Keep the DMS. Upgrade the website
DealerCenter is a genuinely good DMS — that's not the debate. The debate is whether a website that ships as a DMS add-on can out-sell a platform built around the website. Keep DealerCenter for the back office; let DealerForge win the shoppers.
Credit where due
What DealerCenter does well
DealerCenter earns its place at independent and BHPH dealerships: deal desking, financing integrations, reporting, and inventory in one login. As a DMS, it's a strong pick — and DealerForge works happily alongside it. The comparison below is only about the website: the add-on module versus a site that's the whole point of the platform.
Why dealers switch
DealerCenter vs. DealerForge, line by line
The line items dealers actually ask about, side by side.
Why stores switch
Three numbers that decide it
What changes the day a dealership moves to DealerForge.
DealerForge syncs inventory straight from your DealerCenter feed and pushes leads wherever you work them. The back office doesn't change; the storefront does.
Your website is the one part of the stack shoppers actually touch. Sub-second pages are the difference between a VDP view and a bounce.
Add the AI CRM and every after-hours lead gets a real answer in seconds — before the shopper's next tab wins.
See it in action
A real dealer site, live today
Good Miles Auto — an independent store in Nine Mile Falls, WA — runs on DealerForge. Live inventory, payment-based search, and lead capture on every screen, mobile-first.
FAQ
Switching from DealerCenter, answered
Do I have to leave DealerCenter to use DealerForge?
No — and most stores shouldn't. Keep DealerCenter as your DMS; DealerForge syncs inventory from its feed automatically and sends leads wherever you want them. You're upgrading the storefront, not replacing the back office.
Why not just use the website that comes with the DMS?
Bundled websites are built to check a box on a feature list. Your website is where every shopper decides whether to call you or the lot across town — it deserves to be someone's whole product, not line seven of someone else's.
What does it cost?
A flat, published $799/month for the website — see the pricing page. No setup line-items, migration included.
How fast is the switch?
Two to three weeks: design, DealerCenter feed integration, URL-mapped 301 redirects, and training. No downtime, rankings preserved.
Comparison reflects publicly available information as of June 2026 and may change. DealerCenter is a trademark of its respective owner and is not affiliated with DealerForge. Found something outdated? Email us and we'll correct it.
See your store on DealerForge
We'll mock up your dealership so you can compare with your current site side by side — no commitment.