Carfax alternatives worth knowing
A Carfax report costs $44.99 at retail, so it's fair to ask what else is out there. Some alternatives cover different ground, some are free, and one isn't a report at all. Here's what each is good for.
By the Carfax Vin Check team · Updated
AutoCheck
The other full vehicle history report, run by Experian. It costs $29.99 for one at retail and covers the same ground as Carfax: accidents, title brands, owners and odometer readings. It's strongest on auction data and adds a score that compares the car with similar ones.
The two are compared line by line in Carfax vs AutoCheck.
NMVTIS title reports
The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System is a federal database that states, insurers, junk yards and salvage yards report into. Approved providers sell reports from it for a few dollars. An NMVTIS report is good at the things it was built for: title brands like salvage, junk and flood, total losses, and odometer readings recorded at title transfer.
What it lacks is everything between title events: accident details, service records and how the car was used. Many budget “vehicle history reports” sold online are NMVTIS data plus a little extra, so check the sources before comparing them with Carfax on price.
Free government and insurer checks
- NICB VINCheck: free from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Shows unrecovered thefts and total losses reported by participating insurers.
- NHTSA recalls: safety recalls for the model. Our recall check looks them up from a VIN.
- VIN decoding: confirms the year, make, model, engine and plant from NHTSA data. Try the VIN decoder.
Run these on any car you're considering. They cost nothing, and a theft record or a wrong engine ends the conversation early.
A pre-purchase inspection
Not a report, but the check that catches what reports miss. A mechanic you choose puts the car on a lift and looks for frame repair, fresh paint, leaks and worn parts. An accident that was never reported to anyone won't appear on any history report; it can still show up under the car. Expect to pay a local shop for an hour or so of labor.
Or Carfax, for less
If what you really want is the Carfax report without the retail price, that's what we sell: the same report for $7.99, or $3.50 each in the 20-pack. See a full sample before you decide.
Which to use
- Start with the free checks. They take two minutes.
- Run a full history report, Carfax or AutoCheck, on any car you'd actually buy.
- Book an inspection before you pay.
Questions
AutoCheck is the closest: a full history report built from a different set of records. For title problems alone, an NMVTIS report is cheaper. None of them replaces an inspection by a mechanic.
Not a full one. NICB's VINCheck (theft and insurance total losses) and NHTSA's recall data are free and worth running, but neither shows accidents, owners or service history.
Many low-cost reports are built mainly from NMVTIS and a few other sources. They're good at title brands and odometer records, thinner on accidents and service history. Check which data a report actually uses before comparing prices.