Software · head to head
CarGurus vs Cars.com
The short version
- They diverge on capability: CarGurus covers AI deal scoring, Cars.com covers Marketplace access.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CarGurus and Cars.com actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Mobile, App), 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 CarGurus
- AI deal scoring
- Market pricing analysis
- Dealer metrics
- Inventory insights
- Photo management
- Consumer reviews
- Marketing automation
- Email services
Only in Cars.com
- Marketplace access
- Dealer profile
- Performance tracking
- Mobile responsive
- Photo and video gallery
- Consumer research tools
- Email marketing
- Lead scoring
Both cover
- Vehicle listing
- Lead generation
- CRM systems
- DMS platforms
- Inventory sync
- SSL encryption
- Secure authentication
- Data protection
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
CarGurus
- Dealership Management
- Service Scheduling
- Inventory Management
- Sales Operations
- Customer Relationship
Cars.com
- 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.
CarGurus
Nothing recorded yet. See the CarGurus review.
Cars.com
- Cars.com charges shoppers nothing; it is a free listings site monetised via dealer advertising, per the 31 Dec 2020 archive capture
Pricing, plan by plan
CarGurus
$249/month- Essential$249/month
- Vehicle listing
- Basic lead management
- Pricing data
- Pro$599/month
- Everything in Essential
- Advanced pricing intelligence
- Lead scoring
- Enterprise$1299/month
- Everything in Pro
- Custom pricing
- Dedicated support
Cars.com
$299/month- Basic$299/month
- Vehicle listings
- Marketplace visibility
- Basic lead management
- Standard$699/month
- Everything in Basic
- Advanced lead tools
- CRM integration
- Premium$1199/month
- Everything in Standard
- Priority placement
- Marketing support
Which should you pick?
Choose CarGurus if
- You need ai deal scoring.
- You work on Web, Mobile, App.
- You also want market pricing analysis.
Choose Cars.com if
- You need marketplace access.
- You work on Web, Mobile, App.
- You also want dealer profile.
Questions people ask
- Is CarGurus or Cars.com better?
- Neither clearly leads. CarGurus starts at $249/month and Cars.com at $299/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CarGurus or Cars.com?
- CarGurus starts at $249/month and Cars.com at $299/month.
- Does CarGurus or Cars.com run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Mobile, App, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is CarGurus best used for?
- CarGurus is most often used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations.
- What can CarGurus do that Cars.com cannot?
- CarGurus covers AI deal scoring, Market pricing analysis, Dealer metrics, Inventory insights. Cars.com covers Marketplace access, Dealer profile, Performance tracking, Mobile responsive. Both handle Vehicle listing, Lead generation, CRM systems, DMS platforms.