Frequently asked.
The answers we give over and over again, written down.
How much does MetalShopHQ cost?
Two plans, billed monthly per shop. Core is $149/month and includes jobs, time, drawings, inventory, purchasing, and one location. Pro is $299/month and adds AI document ingest, multiple locations, shop-floor TV / auto-refreshing board, and priority support. Both plans include unlimited users. Full details on the pricing page, or talk to us if you also use MetalCutHQ — bundle pricing applies.
Do I need MetalCutHQ to use MetalShopHQ?
No. They’re independent products that happen to share a login and a shop record. Use MetalShopHQ on its own, or pair it with MetalCutHQ if you also want instant customer-facing quoting.
Who owns my data?
You do. We don’t train AI on your shop’s data, we don’t sell it to third parties, and we don’t make your files publicly addressable. Uploads are served via signed URLs.
Can my shop floor staff use it on a phone or tablet?
Yes. Time tracking, drawings, and the jobs board are designed for thumbs and gloves. Most shops put a tablet at each station and a TV on the wall.
Can I import my existing jobs, customers, or suppliers?
Customer and supplier CSV imports are on the roadmap. In the meantime, if you’ve got an existing list, send it to us when you set up — we’ll help load it in. Reach out via the shop enquiry form.
What does AI document ingest actually do?
Drop a supplier PDF or photo (invoice, quote, packing slip). MetalShopHQ AI reads it and pulls out the supplier name, document number, and total — then drafts a PO for you to review. Nothing saves until you commit. It works best on type-set PDFs; handwritten or heavily scanned documents are hit-or-miss.
What roles can I assign to team members?
- Owner — full control.
- Purchaser — jobs, suppliers, POs, costs, AI ingest.
- Operator — stock and job uploads; no costs visible.
- Shop Staff — sees assigned jobs, drawings, photos; logs own time; no costs.
- Viewer — read-only.
Is there a free trial?
Yes — every new shop gets a 14-day free trial on either Core or Pro. We collect your card up front so the transition to paid is seamless, but no charge happens until day 15. Cancel anytime before then and you won’t be billed.
Where are you based?
Squamish, BC, Canada. We work with shops across North America.