Car Show Pro vs Car Show Expert at a Glance
Car Show Pro information sourced from carshowpro.com as of September 17, 2026. Where a capability isn't described on their public site, it's marked “Not publicly documented” rather than assumed absent.
| Feature | Car Show Pro | Car Show Expert |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Yes Online and/or on-site | Yes Online, no login required; walk-ins supported |
| Payments | Yes Built-in card processing, 4.2% + $0.39 per transaction | Yes Stripe card payments; Venmo/Zelle/Cash App also supported |
| Judging | Yes 3 formats: Traditional, Freestyle, Concours | Yes Fully custom scoring criteria |
| Judging forms | Yes Custom criteria per auto classification | Yes Custom criteria per class |
| Check-in | Not publicly documented A gate check-in workflow distinct from judging/voting QR use isn't described on Car Show Pro's site | Yes QR scan or name search |
| QR check-in | Not publicly documented QR is documented for voting and judging; not explicitly for check-in | Yes Works offline, syncs when signal returns |
| Voting | Yes QR, URL, or manual search — Best in Show or Best in Class | Yes QR-based, one vote per person enforced, fraud detection |
| Participant management | Yes Free participant accounts with vehicle “Garage” | Yes Participant accounts with show history and awards |
| Vehicle management | Yes Unlimited custom auto classifications | Yes Unlimited custom classes |
| Event results | Yes Automatic winner's lists, exportable reports | Yes Public results page, published instantly, winners emailed |
| Communication | Not publicly documented Not documented on Car Show Pro's public site | Yes Automated confirmation and results emails |
| Pricing | Per registration, from $2.39 | Free plan, or $29/show, or $49/mo Pro |
| Free option | Not publicly documented Free participant accounts exist; no stated free plan for organizers | Yes Free plan runs real shows |
| Offline functionality | Not publicly documented Site describes an internet connection as required; no offline mode documented | Yes Check-in and judging work without signal |
Registration
Car Show Pro supports online and on-site registration, with credit card processing built in for online transactions (4.2% + $0.39 per transaction, per its published pricing page).
Car Show Expert registration is a public form that doesn't require participants to create an account, with Stripe card payments plus manual payment methods (Venmo, Zelle, Cash App) available. Organizers can also add walk-in entries on show day, and past-attendee vehicle details can be reused via a saved participant “Garage.”
Judging
Car Show Pro offers three built-in judging formats — Traditional (score every criterion), Freestyle (judges can skip criteria, suited to team judging), and Concours (point-deduction scoring) — with multiple judges' scores averaged per car.
Car Show Expert doesn't use fixed formats — organizers define their own scoring criteria per class. Judges score from their phone and results tally automatically as scores come in.
Check-In
Car Show Pro's public site describes a built-in QR code scanner used for People's Choice voting and by event judges to look up a car. It doesn't separately document a gate check-in workflow, so we can't confirm one exists from public information — check with the provider if this is a requirement for your show.
Car Show Expert has a dedicated check-in step: gate staff scan a car's QR code or search by name from any phone, and it works without a data connection, syncing once signal returns.
Voting
Car Show Pro's People's Choice supports QR code scanning, a typed voting URL, or manual Auto ID search, with a paper ticket option for spectators without a smartphone. Administrators choose between a single Best in Show vote or per-class Best in Class voting.
Car Show Expert's People's Choice voting is QR-based, with one vote per person enforced and built-in duplicate/fraud detection. Classes can be excluded from voting or grouped into custom voting categories.
Pricing
Pricing checked: September 17, 2026. Both vendors can change pricing at any time — verify current figures before budgeting.
Car Show Pro: a platform fee starting at $2.39 per registration, decreasing with volume, plus a 4.2% + $0.39 payment processing fee per online transaction. No monthly or setup fees — cost scales with entry count.
Car Show Expert: a free Standard plan (up to 3 active Basic Shows), Expert Shows at $29 per show, or a $49/month Pro plan with unlimited Expert Shows. Cost is fixed per show or per month rather than scaling with entry count.
Which Platform Fits Your Event?
Neither platform is a universal best fit — it depends on your show's size, budget, and workflow.
Car Show Expert may be worth considering if you are looking for a flat cost per show regardless of entry count, custom (rather than fixed) judging criteria, check-in that keeps working without cell signal, or a free tier to run real shows before paying anything.
Car Show Pro may be worth considering if you specifically need one of its three named judging formats out of the box, on-site registration with built-in card processing, or a paper-ticket voting option for spectators without smartphones.
Questions Organizers Ask
- What is the difference between Car Show Pro and Car Show Expert?
- The biggest documented differences are pricing model and judging flexibility. Car Show Pro charges per registration (from $2.39, plus a card processing fee); Car Show Expert uses a free plan plus a flat $29 per Expert Show, or a $49/month Pro plan for unlimited shows. On judging, Car Show Pro offers three built-in formats; Car Show Expert lets you build custom scoring criteria from scratch. Check-in and offline support are also not both documented the same way — see the tables above.
- How much does Car Show Pro cost?
- As of September 17, 2026, Car Show Pro's published pricing is a platform fee starting at $2.39 per registration (decreasing with volume), plus a 4.2% + $0.39 payment processing fee per online transaction, with no monthly or setup fees. Verify current pricing at carshowpro.com before deciding.
- How much does Car Show Expert cost?
- The Standard plan is free for up to 3 active Basic Shows. Expert Shows (judging, QR check-in, People's Choice voting) are $29 per show, or unlimited on the $49/month Pro plan.
- Can both platforms handle online registration?
- Yes. Both Car Show Pro and Car Show Expert support online registration, based on each platform's public documentation.
- Can both platforms handle judging?
- Yes, but differently. Car Show Pro offers three fixed judging formats (Traditional, Freestyle, Concours). Car Show Expert lets organizers define their own scoring criteria rather than choosing from a fixed list.
- Which platforms support car show check-in?
- Car Show Expert documents a specific QR-scan-or-name-search check-in workflow that works offline. Car Show Pro's public site describes QR code use for judging and People's Choice voting; it doesn't separately document a gate check-in feature, so that's marked “not publicly documented” above rather than assumed absent.