| Feature | CarCostCheck Premium (£4.99) ★ Best value | AA (£9.99) | HPI (£19.99) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | £39/yr auto-renew |
| Price | £4.99 | £9.99 | £19.99 |
Car Checks
AA Car Check vs HPI 2026: Which Is Better Value?
CarCostCheck is the better-value alternative to both the AA car check and HPI: the same Experian stolen, finance and write-off data for £4.99, half the AA's £9.99 and a quarter of HPI's £19.99, plus free MOT history, running costs and reliability scoring neither includes. Honest 2026 comparison of all three.
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Short answer: CarCostCheck offers the same core Experian stolen, finance, and write-off data as both the AA and HPI for £4.99, plus MOT history analysis, running costs, and reliability scoring that neither competitor includes. The AA and HPI both use the same Experian database but charge £9.99 and £19.99 respectively. If you are choosing strictly between those two, the AA is the better value; but CarCostCheck beats both on price and data.
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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.
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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:
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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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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the AA car check the same as HPI?
Both pull core stolen, finance, and write-off data from Experian, so those checks are essentially identical, and CarCostCheck uses the same Experian data too. The difference is price: CarCostCheck is £4.99, the AA is £9.99, and HPI is £19.99. Neither the AA nor HPI includes MOT history analysis, running costs, or reliability scoring, all of which CarCostCheck adds.
Why is the AA check half the price of HPI?
The AA prices its check as a value-add for its brand while HPI positions itself as a premium standalone product, but the underlying Experian data is the same, so the gap reflects marketing strategy, not data quality. CarCostCheck takes that logic further: the same Experian data for £4.99, half the AA's price and a quarter of HPI's, plus MOT, running-cost, and reliability analysis neither offers.
Does the AA car check include a guarantee?
Yes, the AA offers a data guarantee similar to HPI's, both promising compensation if the car turns out to be stolen or have undisclosed finance. Read the terms carefully before relying on either as your primary protection. CarCostCheck uses the same Experian provenance data the guarantees are built on, for £4.99, and adds the MOT, running-cost, and reliability analysis that actually helps you avoid a bad car in the first place.
Is there a cheaper alternative to both AA and HPI?
CarCostCheck offers premium checks for £4.99, which is half the AA price and a quarter of HPI. It includes the same Experian-sourced stolen, finance, and write-off data, plus free MOT history analysis, running costs, reliability scoring, common faults, and DVSA recall checks that neither AA nor HPI provide.
Explore Car Data by Make
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Used by thousands of UK car buyers. Data from DVSA and DVLA.
Example report preview
2019 Ford Fiesta
1.0 EcoBoost, Petrol, Manual
82
Grade A
£2,450
per year
Pass
MOT status
42k
Mileage
Fuel£1,180Tax£165Insurance£680Repairs£425
This is what you'll see. Try it with YOUR car:
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