The Best Online Tools for Car Buyers of 2024
Written by: BestApp.com App Testing Team - Updated: Dec 01, 2021
There are plenty of online tools available to help car buyers find and compare prices, view vehicle history reports, get financing, and more. Carvana is our pick for the best online tool for car buyers as it makes it easy to browse cars, compare prices, trade in vehicles, and get financing. If Carvana doesn’t have the features you’re looking for, though, we found nine other great options to help you find the right vehicle. Here are the 10 best online tools for car buyers to try.
Top 10 Online Tools for Car Buyers to Try
- Carvana — Top Pick
- Consumer Reports — Best Free Version
- CarMax — Best for Financing
- Edmunds — Best for Expert Reviews
- Kelley Blue Book — Best for Car Valuation
- TrueCar — Best for Price Comparison
- Cars.com — Best for Price Tracking
- CarFax — Best for Vehicle History Reports
- eBay Motors — Best for Parts & Accessories
- Autolist — Best for Used Cars
How We Chose the Best Online Tools for Car Buyers
We based our list of the best online car buying tools on three primary features: the ability to browse cars for sale, car valuations, and car reviews from users and experts. These core capabilities help users find affordable vehicles in their areas and compare their options to find the one that meets their unique needs.
Choose the car buying app that’s right for you
Every app on our list is free, so it’s up to you to test out multiple apps and find the one that’s right for you. Depending on your needs, you might prefer apps like Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds that help users determine fair value for their vehicles, while apps like Carvana and CarMax are better for browsing and purchasing cars.
Compare prices
One of the most important things to do when shopping for cars is to compare prices to ensure you are getting a fair deal. Apps like TrueCar and Edmunds make it easy to view price history charts to see what other consumers have paid for vehicles that you’re interested in.
Our Car Buying App Reviews
Carvana — Top Pick
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Carvana is the best online tool for car buyers due to its wide range of consumer-friendly features. Unlike other car buying platforms, Carvana performs a 150-point inspection on every vehicle to ensure all cars listed for sale are suitable for purchase. Carvana does not accept cars that have been in an accident, and all vehicles have a fixed, no-haggle price. When browsing, you can see a 360-degree view of every vehicle, and after making a purchase, you can pick up your car from a Carvana vending machine or have it delivered to your home. All cars can be returned within a week for any reason. Carvana users can get pre-approved for financing through the website. For sellers, Carvana will give you an online estimate, and if you decide to sell, a Carvana representative will come to your home to perform an inspection and pick up the car.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: Email, Chat, FAQs
| Carvana Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| All vehicles are thoroughly inspected | No car reviews |
| 7-day returns | |
| Easy selling process | |
Consumer Reports — Best Free Version
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Consumer Reports is a nonprofit organization designed to help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions. Users can use Consumer Reports to find research and reviews for cars, parts, and accessories. It also offers a used car marketplace, a trade-in estimator, and a car buying guide to help you find the right vehicle. Unlike any other app on our list, Consumer Reports features a Car Recall Tracker that tells you if your car has been recalled and what to do next if it has. Upgrading to a paid membership gives you access to additional features like Consumer Reports savings and deals, but the free plan includes everything you need to research and buy vehicles.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: Digital Monthly: $10/month; All Access: $59/year
- Support available: Live Chat, Email, FAQs
| Consumer Reports Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Car trade-in estimator | No financing help |
| Car reviews | |
| Car buying guides | |
CarMax — Best for Financing
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
CarMax is one of the best and most popular online platforms for buying and selling new and used cars. Like Carvana, all vehicles on CarMax include a fixed price and it offers express pickup and home delivery. What makes CarMax stand out is its easy pre-approval process for financing. Buyers can get pre-approved in as little as 20 minutes, and all financing offers are good for three days, giving you plenty of time to compare rates. CarMax uses AutoCheck for vehicle history reports, and buyers can take cars for a 24-hour test drive before making a final decision. After making a purchase, CarMax has a 30-day return policy, but you can’t drive for more than 1,500 miles during this time.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: Phone, Email, Help Center/FAQs
| CarMax Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Fast pre-approval process | Trade-in offers often lower than expected |
| AutoCheck vehicle history reports | |
| 24-hour test drives | |
Edmunds — Best for Expert Reviews
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Edmunds is often used as an alternative to Kelley Blue Book for car valuations and trade-in estimates, but what make it stand out from similar apps are the expert reviews for each car listed on the platform. Users can read detailed reviews, including pros and cons, safety features, and vehicle specs to make an informed purchasing decision. You can also see price history charts to see what other consumers paid for similar vehicles. While browsing, you can compare vehicles side-by-side and save favorites to reference later. You can easily view local listings and deal ratings for each vehicle, and Edmunds provides real-time price drop alerts to make it as easy as possible to find great deals.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: Email, Help Center, Ticket
| Edmunds Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Expert car reviews | No trade-ins |
| Price history charts | |
| Price drop alerts | |
Kelley Blue Book — Best for Car Valuation
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Kelley Blue Book is the best app for car buyers that want to sell or trade in their old vehicles. Car owners can input the make and model of their vehicle, their VIN, or their license plate to get an accurate estimate of their vehicle’s trade-in value. Unlike other apps that offer this feature, Kelley Blue Book provides an instant cash offer which you can redeem at participating dealers on the same day. Kelley Blue Book also features a marketplace where you can buy and sell vehicles, car reviews, car buying guides, and other helpful buying resources. Users can also find information on car recalls, maintenance prices, repair prices, and repair guides.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: FAQs, Contact Form
| Kelley Blue Book Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Accurate vehicle estimates | No financing resources |
| Instant cash offers | |
| Expert vehicle reviews | |
TrueCar — Best for Price Comparison
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
TrueCar helps users buy new and used cars by providing accurate pricing information to give consumers a better idea of what they should be paying. Unlike any other apps on our list, users enter the make and model that they want, and the app provides a comprehensive savings summary for the car that includes MSRP, incentives, and total off MSRP. TrueCar also helps users trade in their cars by offering accurate vehicle estimates and finding nearby dealerships that may be interested in their vehicles. The TrueCar Price Curve feature shows you the average price other buyers paid for new vehicles in your area that are similar to the one you’re interested in, making it easier to spot good deals.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: Email, Phone, FAQs
| TrueCar Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Accurate price information | No financing information |
| Price Curve feature | |
| Trade-in estimator | |
Cars.com — Best for Price Tracking
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Cars.com is one of the most popular new and used car marketplaces available due to its large number of listings, price notifications, and advanced search features. 50,000 new listings are added to Cars.com every day, so there’s a good chance the app has whatever you’re looking for. One of the app’s standout features is its price notifications feature which immediately alerts users when the cars they’re interested in drop in price. Cars.com also includes dealer ratings and reviews to help you find reputable dealers in your area, and you can read consumer reviews to find out more about the cars you’re interested in buying. Uniquely, Cars.com also lets you call, text, or email dealers directly through the app to request a quote or schedule a test drive. Cars.com does not have a physical inventory, though, so you’ll have to get in touch with local dealers to purchase a car.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: Email, Phone, FAQs
| Cars.com Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Price drop alerts | Doesn’t sell cars directly |
| Dealer ratings and reviews | Doesn’t offer financing |
| Large number of listings | |
CarFax — Best for Vehicle History Reports
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
CarFax is the best platform available to get accurate vehicle history reports before purchasing a car. Unlike any other car buying app, users can get free CarFax vehicle history reports to learn about any past accidents or other incidents that may impact a vehicle’s performance. You can browse through millions of used car listings, view pictures, read their CarFax reports, and search for CarFax reports by VIN or license plate. CarFax users can also save their favorite cars for future reference and get alerts for price drops. On the CarFax website, you can also find nearby service chops, track your vehicle’s maintenance history, and get an estimate for your car’s value.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- In-app purchases: $39.99 – $99.99 per item
- Support available: Help Center, Email
| CarFax Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Free CarFax reports | Financing is not available |
| Price drop alerts | |
| Car valuations | |
eBay Motors — Best for Parts & Accessories
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
While most of the apps on our list serve as marketplaces for new and used vehicles, eBay Motors also focuses on helping users find the parts and auto accessories they need for their vehicles. The app includes eBay’s full inventory of parts and accessories, and while shopping, users can engage with other vehicle enthusiasts. Alongside the parts listings, the app includes helpful tips and interesting finds to improve the shopping experience. eBay’s fitment services guarantee that the parts you buy on the eBay Motors app will fit your vehicle. You can also purchase used vehicles through the app, and the app partners with uShip Logistics for vehicle delivery. When making a purchase, eBay uses Escrow.com to provide financial security and prevent scams.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: Forum, Email, Phone, Chat, Help Articles
| eBay Motors Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Vehicle parts and accessories | No car reviews |
| Uses Escrow.com for secure purchases | |
| Social features | |
Autolist — Best for Used Cars
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Autolist is the ultimate source for used car listings. Unlike dealerships that list their own inventory or apps that connect with dealerships to display listings, Autolist searches thousands of used car sites to help you find the best deals available online. You can browse vehicles by location, make, model, year, interior and exterior features, and more. Users can call, text, or email dealers and private sellers through the app to check availability, get a quote, or schedule a test drive. You can also view price histories, get vehicle history reports, and use the app’s Listimate feature to know when to buy or negotiate a fair price. By saving your searches, you can get notified when prices drop or when new listings that match your criteria are added to the app.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: Email
| Autolist Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Compiles listings from several sites | Limited support options |
| Listimate feature | |
| Price drop alerts | |
Car Buying Apps: Features Summary Table
| Car Buying Apps Comparison Table | ||
|---|---|---|
| App | Subscription Fees or In-App Purchases | Features |
| Carvana — Top Pick | None | ✓ Cars for Sale ✓ Car Valuation X Car Reviews |
| Consumer Reports — Best Free Version | Digital Monthly: $10/month All Access: $59/year |
✓ Cars for Sale ✓ Car Valuation ✓ Car Reviews |
| CarMax — Best for Financing | None | ✓ Cars for Sale ✓ Car Valuation ✓ Car Reviews |
| Edmunds — Best for Expert Reviews | None | ✓ Cars for Sale ✓ Car Valuation ✓ Car Reviews |
| Kelley Blue Book — Best for Car Valuation | None | ✓ Cars for Sale ✓ Car Valuation ✓ Car Reviews |
| TrueCar — Best for Price Comparison | None | ✓ Cars for Sale ✓ Car Valuation ✓ Car Reviews |
| Cars.com — Best for Price Tracking | None | ✓ Cars for Sale ✓ Car Valuation ✓ Car Reviews |
| CarFax — Best for Vehicle History Reports | $39.99 – $99.99 per item | ✓ Cars for Sale ✓ Car Valuation ✓ Car Review |
| eBay Motors — Best for Parts & Accessories | None | ✓ Cars for Sale ✓ Car Valuation X Car Reviews |
| Autolist — Best for Used Cars | None | ✓ Cars for Sale ✓ Car Valuation ✓ Car Reviews |