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Automotive · head to head

Cars.com vs Fleetio

Cars.com logo

Cars.com

Automotive

Your trusted automotive marketplace

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fleetio logo

Fleetio

Automotive

Modern fleet management made easy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Fleetio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Fleetio priced per vehicle per month, so cost scales with fleet size rather than with the number of people using it
  • They diverge on capability: Cars.com covers Vehicle listing, Fleetio covers Vehicle tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cars.com and Fleetio differ
AttributeCars.comFleetio
Starting price$299/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, AppWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded19982012

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

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

Only in Fleetio

  • Vehicle tracking
  • Maintenance scheduling
  • Fuel management
  • Digital inspections
  • Work orders
  • Parts inventory
  • Vendor management
  • Analytics & reports

What people use each for

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

Cars.com

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

Fleetio

  • Fleet maintenance scheduling and vehicle inspection trackingnot Cars.com
  • Managing parts inventory, work orders and fuel across a vehicle fleetnot Cars.com

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

Fleetio

  • Priced per vehicle per month, so cost scales with fleet size rather than with the number of people using it
  • The Professional and Premium plans are billed annually only, with no monthly option
  • Tire management is excluded from both Essential and Professional
  • API access is rate limited by plan, at 50 requests a minute on Professional against 250 on Premium
  • Active automations are rationed, at 5 on Professional against 40 on Premium
  • The published per vehicle prices assume a 5 asset band, so a different fleet size is a different rate

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

Fleetio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 5 vehicles
    • Basic tracking
    • Service reminders
  • Pro$5/month
    • Unlimited vehicles
    • Fuel tracking
    • Inspections
  • Advanced$8/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • GPS integrations
    • Fuel card 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 Fleetio if

  • You need vehicle tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want maintenance scheduling.
Fleetio review

Questions people ask

Is Cars.com or Fleetio better?
Neither clearly leads. Cars.com starts at $299/month and Fleetio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cars.com or Fleetio?
Fleetio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $299/month for Cars.com and Free for Fleetio.
Does Cars.com or Fleetio run on more platforms?
Cars.com runs on Web, Mobile, App. Fleetio runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Fleetio for free?
Yes. Fleetio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cars.com starts at $299/month.
What is Cars.com best used for?
Cars.com is most often used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations. Of those, dealership management and service scheduling are not what Fleetio is typically brought in for.
What can Cars.com do that Fleetio cannot?
Cars.com covers Vehicle listing, Marketplace access, Lead generation, Dealer profile. Fleetio covers Vehicle tracking, Maintenance scheduling, Fuel management, Digital inspections.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cars.com: Is Cars.com free to use?

Yes. Cars.com is a free platform for shopping, researching, and comparing vehicles. Access to new, used, and certified pre-owned listings, expert reviews, safety recall information, and car payment calculators requires no subscription.

Source
Fleetio: How much does Fleetio cost per vehicle, and does billing frequency affect the price?

Essential costs $4 per vehicle per month when billed annually or $5 when billed monthly. Professional costs $7 per vehicle when billed annually. Premium costs $10 per vehicle when billed annually. Monthly billing is available only for the Essential plan at the higher rate.

Source
Cars.com: Can I sell my car on Cars.com for free?

Yes. Cars.com offers free listings for private sellers. The platform also provides tools to obtain instant cash offers for vehicles at no cost.

Source
Fleetio: What is included in the free trial, and how long does it last?

Fleetio offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. The trial includes full access to all features during the trial period.

Source
Cars.com: Does Cars.com charge dealers for listings?

The homepage mentions free listing options but does not specify dealer pricing. For dealer advertising rates and premium listing options, you would need to visit the dealer section or contact Cars.com directly.

Source
Fleetio: What storage and automation limits come with each plan?

Essential includes 2.5GB storage and no automations. Professional includes 25GB storage and up to 5 automations. Premium includes 250GB storage and up to 40 automations.

Source
Fleetio: How many vehicles can each plan manage?

Essential supports up to 100 vehicles. Professional and Premium both support unlimited vehicles.

Source
Fleetio: Are there add-ons available beyond the base plans?

Yes. Fleetio offers a Tools add-on starting at approximately $0.50 per piece per month, which requires a core Fleetio subscription and cannot be purchased standalone.

Source
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