Software · head to head
Cars.com vs Carvana
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; Carvana as archived in December 2019, Carvana limits its money-back guarantee to a 7-day return window rather than offering open-ended returns, after which a purchased vehicle cannot be exchanged or refunded.
- They diverge on capability: Cars.com covers Marketplace access, Carvana covers Online marketplace.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Cars.com and Carvana actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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 Cars.com
- Marketplace access
- Lead generation
- Dealer profile
- Performance tracking
- Mobile responsive
- Photo and video gallery
- Consumer research tools
- CRM systems
Only in Carvana
- Online marketplace
- Instant appraisal
- Financing options
- Home delivery
- 7-day return policy
- Transparent pricing
- Trade-in service
- Finance companies
Both cover
- Vehicle listing
- Mobile apps
- SSL encryption
- Secure authentication
- Data protection
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
Carvana
- 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
Carvana
- As archived in December 2019, Carvana limits its money-back guarantee to a 7-day return window rather than offering open-ended returns, after which a purchased vehicle cannot be exchanged or refunded.
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$1199/month
- Everything in Standard
- Priority placement
- Marketing support
Carvana
On request- Buyer StandardFree
- Free vehicle listings
- Search and filter
- Saved vehicles
- Seller Service$undefined/transaction
- Free valuation
- Quick appraisal
- Immediate cash offer
Which should you pick?
Choose Cars.com if
- You need marketplace access.
- You work on Web, Mobile, App.
- You also want lead generation.
Choose Carvana if
- You need online marketplace.
- You work on Web, Mobile, App.
- You also want instant appraisal.
Questions people ask
- Is Cars.com or Carvana better?
- Neither clearly leads. Cars.com starts at $299/month and Carvana at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Cars.com or Carvana?
- Cars.com starts at $299/month and Carvana at On request.
- Does Cars.com or Carvana run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Mobile, App, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- 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 Carvana cannot?
- Cars.com covers Marketplace access, Lead generation, Dealer profile, Performance tracking. Carvana covers Online marketplace, Instant appraisal, Financing options, Home delivery. Both handle Vehicle listing, Mobile apps, SSL encryption, Secure authentication.