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There is a good reason why “Carfax” is almost synonymous with “car reports.” Many even conflate these words to form “Carfax reports.” Carfax has been an excellent source for vehicle history since the 80s. And its reputation as a go-to for car reports and premium VIN checker is well-deserved. However, unlike in the past, Carfax now finds itself in a more competitive market with emerging carfax alternatives that are great in their own right. Sometimes, Carfax alternatives can prove superior to Carfax, value-wise.
Not everyone is a fan of Carfax’s usual rates for history reports. Others find their charges pricey for the service they offer. Some are not fond of their report’s general outline, finding them confusing. With that said, it is easy to see why being an alternative to Carfax can make perfect business sense.
The table below provides a quick overview of alternative services to Carfax for obtaining vehicle history reports. Each alternative is summarized with its main features, pricing, and any extra resources offered:
The chance to compensate for its inadequacies, such as being a cheaper alternative to Carfax, can appeal to many disgruntled buyers. If carfax quality is much to be desired for you, do not hesitate to try out these best carfax alternatives you can find on the internet right now.
VinAudit.com, launched in 2012, is a solid choice for a Carfax alternative. The car report provider intends to deliver reports with Carfax-like quality at heavily discounted prices. The standard retail price for a VinAudit.com report is $9.99; four times cheaper than a single Carfax ($39.99). Best of all, their subscription-based service can easily blow Carfax out of the water. Once you register with their $20 per month service, you can read as many vehicle history reports as you like. These are clear proof that getting 60 + title checks across 28 million super-reliable documents does not have to be expensive. Besides VIN Check, VinAudit also offers unique resources rarely found anywhere, which, to name a few;
Founded in 2017, VinCheck.info has quickly caught up with the competition, offering a promising 10-page report to anyone who avails of its car reporting services.
VinCheck.info is possibly the next closest thing to a free Carfax right now. And here is why;
The online vehicle research service, Vehicle.report, was recently launched in 2021. Nevertheless, it has already made its presence felt in the car report industry. Vehicle.report has gone the extra mile to make learning about cars as reasonably punctual as possible. Its primary selling point is to cover its operating cost through advertisements while giving away free car reports to everyone in need of vital information.
More importantly, visitors may also freely take advantage of their car buying resources like;
Is Vehicle.report worth it? Absolutely! Its user-friendly service and top-notch-quality reporting make it a high-value proposition for buyers and sellers alike.
Below are the critical details featured by Vehicle.report’s car data;
Carfax’s oldest rival is AutoCheck. Like Carfax, it offers premium prices, albeit at a much lower range. AutoCheck reports show a similar layout to Carfax reports. Its most distinguishing feature is the AutoCheck score, which has no equivalent in other Carfax competitors. The AutoCheck score serves as a quick, general indicator of the overall state of the vehicle. The higher the score, the higher the predicted reliability of a car. Now, let us compare the prices of AutoCheck with Carfax’s;
VinCheckPro claims to provide comprehensive vehicle information minus the expensive price tags found in more established car report providers. The web design is commendable, the content is easy to read, and the colors are not painful to the eyes; a cheaper alternative to Carfax that has not cheapened out on basic customer service. And like the other car report providers mentioned earlier, VinCheckPro.com comes with Free VIN Check and License Plate Search.
You can use either tool to generate a vehicle history report, which provides a background on;
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) claims to be “the country’s leading NGO dedicated to preventing, detecting, and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft.” Using their access to massive volumes of data, the organization operates its own VIN search tool to spread awareness on vehicles tagged under ‘motor vehicle theft’ or ‘salvage record’ claims. In these aspects, it has the best claim to being the best Carfax alternative.
The VIN check is free, but users are limited to five entries every 24 hours. To reiterate the pros of NICB VIN Check;
The National Highway Traffic Safety Authority (NHTSA) is an agency under the US Department of Transportation dedicated to minimizing the casualties and incidents of motor vehicle crashes. NHTSA runs a free VIN check for recalls, and here is what you need to know about it;
What the recall check recognizes:
Not everyone is a fan of Carfax’s usual rates for history reports. Others find their charges pricey for the service they offer. Some are not fond of their report’s general outline, finding them confusing. With that said, it is easy to see why being an alternative to Carfax can make perfect business sense.
The table below provides a quick overview of alternative services to Carfax for obtaining vehicle history reports. Each alternative is summarized with its main features, pricing, and any extra resources offered:
| Carfax Alternatives | Features | Pricing | Additional Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| VinAudit.com | Comprehensive reports, subscription service, unique resources | $9.99 per report, $20/month subscription | VIN audit tools, Vehicle Data APIs(Vehicle History, Specification, Vehicle Images, Market Value and Ownership Cost) |
| VinCheck.info | 10-page report, quick and simple to use, multiple data mining tools | Free | VIN check, VIN decoder, license plate lookup |
| Vehicle.report | Free car reports, user-friendly service, high-quality reporting | Free | Free vehicle report, VIN decoder, license plate lookup |
| AutoCheck.com | AutoCheck score, competitive pricing, various report packages | $24.99 per report, package deals available | N/A |
| VinCheckPro.com | Comprehensive vehicle information, user-friendly design, free tools | Free | Free VIN Decoder, license plate search, Motorcycle VIN Check |
| NICB VINCheck Lookup | Focus on vehicle theft and salvage records, free VIN check | Free (limited to 5 entries per 24 hours) | N/A |
| NHTSA Safety Recalls | Free VIN check for recalls, focuses on major recalls | Free | N/A |
1.VinAudit.com
VinAudit.com, launched in 2012, is a solid choice for a Carfax alternative. The car report provider intends to deliver reports with Carfax-like quality at heavily discounted prices. The standard retail price for a VinAudit.com report is $9.99; four times cheaper than a single Carfax ($39.99). Best of all, their subscription-based service can easily blow Carfax out of the water. Once you register with their $20 per month service, you can read as many vehicle history reports as you like. These are clear proof that getting 60 + title checks across 28 million super-reliable documents does not have to be expensive. Besides VIN Check, VinAudit also offers unique resources rarely found anywhere, which, to name a few;
- VIN audit tools like Market Value and Ownership Cost calculators
- Car Buyer and Seller Checklists to track your progress
- A downloadable link for a Free Vehicle Bill of Sale Template for faster and more convenient car sales.
- Vehicle Specifications
- Odometer Checks
- Title Records (60 + title brands)
- Junk, Salvage, Insurance Records
- Accident Records
- Theft Records
- Lien, Impound, Export Records
- Salvage Auction Records
- Sales Records
- Supplemental Resources (e.g. Market Value, Ownership Cost)
2. VinCheck.info
Founded in 2017, VinCheck.info has quickly caught up with the competition, offering a promising 10-page report to anyone who avails of its car reporting services.
VinCheck.info is possibly the next closest thing to a free Carfax right now. And here is why;
- It is quick, easy, and simple to use. No subscription or credit card is needed. It does not oversell either, unlike other Carfax competitors
- You are not limited to either VIN or license plate number only — VIN check, VIN decoder, and license plate lookup, among others – make sure that you have multiple data mining tools at your disposal.
- VinCheck.info reports are sourced from many private and government entities, assuring that you get the best possible information on a car in real time.
- Theft, Salvage, Sales Records
- Sales Records
- Accident, Flood Check Records
- Market Value
- Ownership Cost
- Vehicle Specifications
- Equipment Details
- Fuel Efficiency
- NMVTIS Data
- Fuel Efficiency
- Safety Rating
- Inspection Checklist
- Recalls & Defects
- Auto Insurance
3. Vehicle.report
The online vehicle research service, Vehicle.report, was recently launched in 2021. Nevertheless, it has already made its presence felt in the car report industry. Vehicle.report has gone the extra mile to make learning about cars as reasonably punctual as possible. Its primary selling point is to cover its operating cost through advertisements while giving away free car reports to everyone in need of vital information.
More importantly, visitors may also freely take advantage of their car buying resources like;
Is Vehicle.report worth it? Absolutely! Its user-friendly service and top-notch-quality reporting make it a high-value proposition for buyers and sellers alike.
Below are the critical details featured by Vehicle.report’s car data;
- Vehicle Specifications
- Critical Issues
- Recalls and Defects
- Sales Records
- Market Value
- Ownership Cost
- Equipment Details
- Fuel Efficiency
- Safety Rating
- Inspection Checklist
- Vehicle Timeline
- Title History
- Auto Insurance
4. AutoCheck
Carfax’s oldest rival is AutoCheck. Like Carfax, it offers premium prices, albeit at a much lower range. AutoCheck reports show a similar layout to Carfax reports. Its most distinguishing feature is the AutoCheck score, which has no equivalent in other Carfax competitors. The AutoCheck score serves as a quick, general indicator of the overall state of the vehicle. The higher the score, the higher the predicted reliability of a car. Now, let us compare the prices of AutoCheck with Carfax’s;
- $24.99 is the standard cost for a single AutoCheck report, which is 40% cheaper than the Carfax equivalent ($39.99).
- Meanwhile, AutoCheck’s $49.99 order delivers 25 car reports — a much better deal than Carfax’s $59.99 order for three reports.
- A much more outrageous comparison is the $99 order. For AutoCheck, it is equivalent to 300 reports. In contrast, Carfax only offers six reports for this price.
- AutoCheck Score
- Title Brands
- Ownership History
- Vehicle Use
- Accident Check
- Brand Check
- Specific Event Check
- Odometer Check
- Open Safety Recall Check
5.VinCheckPro
VinCheckPro claims to provide comprehensive vehicle information minus the expensive price tags found in more established car report providers. The web design is commendable, the content is easy to read, and the colors are not painful to the eyes; a cheaper alternative to Carfax that has not cheapened out on basic customer service. And like the other car report providers mentioned earlier, VinCheckPro.com comes with Free VIN Check and License Plate Search.
You can use either tool to generate a vehicle history report, which provides a background on;
- Critical Issues
- Sales Records
- Vehicle Specifications
- Warranty, Maintenance, Insurance
- Inspection Checklist
- Title History
- Timeline
- Additional Resources (links to other helpful sites)
6. NICB VINCheck Lookup
- It is free to use until you hit the five-entry limit that resets every 24 hours
- It uncovers vehicle theft claims
- It uncovers salvage record claims
7. NHTSA Safety Recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Authority (NHTSA) is an agency under the US Department of Transportation dedicated to minimizing the casualties and incidents of motor vehicle crashes. NHTSA runs a free VIN check for recalls, and here is what you need to know about it;
What the recall check recognizes:
- Major recall campaigns in the past 15 years
- Major recalls of 64 big automakers and manufacturers
- VINs from passenger cars, motorcycles, and trucks
- Some recall campaigns over 15 years ago
- Minor non-safety recalls
- Recalls by minor automakers and manufacturers
