CARFAX vs VINAudit

Are you planning on buying a used car? Is the decision the right one? We know this can be anxiety-inducing, and so many questions remain unanswered. VIN checking websites like CARFAX and VINAudit have got your back. Consider using these to help you during the decision-making process.

Using their websites and entering the information of a prospective vehicle will give you a CARFAX report or a VINAudit report. These reports are a document that is typically created when a car is bought, and it includes records of the car's history, including accidents, service records, and any recalls that have been issued.

From $9.99 per report
4.5 rating
4.5
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From $34.99 per report
4.5 rating
4.5
Ranks #6 out of 22 companies
CarFax Vs. VINAudit

Benefits Of CARFAX

CARFAX provides its users with significant help when they are buying used cars. Let us look at some benefits of using it.

  • CARFAX is one of the oldest services that offer car history records and hence is dependable.
  • The network of people and sources through which CARFAX attains its information is very vast.
  • CARFAX is a trustworthy source.

Benefits of VinAudit

If you opt for VINAudit as a tool to check the vehicle history, here are the advantages:

  • The cost of using VINAudit is lower than other services.
  • It provides information fast.
  • The information given by VINAudit is directly sourced from government and official records.
  • Includes information about future expenses on the vehicle.

Quality Breakdown

We’ve discussed in detail all the components of the VIN decoders mentioned.

Pricing

When using VINAudit, you have to pay $5 for one car, while $20 will allow you to check unlimited vehicles. However, no such option exists for CARFAX. To get one CARFAX report, the price is $39.99, and the highest number of reports one can get in one package is ten for $99.

What's Included?

The report that a customer receives is supposed to include all the necessary information to make a decision. The table below shows a list of the information provided and whether CARFAX and VINAudit offer these.

FeatureCARFAXVINAudit
Technical InformationYesYes
MileageYesYes
Accident HistoryYesYes - but limited
Ownership HistoryYesYes
Maintenance RecordsYesYes
RecallsYesYes
Insurance DataYesNo
Registration DataYesYes
Theft ReportsYesYes

VINAudit provides only limited accident records. VINAudit also doesn’t provide lien checks and maintenance history. On the other hand, CARFAX does not include information about manufacturer buybacks and salvage auctions.

Additional Information Provided

VIN check reports may or may not offer additional information that the buyer of a used car may need. This information may help them assess whether the vehicle is worth it or if they are striking the right deal. CARFAX doesn’t provide any additional info, while VINAudit provides the following data in its  reports.

  1. Market Value - Informs about the retail market value of the vehicle.
  2. Depreciation Of The Vehicle - This predicts the cost the buyer will incur over the next few years by owning the car.

How to Choose?

Weighing the pros and cons before deciding why one site should take precedence over the other is important. CARFAX provides reliable and extensive information from multiple sources but can be costly. VINAudit is cheaper and provides extra details about retail price and ownership costs. Consider what is more important to you and pick accordingly. In our opinion, CARFAX might be costly, but it is a good investment.

Editors Choice
5.0 rating
From $12.79 per report
Use discount code: vinmentor
Ranks #1 out of 22 companies
5.0 rating
From $14.99 per report
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4.8 rating
From $14.99 per report
Ranks #3 out of 22 companies
4.5 rating
From $9.99 per report
Ranks #4 out of 22 companies