Lightspeed EVO (now part of CDK Global) is the deep-feature incumbent in marine and powersports. Here's how the new lean alternative stacks up.
Lightspeed EVO is the most feature-rich DMS in marine/powersports — built-in F&I, deep OEM integrations, mature accounting. It's also the most expensive and the most contract-heavy. HelmDMS covers the operational core (POS, service, parts, scheduling, supplier ordering, SMS/voice, QuickBooks sync) at a flat $499/mo with no contract — and ships features Lightspeed doesn't (live multi-supplier search, caller ID, included automated voice calls).
| HelmDMS | Lightspeed EVO | |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical focus | Marine-only | Marine + powersports + RV |
| Pricing | $499/mo flat | ~$500–1,500+/mo, module-priced |
| Per-seat fees | No — unlimited | Yes |
| Contract | Month-to-month | 1–3 year contracts |
| Implementation | 2–3 weeks, included | 60–120 day implementations |
| Built-in F&I | Boat deal workflow (lighter F&I) | Yes — full F&I module |
| Built-in GL accounting | QuickBooks sync | Yes |
| Built-in SMS | Yes — included | Add-on (Kenect ~$300/mo or partner) |
| Automated voice calls | Yes — included | No native |
| Caller ID popup | Yes | No |
| Live multi-supplier search | Yes — exclusive | No |
| AI invoice scan-to-inventory | Yes — via ExoInvoice integration | No |
| OEM warranty integrations | Roadmap (Mercury, Yamaha) | Mature, deep |
| Modern web UI | Yes | EVO modern, NXT legacy mix |
| iPad / mobile | Native PWA | Workable |
| Support | Direct line, US team | Corporate (post-CDK acquisition) |
If you run a large multi-line dealership, finance boats in-house with mature F&I, manage heavy OEM warranty volume across multiple manufacturers, and need a battle-tested platform — Lightspeed is still the right call. The cost and contract pain are real, but the depth is real too. You're paying for it and you'll use it.
If you run an independent boat shop — maybe one location, maybe two — and you've been priced out of Lightspeed (or signed up and regretted it), HelmDMS gives you the operational core for a flat $499/mo, with the modern features Lightspeed never built (live supplier search, caller ID, built-in voice).
The honest framing: if you spend most of your day on POS, parts, service, scheduling, and customer communication, HelmDMS does that better and cheaper. If you spend most of your day on F&I and warranty submissions to four OEMs, Lightspeed still has the depth there.
CDK Global acquired Lightspeed in 2017. In the marine/powersports world, "CDK" usually means Lightspeed under CDK ownership — same product, plus the corporate support experience that CDK is known for. There isn't a separate "CDK Lightning Marine" SKU you'd compare against on its own.
Lightspeed exits are typically gated by contract end-dates. Plan ahead: if your renewal is 6 months out, that's the time to evaluate. We've helped dealers run HelmDMS in parallel during the wind-down. Migration covers customers, units, parts, vendors, open work orders.