Best Car Buying Websites
Peddle
Get your free offer instantly via online form or call on (855) 925 4302
$0 fees + you don’t have to pay for towing – Peddle will take care of it
Get paid in check during the pick up for any car (damaged, junk, wrecked)
Wheelzy
Quick car evaluation without the hassle – sell your car within 30 min
Choose a convenient date and time for free pick-up, as soon as next day
Get cash in hand the same day the Wheelzy agent picks up your car
CarBrain
Get an offer within 2 minutes and sell your damaged car within 24 hours
Free vehicle towing and no fees to getting rid of your damaged car
The tow truck driver will arrive with your check (nationwide service)
19 Car Buying Apps
Peddle
Peddle Summary
- Sell used, damaged or junk car nationwide
- Get instant quote on (855) 925 4302
- Free towing within 48 hours after offer
- Receive payment upon car collection
If you’re in the auto trade, you can organize buying a vehicle through Peddle. Peddle has a network of buyers who want to purchase specific vehicles. However, if you’re a typical consumer, you may find the Peddle app more useful for buying your old vehicle before you upgrade.
Peddle provides instant quotes for any vehicle. If you agree to the offer for your vehicle, Peddle can arrange collection. This entire process typically only takes a few days, then you’ll receive the prearranged amount.
Recent Peddle Offers
| Model | Year | Mileage | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota (Camry) | 2011 | 150,000 | $2,225 |
| Volvo (S40) | 2001 | 37000 | $430 |
| Mercedes-Benz (560) | 1991 | 92000 | $1,930 |
| BMW (528) | 2008 | 126,000 | $1,140 |
| Kia (Forte) | 2010 | 145,000 | $635 |
| Honda (CR-V) | 2011 | 67000 | $2,930 |
| Ford (Explorer Sport Trac) | 2004 | 145,000 | $1,170 |
| Oldsmobile (Alero) | 2004 | 162,000 | $400 |
| Audi (A6) | 2006 | 106,000 | $530 |
Wheelzy
Wheelzy Summary
- Wheelzy stores are open 7 days a week
- Get offer in minutes – (855) 510-1108
- Free towing of your car from your location
- Instant payment via cash or check
Like Peddle, Wheelzy is a reliable car-buying app that will buy your used car hassle-free. All you need to do to sell your used vehicle to Wheelzy is to submit an online application.
Simply enter your VIN, a few details, and your car’s current condition. Once you do that, the Wheelzy representative will contact you with a quote within a few minutes.
Here’s the list of details you’ll need to provide through the online application:
- Make and model of your car
- Vehicle specifications
- Mileage
- Year of manufacturing
- The current condition – what damage does it have
The Wheelzy offer is valid for 7 days and if you decide to accept the offer, you’ll need to schedule the pick-up date with the Wheelzy agent. The agent will pick up or tow your vehicle for free, leaving you with cash or a check.
Wheelzy reviews score 4.8 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot, based on over 16,500 customer reviews and 4.1 on the Better Business Bureau.
Recent Wheelzy Offers
| Model | Year | Mileage | Condition | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai (Tucson) | 2006 | 200,000 | Doesn’t start | $400 |
| Mercury (Sable Sedan) | 2003 | 150,000 | Doesn’t start | $225 |
| Mercedes-Benz (C) | 2001 | 150,000 | Starts | $222 |
| Ford (Edge) | 2010 | 200,000 | Doesn’t start | $1,200 |
| Ford (Flex) | 2009 | 150,000 | Starts | $1,000 |
| Lexus (RX) | 2002 | 300,000 | Doesn’t start | $750 |
| Chevrolet (Cobalt Sedan) | 2007 | 200,000 | Doesn’t start | $200 |
| Toyota (Corolla) | 2003 | 250,000 | Drives | $555 |
| BMW (528) | 2008 | 250,000 | Drives | $1,487 |
CarBrain
CarBrain Summary
- Get an online offer within 2 minutes
- Get cash for your car in under 48 hours
- CarBrain buys cars in over 7 conditions
- Up to 7 days to accept CarBrain’s offer
CarBrain purchases damaged cars of any make and model in any condition, including those with mechanical, physical, or electrical damage. Depending on your car’s condition, the company will then see profit either by rebuilding it or selling its parts.
Selling a car to CarBrain is quick and easy, with the company providing an offer shortly after receiving a car’s details and picking up the vehicle within 48 hours after the offer is accepted.
There are no fees for using CarBrain’s services, and the company provides payment by check or mail. CarBrain has a 4.8-star rating on Trustpilot and an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau.
Carvana
Carvana Summary
- Get an online quote within 2 minutes
- Free pickup wtihin 100 miles of a hub
- Offer valid for 7 days or 250 more miles
- Haggle-free process to sell your car
Carvana has thousands of vehicles in the inventory, which have all been meticulously inspected. You can see every detail before you make a purchase.
This app allows you to search for vehicles for sale, obtain instant finance terms and then buy online. You may even enjoy free delivery. All Carvana purchases have a seven-day money-back guarantee. So, if you don’t love your new vehicle, Carvana will come and collect it, bringing you a different vehicle or providing a full refund.
The Carvana app is available for Android and iOS. It allows you to select a vehicle, schedule delivery and track delivery right to your door.
CarGurus
CarGurus Summary
- Receive payment within 3 working days
- Find out the market value of your car
- List your car for sale in under 5 minutes
- Up to $75,000 in protection for your sale
The CarsGurus app provides a one-stop shop for buying a car. You can browse both new and used cars at your local dealerships. You can also use the app to apply for financing and sell your existing car directly through the app. This can be a great time saver if you want to make a quick deal.
Each CarsGurus listing states the vehicle is below or above the current market value. The simple page layout also shows car information and dealership details.
The platform also has model research and FAQs to assist you in making an informed purchase decision.
The app is available for both Android and iOS devices.
CarMax
CarMax Summary
- Instant online offer in under 2 minutes
- Online offer is valid for up to 7 days
- 2 options for selling – online or in-store
- Get paid within 30 minutes on the spot
If you don’t like the idea of negotiating, the CarMax app could provide the answer to your car buying woes. This is a free app that allows you to search for cars in your area.
You can:
- Check vehicle reviews
- Scan window stickers
- Find the nearest CarMax locations
- Access financial information
- Make payments if you have a CarMax loan
What makes the CarMax app appealing is that you can browse dealership inventory without any pressure from salespeople. The prices on the app are generally fixed, so you can know what price you can expect to pay.
AutoTrader
Autotrader Summary
- Sell or buy a wide variety of vehicles
- More than 14 million buyers per month
- Get fair deals for your second-hand car
- Efficient customer service
The Auto Trader app is available for Android and iOS devices. It allows you to search and shop for a used vehicle, save your search information and contact dealers.
One innovative feature of AutoTrader is that you can scan vehicle VIN numbers to find comparable models in your local area.
You can also use the AutoTrader app to get an instant offer or trade in deal, if you have an existing vehicle you’re looking to sell.
Carfax
CARFAX Summary
- Dealerships compete for your car
- Free tool to accurate price your car
- Receive accurate offers within 3 days
- Carfax connects you directly with dealerships
While the Carfax app has lots of features in common with some of the other best car buying app options, it has one stand out feature. Carfax provides free vehicle history reports for each car for sale on the app.
You can also use the app to run vehicle history reports for vehicles you find on other platforms or apps. This has the potential to save you from buying a vehicle with hidden repair issues that could cost you a fortune.
Instamotor
The aim of the Instamotor app is to help you to find the best “pre-loved” vehicle that will fit your unique needs.
Instamotor offers free vehicle history reports and each vehicle listed is vetted for potentially problematic issues. If you buy a vehicle through Instamotor, you can have confidence that it will not have a lemon history, a branded or salvage title, weather damage or odometer inconsistencies.
Additionally, Instamotor specializes in helping customers that lack credit or don’t have perfect credit.
Autolist
Autolist can match you with an ideal used car. This app is free on both Google Play and the App Store. It allows you to search various web platforms to find the right vehicle for you.
The app has great functionality. You can:
- Bookmark searches
- Track price changes
- Use filters to narrow your searches
- Compare the prices of similar cars
Used Car Search Pro
Used Car Search Pro is also known as iSeeCars. This app is the best car buying app for searching for very specific criteria.
In addition to filtering standard factors such as make and model, you can sort by days on the market, dealership rating, and vehicle features.
The app is available for Android and iOS and features almost 1.9 million options through 40,000 dealers. So, there is no shortage of vehicles to compare.
Finally, if you’re ready to sell a vehicle, you can list it for free. There is even a free tool to help you determine the optimal selling price.
Consumer Reports
The Consumer Reports app allows you to view car reviews by make, model or type. There are also helpful articles for buyers. To enjoy the full functionality of this app, you need to create a Consumer Reports account. This will allow you to unlock ratings.
However, unlike the other items on our best car buying app list, Consumer Report does not offer vehicle listings. It is an effective buyer resource with easy to access information.
Edmunds
Edmunds Summary
- Edmunds will buy a car directly from you
- Free car appraisal tool
- Offer is valid for 7 days
- Bring in your vehicle for inspection and get paid
Edmunds is a well regarded automotive platform and its app provides numerous search tools to help you to find the right vehicle for you. This app also has other buyer resources including:
- A market pricing tool that helps you to confirm price points
- A car buying calculator
- Vehicle reviews
- Price comparisons
This app is available for iPhone and Android devices. It offers an inventory of millions of listings of new and used vehicles, photo galleries, dealer reviews and trade in tools.
Blinker
While Blinker is considered a car selling app, it also offers car buying tools. You can use the app to buy a used car from private sellers and even apply for financing.
If you need refinancing, you can simply take a photo of your car and the app will fill in the basic vehicle details. You can also take a picture of your driver’s license to apply for financing to buy your car.
When you buy a vehicle with Blinker, the app will assist with the payment and title transfer. Blinker has a free app on Google Play and the App Store. Unfortunately, all the features are currently only available in Colorado, California, Texas and Florida.
But Blinker is likely the best app you can use to sell your car by virtue of how easy it makes the whole process. First, the app is safe to use, as it authenticates the identities of every one of its sellers and buyers and cross-references that data with ownership records. Once you buy or sell your car, the app assists with title transfer and payment, as well.
All of Blinker’s features are currently available in California, Colorado, Florida and Texas.
AutoGravity
If you think about car purchases in terms of your monthly payment amounts, AutoGravity could be the best car buying app for you. In less than ten minutes, you can search for a car, match with a dealership and apply for vehicle financing.
In most cases, you can get finance offers from different lenders. This allows you to determine whether a vehicle is within your budget.
AutoGravity also works for used car financing and new car leasing.
Kelley Blue Book
KBB Summary
- Provides an Instant Cash Offer
- Helps to determine your car’s value
- It’s free to use the KBB valuation tool
- Check your car for any recalls
There is no app that provides as much pricing information as Kelley Blue Book. This app provides real time pricing information for any vehicle.
You can use the app at home to research your options or at the dealership to immediately get an estimate on prices to see if you’re being offered a good deal.
This is a great resource to have on hand when you’re shopping for your next car.
Cars.com
Cars.com Summary
- Useful resources to help you sell a car
- Excellent place to research the market
- Instant cash offer from a dealer
- Smooth and easy to use interface
Cars.com is similar to other used car shopping apps. However, it also has a comparison tool that allows you to compare up to three vehicles.
There are also some impressive filter options, which can help you to narrow down your choices. There are vehicle reviews, dealer information, and various other tools to help you make your purchase.
TrueCar
TrueCar Summary
- Enter VIN to instantly get a car estimate
- Offer is good for three days
- TrueCar pays through check
- Offer comes from one of Certified Dealers
TrueCar allows you to walk into your local dealerships confident that you know what to pay for a car. The app gets pricing data from over 15,000 dealers across the USA. According to TrueCar, typically, users save more than $3,000 on the MSRP on new cars.
According to the company, Truecar has sold more than 3 million vehicles through its network of dealers.
The app is available on Google Play and the App Store.
Fair
Fair is a program like a lease connecting you with used vehicles. None of the cars are over six years old or have more than 70,000 miles on the clock. Most vehicles on Fair are just a few years old and come from dealerships.
When you download the app, you just need to scan your driver’s license to prequalify. Then you can connect your bank account and select the car you want. Once approved, you can have the car delivered or collect it from a local dealership.
Important Tips for Buying a Car
Research Your Options:
Before you start browsing listings and looking for vehicles, you need to do some basic research. You should consider the type of vehicle that will suit your needs, what miles per gallon you can expect and other running costs.
Set Your Budget:
It is important to do some financial calculations and work out how much you can comfortably afford for your new vehicle.
Organize Your Finance:
Finally, before you start shopping, it is a good idea to get your vehicle finance pre approved. This will save time once you find a vehicle that you like.