1. CarCostCheck (£4.99): Best Value
Provenance: Stolen, finance and write-off from Experian. Matches HPI exactly on core data.
Extras: the number of keepers with the date of each recorded change, a VIN check, colour changes, private plate transfers, and import, export and scrapped markers. The free report adds full MOT history with plain-English explanations, a mileage check with clocking detection, a reliability score, running costs, common faults, recalls and ULEZ. Optional £2.99 market valuation based on live UK dealer listings.
Hidden costs: none. One-off payment, no subscription. The valuation and the £6.99 bundle are optional extras.
Guarantee: no data guarantee; refunds for genuine problems, such as a report that fails or the wrong car.
2. MyCarCheck Comprehensive (£8.49)
Core checks: includes outstanding finance at the Comprehensive tier. The £4.99 Basic check does not include finance. MyCarCheck is powered by CDL Vehicle Information Services.
Free tier: Limited to basic vehicle details.
Verdict: a mid-priced option with finance. CarCostCheck includes finance for £3.50 less and adds the free report.
3. Total Car Check Gold (£9.99)
Core checks: includes outstanding finance. The £3.99 Silver check does not.
Extras: a valuation and a £30,000 guarantee.
Verdict: twice CarCostCheck's price for the core checks. If you choose Total Car Check, buy Gold rather than Silver when you need the finance check.
4. AA Car Check and RAC Vehicle History Check (£14.99)
Core checks: stolen, outstanding finance and write-off. The RAC's £9.98 Basic check flags finance only, with no agreement details.
Extras: a £30,000 guarantee with both. The RAC's Full check adds mileage, MOT history, previous owners and average running costs; the AA sells five checks at £6 each.
Verdict: well-known motoring brands and a guarantee, at £10 more than CarCostCheck for a single check.
5. carVertical (£39.99)
What it adds: a market price and European history, which can matter if the car has spent time abroad. Two reports cost £51.98 and three £62.97.
Verdict: best kept for cars with a history outside the UK. For a car that has always been in the UK, CarCostCheck's £6.99 bundle (history check plus valuation) costs £33.00 less.
6. HPI (£19.99) - Avoid
Provenance: Full Experian coverage.
Extras: HPI Guarantee (tightly worded, rarely pays out).
Hidden cost: Auto-renewing £39/year subscription unless cancelled. Trustpilot score of 1.3/5 driven largely by subscription complaints.
Verdict: Four times the CarCostCheck price for the same core data. The subscription trap alone disqualifies HPI from recommendation.
7. Total Car Check Silver (£3.99): No Finance
Core checks: stolen and write-off, but no outstanding finance.
Verdict: cheaper because it leaves out finance, one of the biggest financial risks. On its own it is not enough for a private sale check.
The decision for UK buyers in 2026 is straightforward:
- Pay £4.99 for CarCostCheck for any used car purchase above £1,000.
- Skip HPI, AA and RAC unless a dealer specifically requires an HPI-branded report.
- Skip CarVertical unless buying a European import.
- Check the tier on budget checks: some, such as Total Car Check Silver (£3.99) and MyCarCheck Basic (£4.99), leave finance out.
The free report from CarCostCheck alone rules out many obvious deal-breakers. Adding the £4.99 premium before committing is the minimum protective spend for any serious used car purchase.
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