Kimoby vs Affinitiv
You probably know Affinitiv through your OEM's retention program. It also sells tools for your service department, from online booking to payment links. With Kimoby, your advisors handle everything after the RO is written. The texts, the tech's video, the approval and the payment. Here's how the two compare, based on what Affinitiv publishes.
Used by 1,000+ dealerships across North America. Works with the DMS you have.
The short answer
Both run on your DMS and do video MPI, approvals, texting and payment links. Pick Affinitiv if you need online booking or a tablet check-in. Pick Kimoby if you want a card terminal at the counter, the payment written back to the RO on CDK, CSI surveys, missed calls answered and loaners in the same place.
Last updated: November, 2026
What makes Kimoby the best Affinitiv alternative?
It depends on where your cars get stuck. Affinitiv has online booking and a tablet check-in. We don't. If booking is your problem, look at them first. If cars sit in the shop waiting on a callback or a payment, that's the part we work on.
Your advisors and your BDC answer from the same inbox.
The tech records the video. The estimate is drafted from what they say.
Goes out on its own when the RO closes.
Tap at the counter or pay by text. On CDK, it goes on the RO.
Your BDC sends reminders, recalls and declined work by text.
When nobody can pick up, it takes the message and puts it on the customer's thread.
Who has which car, right next to the RO.
How Kimoby compares to Affinitiv
On video MPI and texting, they're close. The differences are in payment, phones and loaners.
Video MPI and approvals
Your advisors won't see much difference here. Both send the tech's photos and video to the customer's phone, and the customer approves from there. Affinitiv also lists hands-free inspections with Meta AI glasses. We don't have that.
Payment
Affinitiv's BillPay sends the bill by text or email, so the customer pays before pickup. Affinitiv doesn't list a card terminal. With Kimoby Pay, the customer taps a card at the counter or pays from the text. On CDK, the payment goes back on the RO, so nobody types it in twice.
Everything else
For missed calls, Affinitiv sells a call center with live agents. We use Kimoby Voice, which picks up after your advisors' rings. Loaners run in Kimoby Go. Affinitiv lists vehicle pickup and delivery, but not loaner management. We also send a CSI survey after every visit. Affinitiv doesn't list one.
When is Kimoby the better fit than Affinitiv?
If your service department runs into one of these, pick Kimoby.
The customer calls about the estimate and it goes to voicemail.
Your advisors still get the first rings. Kimoby Voice takes the ones they miss and puts the message on that customer's thread, next to the RO.
Your cashier is keying the card into the DMS.
On CDK, the payment goes on the RO by itself. The customer pays on the terminal at the counter or from their phone.
Some of your customers want their texts in French.
They get them in French. Serti and the other DMSs Canadian stores use are connected.
You want online booking or a tablet check-in.
Go with Affinitiv. We don't do either. Same if your OEM program requires Affinitiv. Keep it for that program.
Where each one fits
The right column is what Affinitiv publishes about its service products. If your package has something we marked "not listed," ask your rep.
| Capability | Kimoby | Affinitiv Service |
|---|---|---|
| Online service scheduler | Not included | ✓ Book |
| Tablet check-in and write-up | Not included. You keep your DMS write-up | ✓ SmartLane |
| Digital inspection with photo and video | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hands-free inspection with smart glasses | Not included | ✓ Meta AI glasses |
| Estimate drafted from the tech's video | ✓ | Not listed |
| One-tap approval from the customer's phone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Service status updates | ✓ | ✓ RO Tracker |
| Two-way texting with customers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shared inbox for advisors and the BDC | ✓ | Admin view of all conversations |
| Payment request by text or email | ✓ | ✓ BillPay |
| Card terminal at the counter | ✓ | Not listed |
| Payment written back to the DMS RO | ✓ On CDK | Not listed |
| Credit card surcharging | ✓ | Not listed |
| Financing on the estimate | ✓ Affirm | Not listed |
| CSI surveys after the visit | ✓ | Not listed |
| Retention campaigns | ✓ Texts your team sends | ✓ Email, mail, newsletter |
| Recall follow-up | ✓ | ✓ Open Recalls |
| Missed calls answered | ✓ Kimoby Voice (AI) | Call center with live agents |
| Loaner fleet management | ✓ Kimoby Go | Not listed |
| Customer messages in French | ✓ | Not listed |
| OEM program approvals | BMW, VW, Ford FCP | ✓ 18 OEM partners listed |
| DMS integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Month-to-month, no contract | ✓ | Not published |
If you're the GM, which number should move?
Customer pay per RO. Across 16.8 million repair orders at 871 Kimoby dealerships, ROs with a digital conversation had $160 more in customer pay than ROs without one. Ask your service manager how many ROs went out with a video last month.
$453 in customer pay on ROs with a digital conversation. $293 without. Same stores, same techs.
6 minutes at the median when the estimate goes to the customer's phone. 22 to 23 hours when the advisor has to call. 88.2% are approved within the hour.
What customers approved when they saw the inspection ($628.61), against when they declined it ($320.67).
Source: The Cost of Silence, Kimoby, 2026. 871 dealerships, 16.8M repair orders, $5.5B in customer pay, trailing 12 months. Phone approval median from industry data.
Read the full report and run the numbers for your storeDoes Kimoby work with your DMS?
Probably. Kimoby reads the RO from your DMS, the same way Affinitiv does. Check the OEM list though. Ours is shorter.
DMS integrations
CDK (with write-back), Reynolds and Reynolds, PBS, Tekion, DealerTrack, Autosoft, Serti, Dealer Vu, and Quorum.
OEM approvals
BMW Activities Fund approved with myBMW app integration. VW eConnect and CMC approved. Ford FCP qualifying vendor, submitted for the 2027 list. Affinitiv lists 18 OEM partners. If your program requires Affinitiv, keep it for that program.
Do dealers at Affinitiv's OEM brands use Kimoby?
Yes. Here's one store from four of them.
Prior to Kimoby, the customer experience was such a hassle. We couldn't connect with our customers fast enough. Kimoby has made a huge impact on our bottom line.
Arvin Merino
Service Manager, Honda & Toyota of Seattle
Communication is a really important part of a customer's experience. With Kimoby, we're able to keep that consistent and scalable across the team.
Klaudia Sanecka
Group Manager BDC, Policaro, Northwest Lexus
My advisors use it religiously. The clarity in the communication is what sells the work.
Angie Prince
Service Manager, Gus Brown Buick
We've seen such significant growth in our CSI that the investment pays for itself.
Brad Jacobs
General Manager, Colbourne Chrysler
What is Affinitiv?
Straight from their own site.
Affinitiv is based in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, and merged with AutoLoop in 2019. Besides service tools, it sells retention marketing, equity mining, a call center and digital ads.
Its site lists 18 OEM partners, including Toyota, Lexus, GM, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, Stellantis and Volkswagen. That's where a lot of dealers first meet it.
Book (online scheduling), SmartLane (check-in), MPI (inspections), Tech Video with Meta AI glasses, RO Tracker (status updates), BillPay (text and email payments), Messaging and Open Recalls.
Questions dealers ask
The ones we hear when Affinitiv is already in the store.
Is Kimoby an Affinitiv alternative?
Yes, for the service department. Both run on your DMS and handle video MPI, approvals, texting and payment links. Kimoby doesn't do online booking or tablet check-in. It adds a card terminal, payment on the RO (on CDK), CSI surveys, missed-call coverage and loaners.
Can I keep Affinitiv Book and use Kimoby once the car is in?
Yes. Book takes the appointment. Once the car is in, your advisors work it in Kimoby. Both read the same RO from your DMS, so there's nothing to connect.
How does Kimoby compare to Affinitiv?
On video MPI, approvals and texting, they're close. Affinitiv has online booking, tablet check-in and smart-glasses inspections. Kimoby has the counter terminal, payment written back to the RO on CDK, surcharging, Affirm, CSI surveys, Voice AI, loaners and French.
Our OEM program uses Affinitiv. Does Kimoby affect that or our co-op?
Kimoby doesn't connect to Affinitiv or report to your OEM. If your program requires Affinitiv, keep it there. If your co-op reimburses Affinitiv tools, check with your OEM before you switch.
Is there an integration between Kimoby and Affinitiv?
No, and you don't need one. Both read the same repair order from your DMS.
Does Kimoby integrate with CDK and Reynolds?
Yes. CDK with write-back, plus Reynolds and Reynolds, PBS, Tekion, DealerTrack, Autosoft, Serti, Dealer Vu, and Quorum.
Is Kimoby approved for OEM programs?
BMW Activities Fund approved with myBMW app integration. VW eConnect and CMC approved. Ford FCP qualifying vendor, submitted for the 2027 list.
We use Affinitiv for retention email and mail, and our advisors still sell the work by phone. What does Kimoby change?
Your retention marketing doesn't change. How your advisors sell the work does. They text from the RO, send the tech's video and get a yes in minutes instead of a day of callbacks. Then the customer pays by text.
Our Affinitiv service contract is up. What do we gain and lose switching to Kimoby?
You keep video MPI, approvals, texting and payment links. You lose online booking, tablet check-in and smart-glasses inspections. You gain the counter terminal, payment on the RO on CDK, surcharging, Affirm, CSI surveys, Voice AI and loaners. And there's no new contract to sign.
See it, or talk to us.
Watch the 3-minute demo on your own. Or book 20 minutes, bring two of your own repair orders, and tell us which Affinitiv products you run. We'll tell you straight if it's a fit.
Month-to-month. No contract. Works with your DMS. Live in weeks.
Affinitiv, Book, SmartLane, MPI, Tech Video, RO Tracker, BillPay, CapSure, AutoLoop and Meta are trademarks of their respective owners. Kimoby is not affiliated with Affinitiv or with any OEM program named on this page. Affinitiv details come from affinitiv.com and Affinitiv press releases as of November 2, 2026.
