- Auxo Workshop: Essentials $99 + GST (2 users), Pro $199 + GST (5 users)
- Elite $299 + GST (7 users) is marked coming soon on their site
- Desktop SAM: quote-only, no public pricing
- Confirm current pricing and GST treatment with Auxo
Key Highlights
Hoist
- Cloud-native - nothing to install, nothing to patch, works anywhere
- One plan with 3 users included, and nothing switched off on the cheap tier
- Two-way texting, a connected mailbox and deferred work, none of them on their list
- We migrate your SAM data across free, and support is live chat and phone
SAM / Auxo
- NZ's most established workshop software
- Backed by the MTA
- Large NZ install base
- Familiar workflow for existing SAM users
Frequently Asked Questions
Is desktop SAM being discontinued?
Auxo hasn't announced an end-of-life date for desktop SAM. It does sell two cloud products alongside it - webSAM and Auxo Workshop - and Auxo's CEO has said existing SAM customers can begin migrating to Auxo Workshop. Whichever way you go, moving off desktop SAM is a system change, so it's worth comparing the whole market before you commit.
Can I migrate my SAM data to Hoist?
Yes, and it costs nothing. Customers, vehicles and service history come across, and we do the migration for you rather than handing you an import template. Get in touch early so there’s time to take a clean export from your system.
How does the pricing compare?
Hoist is one plan at $140/month + GST with every feature and 3 users included, then $10/month per extra user. Two things move the real number. First, seats: at five users Hoist is $160 against Auxo Workshop Pro at $199, and on webSAM five users is $99 plus four at $19, which is $175. Extra seats are $19 there against $10 here. Second, and this is the bigger one, check what the entry tier actually includes. Their own feature list has online bookings, stock and supplier management, parts integrations, purchase orders, time clocking, split invoices and the technician mobile app all off on Essentials at $99. Every one of those is on from day one here. So yes, $99 is less than $140, and at one or two users it is genuinely cheaper - just make sure you are comparing what you would actually be using. Desktop SAM is quote-only, so you will have to ask.
What does Hoist include that I should price separately elsewhere?
Two-way customer texting, with replies threaded against the customer rather than landing in someone’s personal phone: they advertise outbound reminders and a text when the job is done, not inbound replies. A connected mailbox, so the email about a job sits beside the job. Live chat and phone support from New Zealand. Free data migration. All of that is in the one price, and none of it is a tier you upgrade into. Deferred work tracking, so the job a customer declined in March is waiting on the vehicle in September: their feature list has an outstanding-estimate prompt on the upper tiers, which is not the same thing. And support here is live chat, phone and email, where their list shows chat.
Should I just move to webSAM or Auxo Workshop instead?
Maybe - staying in the SAM family means a familiar workflow, and that's a legitimate reason. The point of this page is that it shouldn't happen by default: any move off desktop SAM is a new system to learn, so compare features, per-user costs and migration support before signing on for the next decade.
Ready to Try Hoist?
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Other comparisons
SAM / Auxo pricing and features were checked against their own published material, September 2026. Rates and plans change, so confirm anything that matters directly with them. If you notice an inaccuracy, please contact us and we'll correct it.