Softwr

Automotive · head to head

Carfax vs KBB

Carfax logo

Carfax

Automotive

Vehicle history reports and information

From
$2.99/report
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
KBB logo

KBB

Automotive

Vehicle pricing and research from Kelley Blue Book

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only KBB has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Carfax cARFAX's dealer-facing mobile app is restricted to business subscribers and explicitly cannot be used with a consumer CARFAX account; KBB kBB car-values tool is free to consumers with no subscription tier, per the 27 Dec 2022 archive capture
  • They diverge on capability: Carfax covers Vehicle history reports, KBB covers Vehicle pricing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carfax and KBB actually diverge.

Attributes where Carfax and KBB differ
AttributeCarfaxKBB
Starting price$2.99/reportFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded19841926

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Mobile, App), 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 Carfax

  • Vehicle history reports
  • Service records
  • Accident information
  • Ownership history
  • Title information
  • Manufacturer recalls
  • Odometer readings
  • Price analysis

Only in KBB

  • Vehicle pricing
  • Trade-in values
  • Depreciation estimates
  • Expert reviews
  • Comparisons
  • Research tools
  • Cost of ownership
  • Inventory search

Both cover

  • Dealer networks
  • CRM systems
  • Lead generation
  • Mobile apps
  • Email services
  • Marketing tools
  • SSL encryption
  • Data protection
  • Secure authentication

What people use each for

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

Carfax

  • Dealership Management
  • Service Scheduling
  • Inventory Management
  • Sales Operations
  • Customer Relationship

KBB

  • Dealership Management
  • Service Scheduling
  • Inventory Management
  • Sales Operations
  • Customer Relationship

Both are used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations, customer relationship, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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

KBB

  • KBB car-values tool is free to consumers with no subscription tier, per the 27 Dec 2022 archive capture

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

KBB

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Vehicle values
    • Pricing data
    • Expert reviews
  • Dealer Instant Offer$299/month
    • Instant offer capability
    • Lead generation
    • Customer tools

Which should you pick?

Choose Carfax if

  • You need vehicle history reports.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, App.
  • You also want service records.
Carfax review

Choose KBB if

  • You need vehicle pricing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, App.
  • You also want trade-in values.
KBB review

Questions people ask

Is Carfax or KBB better?
Neither clearly leads. Carfax starts at $2.99/report and KBB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carfax or KBB?
KBB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2.99/report for Carfax and Free for KBB.
Does Carfax or KBB run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Mobile, App, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use KBB for free?
Yes. KBB has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Carfax starts at $2.99/report.
What is Carfax best used for?
Carfax is most often used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations.
What can Carfax do that KBB cannot?
Carfax covers Vehicle history reports, Service records, Accident information, Ownership history. KBB covers Vehicle pricing, Trade-in values, Depreciation estimates, Expert reviews. Both handle Dealer networks, CRM systems, Lead generation, Mobile apps.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Carfax

More on KBB

Keep looking

Other head to heads