In this article, we will look at the 10 best Carfax alternatives to check vehicle history. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Best Carfax Alternatives to Check Vehicle History.
Carfax VS AutoCheck: A Comparative Analysis
Vehicle history reports are essential when purchasing used cars. These reports use the vehicle identification number (VIN) to extract the event history of a car, highlighting any major accidents or repairs it might have undergone in the past. Carfax and AutoCheck are two renowned platforms that provide essential background information for a car.
Carfax is part of S&P Global Inc.'s (NYSE:SPGI) S&P Global Mobility division and is a leading American company that sells used cars. The company is known for its vehicle history reports, listings, maintenance, and advice. The vehicle history service by Carfax includes accident history, ownership history, title history, mileage information, recall information, and service and maintenance details. A vehicle history report by Carfax costs $44.99 for a single report, $64.99 for three reports, and $99.99 for 5 reports. On April 22, Carfax announced that General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) had approved Carfax car listings as an In Market Retail (IRM) Turnkey product. The collaboration brings a pool of more than 25 million browsing customers for General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) dealers. Moreover, consumers would be able to select new, used, or certified pre-owned General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) cars and would also be able to check their history through Carfax vehicle history reports.
On the other hand, AutoCheck is part of Experian PLC (OTCMKTS:EXPGY). The company works on a model similar to Carfax and provides vehicle history reports. A vehicle history report at AutoCheck costs around $24.99, whereas the cost of 5 reports is $49.99. While most of the services offered by AutoCheck are similar to Carfax, its reports do not include details on services and maintenance. The platform takes the lead by providing proprietary car scores to help gauge the car's condition. The scoring system by AutoCheck is based on a score and a range system of 75 to 90. To read about car insurance, you can look at 15 States with the Cheapest Car Insurance In The US and the 10 Best Cheap Car Insurance in New Jersey for 2024.
An Overview of the Global Automotive Industry
According to a report by the Market Research Future, the global automotive industry was valued at $4.07 trillion in 2024. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.9%, reaching $6.95 trillion by 2032. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow fastest due to a strong automotive industry in China and India. The region is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% from 2022 to 2030. You can also look at the 15 Best Selling Car Brands in the World to read more about car brands.
One of the major trends in the industry is the worldwide transition towards all-electric cars. On April 25, Reuters reported the opening of China's largest auto show, showcasing local brands' latest electric vehicles. Automakers are expected to reveal around 117 of the latest models against 93 models revealed last year. Moreover, the show is expected to host 278 new energy vehicles. The new energy vehicles have recorded a milestone sales hit, accounting for 50% of the cars sold in China in early April 2024. William Li, founder and CEO of Chinese EV maker Nio Inc. (NYSE:NIO), said:
"If you come here, you should have no doubt about EVs anymore. It is actually not the future but is what's happening right now."
In addition to the global automotive industry, the used cars market is also on the rise. According to a report by Global Market Insights, the global used cars market was valued at $1.5 trillion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2023 to 2032 and reach $2.6 trillion by the end of the forecasted period. The affordability of used cars and the rise in digital platforms offering vehicle history, car listings, and comparisons are driving growth in the market. On January 23, CNBC reported that Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), a leading e-commerce platform, is piloting a program to allow dealers to sell cars through Amazon.com, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AMZN) website. The program is set to launch with Hyundai Motor Company (OTC:HYMTF) and will open for other brands by the end of 2024. This program is expected to transform the automotive industry and boost sales for companies selling cars through Amazon.com, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AMZN) website.
Key Players in the Automotive Industry
Mercedes-Benz Group AG (ETR:MBG), Nio Inc (NYSE:NIO), and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (NYSE:HMC) are some of the leading players in the automotive industry.
Mercedes-Benz Group AG (ETR:MBG) is a leading automotive company that manufactures and markets luxury cars and vans. Based in Germany, the company also operates offers financing, leasing, car subscription, and fleet management services. On April 25, Mercedes-Benz Group AG (ETR:MBG) announced the launch of new Mercedes AMG E 53 hybrid 4MATIC models. The new Mercedes is available in saloon and estate variants, featuring an AMG speedshift 9G transmission. The new models are available through retail partners, and the pricing starts at 109,242 euros for the saloon and 111,741 euros for the estate.
Nio Inc. (NYSE:NIO) is a premium Chinese smart electric vehicle company that engages in the research, development, and sales of smart electric vehicles, powertrains, and batteries. Some of the flagship models by Nio Inc. (NYSE:NIO) include eT7, eT9, eC6 and eS6. On February 26 Nio Inc. (NYSE:NIO) announced its collaboration with Forseven Limited for a technology license. The license will grant Forseven Limited non-exclusive and non-transferable worldwide rights to use Nio Inc.'s (NYSE:NIO) existing and future technical information, technical solutions, software, and intellectual property rights against a technology license fee.
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (NYSE:HMC) is a leading international manufacturer of automobiles. The company is based in Tokyo, Japan. On April 25, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (NYSE:HMC) announced its plan to build a comprehensive electric vehicle value chain in Canada. The company is looking to invest approximately CAD$15 billion, including joint-venture investments, to prepare for the upcoming demand for electric vehicles in North America. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (NYSE:HMC) expects electric vehicle production to start in 2028. Moreover, once the plant is fully operational, it is expected to have a production capacity of 240,000 EVs annually.
With this context, let's look at the 10 best Carfax alternatives to check vehicle history.
10 Best Carfax Alternatives to Check Vehicle History
An auto repair shop with a car in the foreground, demonstrating the need for comprehensive automobile coverage.
Our Methodology
To compile the list of 10 best alternatives to Carfax to check vehicle history, we sifted through more than 10 sources on the internet. From these sources, we selected only those Carfax alternatives that appeared in at least 50% of our sources. We then ranked these alternatives based on the total number of visits in the past 28 days from Similarweb. The list of 10 best Carfax alternatives to check vehicle history is ranked in ascending order of the total site visits recorded on April 25, 2024.
10 Best Carfax Alternatives To Check Vehicle History
10. VIN Check Pro
Total Site Visits as of April 25, 2024: 34,400
VIN Check Pro ranks 10th on our list of best Carfax alternatives to check vehicle history. The platform provides free vehicle history reports, including safety ratings, recalls or defects, accident history, vehicle problems, total loss records, theft checks, etc. Vin Check Pro has checked over 3,157,458 vehicles and was visited by 34,400 people during the past 28 days.
9. Vinsmart
Total Site Visits as of April 25, 2024: 48,600
Vinsmart ranks as the 9th best Carfax alternatives to check vehicle history. The platform charges $9.99 per report and offers discounts on multiple reports. A vehicle history report by Vinsmart includes title history, vehicle value history, safety recalls, damage and salvage checks, and lease checks. 48,600 people visited Vinsmart during the past 28 days.
8. Vehicle.report
Total Site Visits as of April 25, 2024: 75,700
Vehicle.report is a free vehicle history checking platform providing users with free VIN and license plate checking facilities. The platform ranks 8th on our list of 10 best Carfax alternatives to check vehicle history and had approximately 75,700 traffic on its website during the last 28 days.
7. VinAudit.com
Total Site Visits as of April 25, 2024: 268,300
VinAudit.com ranks as the 7th best Carfax alternatives to check vehicle history. A vehicle history report costs $9.99 for individual inquiries. However, you can get five reports for $19.99 and ten reports for $29.99. The platform has sold over 20 million reports and over 1000 active partners.
6. NICB VIN Check Lookup
Total Site Visits as of April 25, 2024: 412,300
VIN Check Lookup by the National Insurance Crime Bureau is a free lookup service for the public to determine a vehicle for insurance theft and other vehicle history-related details. The platform allows up to 5 searches a day per IP address. It ranks as the 6th best Carfax alternatives to check vehicle history with 412,300 site visits during the past 28 days.
