Short answer: Both the AA and HPI use the same Experian database for their car history checks. The AA charges £9.99, HPI charges £19.99, and neither includes MOT history analysis, running cost data, or reliability scoring. If you are choosing between these two, the AA is clearly better value. But there is a third option: CarCostCheck offers the same core data plus extensive additional analysis for £4.99.
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What the AA Car Check Includes
The AA's online car check, priced at £9.99, queries the Experian vehicle database and returns:
- Stolen vehicle check against the Police National Computer
- Outstanding finance check
- Insurance write-off status (Cat A, B, N, S)
- Mileage discrepancy flag
- VIN and plate verification
- Previous keeper count
- Colour change history
- Data guarantee
This is a solid set of provenance checks. The AA brand carries weight, and their website is straightforward. The report is clearly presented, and the guarantee provides some peace of mind.
What it does not include: any analysis of the car's MOT history, any breakdown of likely running costs, any reliability scoring, and any information about common faults for the make and model. You get provenance data and nothing else.
What HPI Includes for Double the Price
HPI charges £19.99 and provides essentially the same Experian-sourced data as the AA. The check covers stolen status, finance, write-offs, mileage, VIN, keepers, and colour changes. It adds the HPI Guarantee and the HPI brand name.
The practical difference between the AA report and the HPI report is minimal. Both pull from the same database. Both flag the same issues. Both offer a guarantee. The HPI report does not include any additional data points, analysis, or insight that would justify paying twice as much.
There is one notable downside to HPI: the £39/year auto-renewing subscription that is bundled with every purchase. The AA does not do this. If subscription traps concern you, the AA is the safer choice between the two.
The Third Option They Do Not Mention
Neither the AA nor HPI is the best value for a UK car history check in 2026. Here is how CarCostCheck compares to both:
| Feature | AA (£9.99) | HPI (£19.99) | CarCostCheck Premium (£4.99) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stolen check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Finance check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Write-off check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| VIN/plate verification | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Keeper count | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Colour change history | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Full MOT history analysis | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| MOT advisories explained | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Repair cost predictions | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reliability score (0-100) | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Annual running costs | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Common faults | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| DVSA recall check | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Insurance group | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Hidden subscription? | No | £39/yr auto-renew | No |
| Price | £9.99 | £19.99 | £4.99 |
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Which Should You Choose?
If your choice is strictly between the AA and HPI, go with the AA. You save £10, get the same data, and avoid the subscription trap. The AA brand is well-known enough that sellers and dealers will accept it as a legitimate check.
If you want the best value overall, CarCostCheck at £4.99 provides everything the AA and HPI offer in terms of provenance data, plus a complete layer of ownership intelligence that neither competitor includes. Start with the free check to see MOT history, running costs, and reliability data. If the car passes that filter, the £4.99 premium upgrade adds stolen, finance, and write-off verification.
The days of paying £19.99 for a basic provenance check are over. The market has moved on, and there are better options available at every price point.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Makes CarCostCheck Different
CarCostCheck is not just a cheaper version of HPI. It is a fundamentally better product that happens to cost 75% less. Here is what you get that HPI does not offer at any price:
- Real-time market valuation from £2.99, powered by over 650,000 live UK dealer listings. See what your car is actually worth in your local area, how quickly similar cars sell, and how the price compares nationally.
- Estimated vehicle lifespan: Our AI model analyses over 100 million data points to predict how many years the car has left and the probability of it being on the road in 12 months.
- Insurance costs by age: See estimated annual premiums for drivers aged 20, 30, 40, and 50. Budget before you buy.
- Running cost breakdown: Annual fuel, road tax, MOT, predicted repairs, and total cost per month. All calculated for this specific car.
- Health score (0-100): A single number that tells you the overall condition of the vehicle based on MOT history, advisory patterns, mileage consistency, and maintenance trends.
- Common faults: Known issues for this exact make and model, drawn from real MOT failure data across thousands of vehicles.
- 12 free checks: Full MOT history, mileage verification, reliability score, running costs, fuel costs, insurance group, red flag alerts, common faults, recall check, ULEZ compliance, and more. All before you pay a penny.
The premium history check (£4.99) uses the same Experian database as HPI, AA, and RAC. You get identical stolen, finance, and write-off data. The complete bundle (history + valuation) is £6.99, still 65% cheaper than HPI's basic check.
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12 checks included free. Premium stolen, finance, and write-off checks for just £4.99. Market valuation from £2.99.