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Automotive · head to head

Carfax vs CarNow

Carfax logo

Carfax

Automotive

Vehicle history reports and information

From
$2.99/report
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: Carfax cARFAX's dealer-facing mobile app is restricted to business subscribers and explicitly cannot be used with a consumer CARFAX account; CarNow no pricing information disclosed on website
  • They diverge on capability: Carfax covers Vehicle history reports, CarNow covers Lease processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carfax and CarNow actually diverge.

Attributes where Carfax and CarNow differ
AttributeCarfaxCarNow
Starting price$2.99/report$800/month
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, AppWeb, Mobile, Api
Founded19842015

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 Carfax

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

Only in CarNow

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

Both cover

  • CRM systems
  • SSL encryption
  • Secure authentication

What people use each for

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

Carfax

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

CarNow

  • Automotive dealership managementnot Carfax
  • Car inventory and sales automationnot 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

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

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

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 Carfax if

  • You need vehicle history reports.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, App.
  • You also want service records.
Carfax 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 Carfax or CarNow better?
Neither clearly leads. Carfax starts at $2.99/report and CarNow at $800/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carfax or CarNow?
Carfax starts at $2.99/report and CarNow at $800/month.
Does Carfax or CarNow run on more platforms?
Carfax runs on Web, Mobile, App. CarNow runs on Web, Mobile, 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 CarNow is typically brought in for.
What can Carfax do that CarNow cannot?
Carfax covers Vehicle history reports, Service records, Accident information, Ownership history. CarNow covers Lease processing, Document automation, Compliance management, Lease tracking. Both handle CRM systems, SSL encryption, Secure authentication.

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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