CarCostCheck vs CarVertical UK 2026: Save 88% on Car Checks

Short answer: For most UK cars, CarCostCheck is the better-value choice: £4.99 against £39.99 for a carVertical report (carVertical prices checked 8 October 2026), 88% less. Both cover the core checks (stolen, outstanding finance, write-off). CarCostCheck adds a free report with full MOT history, a mileage check, a reliability score and running costs before you pay anything. carVertical's report includes a market price and European history, which can be worth paying for if the car was imported from Europe.

For a car that has only ever been registered in the UK, most buyers will get what they need from CarCostCheck's £4.99 history check and the free report. The extra £35 mainly pays for carVertical's European coverage and its included market price, and if you want a valuation too, CarCostCheck's bundle is £6.99.

Feature Comparison

Feature	CarCostCheck	carVertical	Winner
Price, one car	£4.99	£39.99	CarCostCheck (88% cheaper)
Stolen check	✓	✓	Tie
Outstanding finance check	✓	✓	Tie
Write-off and damage history	✓	✓	Tie
Mileage check	✓ (free)	✓ (in the paid report)	CarCostCheck (free vs paid)
Free report before you pay (MOT history, reliability score, running costs, recalls, ULEZ)	✓	✗ (reports are paid)	CarCostCheck
Market valuation	£2.99 add-on (£6.99 bundle)	Included (market price)	carVertical
European history	✗	✓	carVertical

Score: CarCostCheck wins 3 (price, a free mileage check and the free report). carVertical wins 2 (European history, most useful for imports, and a market price included in its price). 3 are ties.

What the Extra Money Buys

carVertical's reports draw on records from many countries, not just the UK, and each one includes a market price. That wider coverage is its real strength: if a car was first registered in Germany or France and later imported, carVertical may be able to show records from its time abroad that a UK-only check cannot.

For a car that has spent its whole life in the UK, there is no European history to find, so most of that extra coverage goes unused. That is where CarCostCheck's £4.99 check, plus the free report, is the better-value choice.

When carVertical Makes Sense

The main scenario where carVertical earns its price:

• You are buying a European import. A car originally registered in Germany, France, or another European country, now being sold in the UK. carVertical may show damage, mileage and maintenance records from the country of origin that a UK-only check cannot.

For a car that has always been registered in the UK, CarCostCheck covers the core checks for £4.99, adds the free report, and costs £35 less. Add the £2.99 valuation (or take the £6.99 bundle) if you also want a price guide.

Comparing Discount Codes

If you have a carVertical discount code from a video or a website, compare the final price with CarCostCheck's £4.99 history check (or £13.48 for three cars in one order) before you buy, and check what each report includes for the car you are looking at.

The Smart Buyer's Approach

1. Standard UK car: Use CarCostCheck. £4.99 for the history check, plus the free report. Save £35 against a carVertical report.
2. European import: Use CarCostCheck for the UK history check (£4.99) and the free MOT and running cost data, then consider carVertical for the European history.
3. Want a valuation too: Take CarCostCheck's £6.99 bundle (history check plus valuation), £33.00 less than one carVertical report.

What Makes CarCostCheck Different

CarCostCheck is not just a cheaper version of HPI. As well as the history check, it helps you judge whether a car will be a good one to own. Here is what you get that HPI does not offer at any price:

• Market valuation from £2.99, based on live UK dealer listings. See the local dealer value for your car and how quickly similar cars sell near you.
• Estimated vehicle lifespan: An estimate of how many years the car has left on UK roads and the probability of it still 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.
• Reliability score (0-100): one number based on the car's MOT record, including its pass rate, recent failures, advisory trend and mileage. Free.
• Common faults: the problems that keep coming up in the car's own MOT history. Free.
• 12 free checks: Full MOT history, mileage verification, reliability score, running costs, fuel costs, red flag alerts, common faults, recall check, ULEZ compliance, tax and MOT status, 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 the same core checks: stolen, outstanding finance and write-off. The complete bundle (history + valuation) is £6.99, still 65% cheaper than HPI's basic check.

Related Reading

• CarVertical UK Review 2026: Is It Worth £39.99?
• CarCostCheck vs HPI Check 2026: Which Is Better?
• Cheapest HPI Check UK 2026: Every Provider Compared