The dealership OS you actually want to use.
Helm replaces your creaky 40-year-old DMS with a modern, AI-native platform. Inventory, service, sales, and CRM in one bilingual system — built for boat, RV, and trailer dealers.
No credit card · Set up with you, not a sales cycle · Migrate from IDS, DX1, or Lightspeed
Three verticals. One platform.
Boats, RVs, and trailers all have their own quirks — HIN vs VIN, seasonal service, unique OEM feeds. Helm handles all three natively, so you can run every location from one dashboard.
Marine
HIN decoding, engine hours tracking, winterization workflows, warranty registration with OEMs like Yamaha, Mercury, and Volvo Penta.
RV
VIN decoding, PDI checklists, open-recall lookups, floor-plan financing, insurance integration, walkthrough delivery flows.
Trailer
Serial and axle tracking, GVWR / payload catalogs, DOT inspections, quick-quote for cargo/utility/dump/gooseneck configurations.
Diagnose. Quote. Write the RO.
Your customer describes the problem in plain words. Helm suggests likely causes, parts needed, and a fair labor estimate at your posted labor rate.
- Clogged fuel filter (78% match — 3 similar tickets last 90d)
- Vapor lock from ethanol fuel
- Failing high-pressure fuel pump
- · OEM fuel filter kit — $34.50
- · Fuel line assembly — $89
- · Optional: HP fuel pump — $412
AI-first, not AI-added.
The competition bolted a chatbot onto software from 1995. Helm was designed AI-first — every screen, every workflow.
Customer says "my outboard bogs down at half throttle" — Helm suggests likely causes, parts needed, labor estimate, and a fair quote in seconds.
Drop a warranty claim, repair order, insurance certificate, or vendor invoice — Helm extracts every field and files it correctly. No re-keying.
"Show me all 2023 pontoons under $60k I haven't shown in 30 days" — instant results across every table.
Every screen, every printout, every customer email works in English and Spanish. Your bilingual staff finally has a tool that meets them halfway.
One inventory, many stores. A unit moved between locations stays in transit until the receiving store confirms it arrived, so nothing goes missing in the gap, and every report rolls up across the group or narrows to one lot.
The floor sales rep, the service tech, the parts counter — every role has a mobile UI designed for one hand and a busy shop. Not a shrunk-down desktop.
Real prices on our pricing page, not a form to fill in. A 30-day pilot on your own inventory, set up with us, and no billing switched on until you say so.
CSV export from every list, and a QuickBooks- and Xero-compatible ledger export. No integration fees, no export fee, no hostage-taking on the way out. A public API is on the roadmap.
Export units, customers and parts from your current system as CSV and map the columns once, with us. Deals, repair orders and ledger history are not imported yet, so those start fresh.
Everything IDS, DX1, and Lightspeed do — done better.
Swipe the table to compare →
| Feature | Helm | IDS-Astra | DX1 | Lightspeed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern web UI (2020s) | ~ | |||
| AI service advisor | ||||
| PDF drop-and-extract | ||||
| Natural-language search | ||||
| Bilingual EN / ES | ||||
| Transparent pricing | ||||
| Set up with you, not a sales cycle | ||||
| CSV export from every list | ~ | ~ | ||
| Multi-vertical (marine + RV + trailer) | ||||
| Mobile-native, not shrunk desktop | ~ | ~ |
Based on publicly available product information as of 2026. Comparison is our best-effort read; if we've got it wrong, email hi@helmdealer.com and we'll correct it.
One price. Every module.
No feature-gating. No per-module fees. No per-integration charges. Pay per active user.
Every module, every user, one number. There is nothing held back for a higher tier.
- All modules: Inventory, Sales, Service, Parts, CRM, Accounting
- AI Service Advisor and PDF ingestion
- Bilingual EN / ES throughout
- Your own chart of accounts
Helm is not self-serve. Your store is configured with us, on a call, using your own data.
- We import your units, customers and parts from CSV
- We set your tax rate, fees, labour rates and account names
- No charge for this, and no obligation afterwards
Ready to run your dealership from anywhere?
Join the waitlist. First 50 dealers get 40% off for life and free white-glove migration.