Softwr

Automotive · head to head

CarNow vs Tesla

CarNow logo

CarNow

Automotive

Modern vehicle leasing solutions

From
$800/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tesla logo

Tesla

Automotive

Tesla owner app for remote vehicle control, charging and account management, useless without a Tesla

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tesla has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CarNow no pricing information disclosed on website; Tesla it is entirely hardware bound; there is no function for anyone who does not own or lease a Tesla, so it cannot be evaluated as standalone software.
  • They diverge on capability: CarNow covers Lease processing, Tesla covers Remote climate and charging control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CarNow and Tesla actually diverge.

Attributes where CarNow and Tesla differ
AttributeCarNowTesla
Starting price$800/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree app, hardware bound to a Tesla vehicle, some features need Premium Connectivity
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, ApiiOS, Android
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: 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 CarNow

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

Only in Tesla

  • Remote climate and charging control
  • Phone as key
  • Vehicle locate and Summon
  • Charging network access
  • Service and software
  • Premium Connectivity features

What people use each for

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

CarNow

  • Automotive dealership managementnot Tesla
  • Car inventory and sales automationnot Tesla

Tesla

  • A Tesla owner preconditioning the cabin before getting in on a cold or hot daynot CarNow
  • An owner using the phone as the car key instead of carrying a separate fob or cardnot CarNow
  • Checking charge state and Supercharger availability before a road tripnot CarNow
  • Scheduling a service visit or monitoring an over-the-air software update remotelynot CarNow

Where each one falls short

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

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

Tesla

  • It is entirely hardware bound; there is no function for anyone who does not own or lease a Tesla, so it cannot be evaluated as standalone software.
  • Some remote features that owners of other connected cars get included, such as live traffic navigation and live camera viewing, sit behind the paid Premium Connectivity subscription on many vehicles.
  • Which features are free versus paid has changed across model years and firmware versions, so what a new owner reads online may not match what their specific car actually gets.
  • Phone-as-key relies on the phone's Bluetooth and battery; a dead phone or Bluetooth fault can leave an owner needing the physical key card as a backup.
  • App outages, which Tesla has had periodically, can temporarily remove remote access to features like climate preconditioning and vehicle locating that owners have come to depend on.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Tesla

Free
  • Standard ConnectivityFree
    • Over-the-air software updates
    • Basic remote lock, climate and location
  • Premium Connectivity$9.99/month
    • Live traffic-based navigation
    • Streaming media and internet browser
    • Live camera viewing and satellite-view maps

Which should you pick?

Choose CarNow if

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

Choose Tesla if

  • You need remote climate and charging control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want phone as key.
Tesla review

Questions people ask

Is CarNow or Tesla better?
Neither clearly leads. CarNow starts at $800/month and Tesla at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CarNow or Tesla?
Tesla has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $800/month for CarNow and Free for Tesla.
Does CarNow or Tesla run on more platforms?
CarNow runs on Web, Mobile, Api. Tesla runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use Tesla for free?
Yes. Tesla has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CarNow starts at $800/month.
What is CarNow best used for?
CarNow is most often used for automotive dealership management, car inventory and sales automation. Of those, automotive dealership management and car inventory and sales automation are not what Tesla is typically brought in for.
What can CarNow do that Tesla cannot?
CarNow covers Lease processing, Document automation, Compliance management, Lease tracking. Tesla covers Remote climate and charging control, Phone as key, Vehicle locate and Summon, Charging network access.

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
Tesla: Do I need the Tesla app to drive the car?

No, but many convenience features such as phone-as-key, remote preconditioning and Supercharger payment depend on it.

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
Tesla: Is Premium Connectivity required?

No, but without it several features including live traffic navigation and live camera viewing are unavailable on many vehicles.

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
Tesla: Can I use the app without owning a Tesla?

No, it has no function without an owned or leased Tesla vehicle.

Share

Related pages

More on CarNow

More on Tesla

Keep looking

Other head to heads