Software · head to head
Carfax vs CDK Global
The short version
- They diverge on capability: Carfax covers Vehicle history reports, CDK Global covers Dealer Management System.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Carfax and CDK Global actually diverge.
| Attribute | Carfax | CDK Global |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2.99/report | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile, App | Web, Desktop, Api |
| Founded | 1984 | 2014 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Carfax
- Vehicle history reports
- Service records
- Accident information
- Ownership history
- Title information
- Manufacturer recalls
- Odometer readings
- Price analysis
Only in CDK Global
- Dealer Management System
- Sales desking
- F&I management
- Service scheduling
- Parts inventory
- Accounting
- CRM integration
- Digital retailing
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Carfax
- Dealership Managementnot CDK Global
- Service Schedulingnot CDK Global
- Inventory Managementnot CDK Global
- Sales Operationsnot CDK Global
- Customer Relationshipnot CDK Global
CDK Global
- Dealership operationsnot Carfax
- Sales managementnot Carfax
- Service departmentnot Carfax
- Parts managementnot Carfax
- Financial reportingnot Carfax
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Carfax
- CARFAX's dealer-facing mobile app is restricted to business subscribers and explicitly cannot be used with a consumer CARFAX account
CDK Global
Nothing recorded yet. See the CDK Global review.
Pricing, plan by plan
Carfax
$2.99/report- Single Report$2.99/report
- One vehicle history report
- Service records
- Accident history
- Unlimited Reports$34.99/month
- Unlimited reports
- Service history
- Accident information
- Dealer Package$299/month
- Unlimited reports
- Dealer branding
- Customer tools
CDK Global
On request- Drive$undefined/month
- Core DMS functionality
- Sales & F&I
- Service & parts
- Drive+$undefined/month
- Everything in Drive
- Advanced CRM
- Digital retailing
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Everything in Drive+
- Custom integrations
- Dedicated support
Which should you pick?
Choose Carfax if
- You need vehicle history reports.
- You work on Web, Mobile, App.
- You also want service records.
Choose CDK Global if
- You need dealer management system.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Api.
- You also want sales desking.
Questions people ask
- Is Carfax or CDK Global better?
- Neither clearly leads. Carfax starts at $2.99/report and CDK Global at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Carfax or CDK Global?
- Carfax starts at $2.99/report and CDK Global at On request.
- Does Carfax or CDK Global run on more platforms?
- Carfax runs on Web, Mobile, App. CDK Global runs on Web, Desktop, Api.
- What is Carfax best used for?
- Carfax is most often used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations. Of those, dealership management and service scheduling are not what CDK Global is typically brought in for.
- What can Carfax do that CDK Global cannot?
- Carfax covers Vehicle history reports, Service records, Accident information, Ownership history. CDK Global covers Dealer Management System, Sales desking, F&I management, Service scheduling.
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