PBS Systems 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.
PBS Systems
Integrated DMS across North America
Founded—
HQCalgary AB
SegmentFRANCHISE
PricingPer rooftop / month
OwnershipPRIVATE
ParentIndependent
Employees—
Websitewww.pbssystems.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
PBS Systems
PBS Systems provides the Aristo DMS with integrated CRM and fixed ops modules, serving franchise dealers across Canada and the US.
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 | PBS Systems | CDK Global | Overlap |
|---|
Only PBS Systems (0)
—
Shared integrations (0)
—
Only CDK Global (0)
—
Feature checklist
| Feature | PBS Systems | 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 PBS Systems vs CDK Global
Choose PBS Systems if…
- ▸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 want the longer track record in the dealer tech category.
Quick facts scorecard
| Dimension | PBS Systems | CDK Global | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track record | — | 2014 | B |
| Scale | — | — | — |
| Segment breadth | FRANCHISE | FRANCHISE | — |
| Integrations listed | 0 | 0 | Tie |
| DMS connectivity | 0 DMSes | 0 DMSes | Tie |