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Automotive · head to head

Black Book vs CarNow

Black Book logo

Black Book

Automotive

Real-time wholesale vehicle pricing

From
$199/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CarNow logo

CarNow

Automotive

Modern vehicle leasing solutions

From
$800/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Black Book luxury sedans show larger spreads between Black Book and consumer valuations when market demand is weak; CarNow no pricing information disclosed on website
  • They diverge on capability: Black Book covers Real-time pricing, CarNow covers Lease processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Black Book and CarNow actually diverge.

Attributes where Black Book and CarNow differ
AttributeBlack BookCarNow
Starting price$199/month$800/month
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile, Api
Founded19552015

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Automotive).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Black Book

  • Real-time pricing
  • Wholesale valuations
  • Market trends
  • Pricing reports
  • Dealer insights
  • Auction data
  • Vehicle history
  • Price alerts

Only in CarNow

  • Lease processing
  • Document automation
  • Compliance management
  • Lease tracking
  • Customer portal
  • Payment processing
  • Warranty integration
  • Fleet management

Both cover

  • DMS systems
  • CRM systems
  • SSL encryption
  • Data encryption
  • Secure authentication

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Black Book

  • Dealership Managementnot CarNow
  • Service Schedulingnot CarNow
  • Inventory Managementnot CarNow
  • Sales Operationsnot CarNow
  • Customer Relationshipnot CarNow

CarNow

  • Automotive dealership managementnot Black Book
  • Car inventory and sales automationnot Black Book

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Black Book

  • Luxury sedans show larger spreads between Black Book and consumer valuations when market demand is weak
  • Electric vehicle valuations are highly volatile due to rapidly changing battery technology and market demand

CarNow

  • No pricing information disclosed on website
  • Vendor directs customers to book demo or contact support for pricing
  • Consultative sales approach suggests custom pricing based on dealership needs

Pricing, plan by plan

Black Book

$199/month
  • Basic$199/month
    • Wholesale pricing
    • Basic reports
    • Single user
  • Professional$399/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Advanced reports
    • Multiple users
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • API access
    • Custom feeds

CarNow

$800/month
  • Starter$800/month
    • Lease processing
    • Document automation
    • Basic compliance
  • Professional$1800/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Advanced compliance
    • Multi-location support
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Custom integrations
    • Advanced reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose Black Book if

  • You need real-time pricing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want wholesale valuations.
Black Book review

Choose CarNow if

  • You need lease processing.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want document automation.
CarNow review

Questions people ask

Is Black Book or CarNow better?
Neither clearly leads. Black Book starts at $199/month and CarNow at $800/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Black Book or CarNow?
Black Book starts at $199/month and CarNow at $800/month.
Does Black Book or CarNow run on more platforms?
Black Book runs on Web, iOS, Android. CarNow runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
What is Black Book best used for?
Black Book is most often used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations. Of those, dealership management and service scheduling are not what CarNow is typically brought in for.
What can Black Book do that CarNow cannot?
Black Book covers Real-time pricing, Wholesale valuations, Market trends, Pricing reports. CarNow covers Lease processing, Document automation, Compliance management, Lease tracking. Both handle DMS systems, CRM systems, SSL encryption, Data encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CarNow: How much does CarNow cost?

CarNow does not publish pricing on its website. To receive pricing information, you must book a demo or contact support at 877-882-5353 or [email protected].

Source
CarNow: Does CarNow offer different pricing tiers?

CarNow's pricing model is not publicly disclosed, but the vendor's consultative approach suggests pricing is customized based on individual dealership size, location, and specific requirements.

Source
CarNow: Can I request a free trial of CarNow?

CarNow encourages booking a demo to see the platform in action, but trial terms and conditions are not specified on the public website.

Source
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