Dealertrack DMS vs CDK Global
Head-to-head comparison for car dealers evaluating Core Systems. Both vendors are in the same subcategory, so the comparison is apples-to-apples.
Dealertrack DMS
Open-platform dealer management system
Founded—
HQ—
SegmentBOTH
PricingPer rooftop / month
OwnershipPRIVATE
ParentCox Automotive
Employees—
Websiteus.dealertrack.com
CDK Global
Leading franchise dealer management system
Founded2014
HQAustin TX
SegmentFRANCHISE
PricingPer rooftop / month
OwnershipPE
ParentBrookfield Business Partners
Employees—
Websitewww.cdkglobal.com
What each vendor does
Dealertrack DMS
Dealertrack DMS emphasizes open integration and transparent pricing, serving franchise and independent dealers within the Cox Automotive ecosystem.
CDK Global
CDK Global provides the most widely installed DMS among US franchise dealers, spanning accounting, sales, parts, service and a large third-party integration program.
Integration matrix
| Integration kind | Dealertrack DMS | CDK Global | Overlap |
|---|
Only Dealertrack DMS (0)
—
Shared integrations (0)
—
Only CDK Global (0)
—
Feature checklist
| Feature | Dealertrack DMS | CDK Global |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile app | ● Yes | ● Yes |
| Open API / webhooks | ● Yes | ● Yes |
| SSO / SAML | ● Yes | ● Yes |
| Native AI tools | ○ — | ○ — |
| Third-party marketplace | ○ — | ○ — |
| Two-way texting | ○ — | ○ — |
| Video messaging | ○ — | ○ — |
| Digital retail workflow | ○ — | ○ — |
| Desking & payments | ○ — | ○ — |
| Credit prequal / soft pull | ○ — | ○ — |
| Inventory syndication | ○ — | ○ — |
| Custom reporting dashboards | ● Yes | ● Yes |
| Call tracking & recording | ○ — | ○ — |
| Spanish-language support | ○ — | ○ — |
| Multi-rooftop management | ● Yes | ● Yes |
Compare more than two?
Build a 2–4 vendor side-by-side and share the URL.
Choose Dealertrack DMS vs CDK Global
Choose Dealertrack DMS if…
- ▸You need one platform that covers both franchise and independent rooftops.
- ▸You want a founder-led vendor without PE roll-up risk.
- ▸You want the longer track record in the dealer tech category.
Choose CDK Global if…
- ▸You run franchise rooftops — this product is designed specifically for that segment.
- ▸You want the longer track record in the dealer tech category.
Quick facts scorecard
| Dimension | Dealertrack DMS | CDK Global | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track record | — | 2014 | B |
| Scale | — | — | — |
| Segment breadth | BOTH | FRANCHISE | — |
| Integrations listed | 0 | 0 | Tie |
| DMS connectivity | 0 DMSes | 0 DMSes | Tie |