Software · head to head
NADA Guides vs AutoVitals
The short version
- Only NADA Guides has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: NADA Guides does not include private party transaction data, only dealer pricing; 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: NADA Guides covers Vehicle valuations, AutoVitals covers Digital inspections.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which NADA Guides and AutoVitals actually diverge.
| Attribute | NADA Guides | AutoVitals |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $199/month |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile Web | Web, Mobile, App, Tablet |
| Founded | 1917 | 2011 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 NADA Guides
- Vehicle valuations
- Retail pricing
- Trade-in values
- Market analysis
- Dealer reports
- Historical pricing
- Regional data
- Inventory systems
Only in AutoVitals
- Digital inspections
- Photo documentation
- Video capability
- Customer reports
- Shop management
- Work order tracking
- Customer portal
- Payment processors
Both cover
- Mobile application
- DMS systems
- SSL encryption
- Secure authentication
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
NADA Guides
- 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.
NADA Guides
- Does not include private party transaction data, only dealer pricing
- Valuations updated monthly or quarterly, not in real-time
- Accuracy decreases for older and rare vehicle models
- User input errors for mileage, condition, and trim level significantly affect valuations
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
NADA Guides
Free- FreeFree
- Basic valuations
- Pricing reports
- Mobile access
- Professional$149/month
- Everything in Free
- Advanced reports
- Market insights
- Dealer Packages$undefined/month
- Everything in Professional
- Custom integrations
- Data feeds
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 NADA Guides if
- You need vehicle valuations.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile Web.
- You also want retail pricing.
Choose AutoVitals if
- You need digital inspections.
- You work on Web, Mobile, App, Tablet.
- You also want photo documentation.
Questions people ask
- Is NADA Guides or AutoVitals better?
- Neither clearly leads. NADA Guides starts at Free and AutoVitals at $199/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, NADA Guides or AutoVitals?
- NADA Guides has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for NADA Guides and $199/month for AutoVitals.
- Does NADA Guides or AutoVitals run on more platforms?
- NADA Guides runs on Web, Mobile Web. AutoVitals runs on Web, Mobile, App, Tablet.
- Can I use NADA Guides for free?
- Yes. NADA Guides has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. AutoVitals starts at $199/month.
- What is NADA Guides best used for?
- NADA Guides is most often used for dealership management, service scheduling, inventory management, sales operations.
- What can NADA Guides do that AutoVitals cannot?
- NADA Guides covers Vehicle valuations, Retail pricing, Trade-in values, Market analysis. AutoVitals covers Digital inspections, Photo documentation, Video capability, Customer reports. Both handle Mobile application, DMS systems, SSL encryption, Secure authentication.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
NADA Guides: Is NADAguides free to use?
Yes, NADAguides.com offers free vehicle valuation estimates. The service allows users to get a VIN-based assessment at no cost.
SourceNADA Guides: What types of vehicles does NADA Guides cover?
NADA Guides provides pricing information for used and new cars, classic cars, motorcycles, recreational vehicles (RVs), boats, and manufactured homes.
SourceNADA Guides: How often are NADA valuations updated?
NADA valuations are updated monthly or quarterly, which means they may not reflect real-time market conditions or sudden shifts in supply and demand.
SourceNADA Guides: Does NADAguides include private party sales data?
No. NADA algorithms use only dealer selling prices and do not include private sale values, which can result in higher valuations that don't reflect typical private market prices.
Source