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Software · head to head

Cars.com vs AutoVitals

Cars.com logo

Cars.com

Software

Your trusted automotive marketplace

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
AutoVitals logo

AutoVitals

Software

Digital inspection and shop management

From
$199/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cars.com cars.com charges shoppers nothing; it is a free listings site monetised via dealer advertising, per the 31 Dec 2020 archive capture; AutoVitals the Internet Archive's capture of AutoVitals' homepage on 17 December 2021 stated a guarantee that if a shop follows AutoVitals' best practices and does not raise its average repair order by 20 percent within 90 days, AutoVitals will tear up the contract with no penalty; no price figure is published, only demo requests.
  • They diverge on capability: Cars.com covers Vehicle listing, AutoVitals covers Digital inspections.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cars.com and AutoVitals actually diverge.

Attributes where Cars.com and AutoVitals differ
AttributeCars.comAutoVitals
Starting price$299/month$199/month
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, AppWeb, Mobile, App, Tablet
Founded19982011

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Cars.com

  • Vehicle listing
  • Marketplace access
  • Lead generation
  • Dealer profile
  • Performance tracking
  • Mobile responsive
  • Photo and video gallery
  • Consumer research tools

Only in AutoVitals

  • Digital inspections
  • Photo documentation
  • Video capability
  • Customer reports
  • Shop management
  • Work order tracking
  • Customer portal
  • Mobile application

Both cover

  • Mobile apps
  • SSL encryption
  • Secure authentication

What people use each for

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

Cars.com

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

AutoVitals

  • 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.

Cars.com

  • Cars.com charges shoppers nothing; it is a free listings site monetised via dealer advertising, per the 31 Dec 2020 archive capture

AutoVitals

  • The Internet Archive's capture of AutoVitals' homepage on 17 December 2021 stated a guarantee that if a shop follows AutoVitals' best practices and does not raise its average repair order by 20 percent within 90 days, AutoVitals will tear up the contract with no penalty; no price figure is published, only demo requests.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

AutoVitals

$199/month
  • Essential$199/month
    • Digital inspections
    • Photo documentation
    • Customer reports
  • Professional$399/month
    • Everything in Essential
    • Shop management
    • Customer portal
  • Enterprise$699/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Multi-location
    • Custom integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Cars.com if

  • You need vehicle listing.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, App.
  • You also want marketplace access.
Cars.com review

Choose AutoVitals if

  • You need digital inspections.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, App, Tablet.
  • You also want photo documentation.
AutoVitals review

Questions people ask

Is Cars.com or AutoVitals better?
Neither clearly leads. Cars.com starts at $299/month and AutoVitals at $199/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cars.com or AutoVitals?
Cars.com starts at $299/month and AutoVitals at $199/month.
Does Cars.com or AutoVitals run on more platforms?
Cars.com runs on Web, Mobile, App. AutoVitals runs on Web, Mobile, App, Tablet.
What is Cars.com best used for?
Cars.com is most often used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations.
What can Cars.com do that AutoVitals cannot?
Cars.com covers Vehicle listing, Marketplace access, Lead generation, Dealer profile. AutoVitals covers Digital inspections, Photo documentation, Video capability, Customer reports. Both handle Mobile apps, SSL encryption, Secure authentication.
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Related pages

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