How Mechanic Bids works
Updated as of: October 14, 2026
Mechanic Bids connects vehicle owners with local mechanics and tow truck operators. You post what you need, local pros send you their prices, and you pick the one you want. Here's how it works for each of you.
For vehicle owners
Posting a repair or tow request is free. You never pay Mechanic Bids to get bids or hire someone.
Getting a repair
- Post your repair. Tell us what's wrong, which vehicle, where it is, and when you'd like bids by. You can also say whether you'll supply the parts, whether you want a mechanic to come to you or you'll take it to a shop, and whether insurance is paying.
- Get bids from local mechanics. Each bid shows the price, estimated hours and any deposit they ask for. Check their profile, reviews and trust badges, and message them with questions.
- Pick a mechanic. Accept the bid you like. The mechanic has 4 hours to confirm (1 hour if you need it within 2 days), or your job opens up again.
- Get it fixed and pay the mechanic. You pay the mechanic directly for the repair, the way you normally would.
Deposits
Some mechanics ask for a deposit (up to 30% of their bid) to hold your appointment. You pay it by card through Mechanic Bids after you accept their bid.
When the mechanic arrives, you'll get a short code to give them. That confirms they showed up. Your card is charged then, and the deposit goes to the mechanic. If they never arrive, report it from the job page and our team reviews it.
At a shop, you give the code when you drop off your vehicle, and that's when the deposit is charged.
Mobile mechanic or shop?
When you post, choose Come to me, I'll take it to a shop, or Either is fine. Each bid shows whether the mechanic comes to you or works at their shop.
For shops, you see the city and how far it is from your vehicle. After you hire them, you get the shop's address, hours and directions, and you pick a drop-off time from their open hours. When the work is done, the shop marks it Ready for pickup. If your vehicle can't be driven, request a tow to the shop right from the job page.
Paying with insurance?
Tell us when you post and choose your insurance company. Only mechanics who take insurance work will see your job, and shops your insurer has approved are marked so you can spot them. There's no deposit on insurance jobs. You sort out the claim details with the shop you hire.
If something goes wrong
Use Report an Issue on the job page and the mechanic is notified. If you can't sort it out together, send it to our support team. You can also cancel a job; we'll ask why so we can handle it fairly.
Cancelling a job
You can cancel from the job page; we'll ask for a reason. If you paid a deposit and the mechanic has already accepted the job, 50% of the deposit is kept as a cancellation fee and paid to the mechanic for holding the time for you. The rest is released back to your card.
There's no fee if there was no deposit, if the mechanic hasn't accepted the job yet, or if you cancel because the mechanic didn't show up or isn't responding.
Getting a tow
- Request a tow. Enter the pickup spot, where it's going and your vehicle.
- Nearby tow drivers bid. Each bid shows the total price and how soon they can get there.
- Accept a bid and pay by card. The driver has 10 minutes to confirm. Once they do, pay within 1 hour to lock in your tow. We place a hold on your card for the bid amount plus 20%, in case of extra miles. When the tow is picked up, you're charged the agreed tow price, and the rest of the hold is released.
- Your driver heads over. Once your payment is held, the driver gets your exact pickup address and phone number.
- Give the driver your code. When they arrive, we'll show you a short code. Give it to the driver to confirm the pickup.
- Confirm delivery. When your vehicle is dropped off, confirm it, or tap Report a problem. If we don't hear from you within 10 hours, it's confirmed automatically.
Using insurance?
Choose Insurance reimbursement when you pay. You pay the same way, and we email you an itemized receipt to send to your insurer.
For mechanics
Signing up and bidding are free. You only use credits when a customer picks you and you accept the job.
- Create your profile. Add your services, skills, location and the languages you speak. Tell customers whether you're mobile, work at a shop, or both, how far you'll travel, your shop's address and hours, and whether you take insurance work.
- Find jobs near you. Browse repair jobs and get email alerts when new ones match your skills.
- Send a bid. Set your price and estimated hours, and ask for a deposit (up to 30% of your bid) if you like. To ask for a deposit, first set up payouts under Payouts in your menu. You can bid once per job.
- Accept the job with credits. If the customer picks your bid, accept the job within 4 hours (1 hour for rush jobs) using credits: about 1 credit for every $20 of your bid. For example, a $120 job uses 6 credits. Single credits are $1.99, and packs bring the price down.
- Do the job and get paid. The customer pays you directly for the repair. If you asked for a deposit, enter the customer's code when you arrive. We then send you the full deposit through Stripe, and it usually reaches your bank within 2 business days.
Shop jobs
On shop jobs the customer brings the vehicle to you, and you never see their home address. They pick a drop-off time from your shop hours. When they drop it off, tap Vehicle dropped off and enter the code they give you. That charges any deposit. When the work is done, tap Ready for pickup. If they never come, report it from the job page.
If the customer cancels
If you asked for a deposit and the customer cancels after you accepted the job, you get 50% of the deposit as a cancellation fee, sent to your payout account. There's no fee if they cancel because you didn't show up or weren't responding.
When do I get my credits back?
If the customer cancels, your credits come back automatically, unless you'd already been messaging back and forth (at least 2 messages each), or the job fell through because you didn't show up. Anything else is reviewed by our support team.
Subscription: $9.99 a month
Get 5 free credits every month, 20% off every credit package, and text alerts for new jobs near you (up to 300 a month). Cancel anytime.
Trust badges
Verify your identity, licenses, insurance and certifications to earn badges on your profile. Customers are more likely to choose mechanics with badges.
For tow drivers
Signing up and bidding are free. When a tow is done, you're paid the tow amount minus a 10% Mechanic Bids fee.
- Set up your account. Add your truck, then set up payouts on Stripe's secure page (your bank account and ID). Payouts must be set up before you can bid.
- Go available. Turn on Available for bidding. This shares your location so we can alert you to tow requests near you, by email or by text if you subscribe.
- Bid. Enter your hook-up fee, per-mile rate, estimated miles, any extras and how soon you can get there. The customer sees your total.
- Get the job. When a customer accepts your bid, confirm it within 10 minutes. Once their payment is held, we let you know. You'll then see the exact pickup address and their phone number.
- Pick up. When you arrive, tap I've arrived, then enter the code the customer gives you. That confirms the pickup.
- Drop off and get paid. Tap Dropped off when the vehicle is delivered. Once the customer confirms (or after 10 hours), we send your payout: the tow amount minus our 10% fee. Stripe deposits it in your bank, usually within 2 business days.
If the customer isn't there
If you've arrived and the customer doesn't show, you can report it after a short wait. Our team reviews it and decides whether you're paid.
Subscription: $9.99 a month
Get a text the moment a tow request is posted near you (up to 300 a month), so you can bid first.
For advertisers
Reach drivers and pros in your area. Ads show on the Repair Jobs and Towing listings, never on the Mechanics tab.
- Create your ad. Mechanics and tow drivers go to Advertising in their dashboard. Other businesses contact us and we set it up for you.
- Choose where and how you pay. Pick Repair Jobs, Towing or both, the states and cities to target, and pay per day, per 1,000 views or per click.
- Add your link and image and pay. Upload a wide image for computers and an optional square one for phones, then pay by card.
- We review it and it goes live. Our team checks every ad and link. If it isn't approved, you get a full refund.
Track and pause your ad
Click Stats on your ad under Advertising to see views and clicks, how many different people saw and clicked it, your click rate, what you've spent and what's left, today's numbers, and a day-by-day view of the last 14 days.
Need a break? Click Pause and your ad stops showing right away. Click Resume when you're ready. If you pay per day, the paused days are added to the end of your ad, so you never lose a day you paid for. If you pay per view or per click, your budget isn't used while paused.
Prices
Per day: Repair Jobs $3, Towing $2, Both $4
Per 1,000 views: Repair Jobs $8, Towing $10, Both $8
Per click: Repair Jobs $1, Towing $1.25, Both $1
Each visitor sees the same ad up to 3 times a day.
Still have a question? We're happy to help.