Automotive · head to head
Fleetio vs CARFAX for Dealers
The short version
- Only Fleetio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Fleetio priced per vehicle per month, so cost scales with fleet size rather than with the number of people using it; CARFAX for Dealers the App Store listing (publisher CARFAX, Inc.) states the app requires an existing CARFAX for Dealers business account login, so it cannot be evaluated or purchased as a standalone app without a separate commercial dealer contract already in place.
- They diverge on capability: Fleetio covers Vehicle tracking, CARFAX for Dealers covers Vehicle history reports.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Fleetio and CARFAX for Dealers actually diverge.
| Attribute | Fleetio | CARFAX for Dealers |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Api | Web, Mobile, Api |
| Founded | 2012 | 1984 |
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 Fleetio
- Vehicle tracking
- Maintenance scheduling
- Fuel management
- Digital inspections
- Work orders
- Parts inventory
- Vendor management
- Analytics & reports
Only in CARFAX for Dealers
- Vehicle history reports
- Service history
- Accident history
- 1-Owner finder
- CARFAX listings
- Service retention
- Dealer website tools
- Customer leads
Both cover
- Data encryption
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Fleetio
- Fleet maintenance scheduling and vehicle inspection trackingnot CARFAX for Dealers
- Managing parts inventory, work orders and fuel across a vehicle fleetnot CARFAX for Dealers
CARFAX for Dealers
- Vehicle historynot Fleetio
- Customer trustnot Fleetio
- Inventory merchandisingnot Fleetio
- Service retentionnot Fleetio
- Lead generationnot Fleetio
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
CARFAX for Dealers
- The App Store listing (publisher CARFAX, Inc.) states the app requires an existing CARFAX for Dealers business account login, so it cannot be evaluated or purchased as a standalone app without a separate commercial dealer contract already in place.
Pricing, plan by plan
Fleetio
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 5 vehicles
- Basic tracking
- Service reminders
- Pro$5/month
- Unlimited vehicles
- Fuel tracking
- Inspections
- Advanced$8/month
- Everything in Pro
- GPS integrations
- Fuel card integration
CARFAX for Dealers
On request- Basic$undefined/month
- Vehicle history reports
- Inventory listings
- Dealer website badge
- Advantage$undefined/month
- Everything in Basic
- CARFAX Hot Listings
- Service retention tools
- Advantage Plus$undefined/month
- Everything in Advantage
- Snap report
- 1-owner leads
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose CARFAX for Dealers if
- You need vehicle history reports.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
- You also want service history.
Questions people ask
- Is Fleetio or CARFAX for Dealers better?
- Neither clearly leads. Fleetio starts at Free and CARFAX for Dealers at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Fleetio or CARFAX for Dealers?
- Fleetio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Fleetio and On request for CARFAX for Dealers.
- Does Fleetio or CARFAX for Dealers run on more platforms?
- Fleetio runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. CARFAX for Dealers runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
- Can I use Fleetio for free?
- Yes. Fleetio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CARFAX for Dealers starts at On request.
- What is Fleetio best used for?
- Fleetio is most often used for fleet maintenance scheduling and vehicle inspection tracking, managing parts inventory, work orders and fuel across a vehicle fleet. Of those, fleet maintenance scheduling and vehicle inspection tracking and managing parts inventory, work orders and fuel across a vehicle fleet are not what CARFAX for Dealers is typically brought in for.
- What can Fleetio do that CARFAX for Dealers cannot?
- Fleetio covers Vehicle tracking, Maintenance scheduling, Fuel management, Digital inspections. CARFAX for Dealers covers Vehicle history reports, Service history, Accident history, 1-Owner finder. Both handle Data encryption.