1. Finance Included at £4.99
Outstanding finance is one of the costliest problems to discover after you have paid. CarCostCheck sells one history check, and finance is always in it. At MyCarCheck, finance is in the £8.49 Comprehensive tier.
2. The Lender and Agreement Details
If finance is found, the report names the lender and shows the agreement type, start date and term. That tells you exactly who the seller needs to settle with before any money changes hands.
3. The Date of Each Recorded Keeper Change
You see the number of keepers and the date of each recorded keeper change. A run of short ownerships can be a reason to ask the seller more questions.
4. A Free Report Before You Pay
Before you spend anything, CarCostCheck's free report shows the car's full MOT history, with each advisory and failure explained in plain English, a mileage check with clocking detection and a reliability score worked out from the car's own MOT record. It also estimates running costs (fuel, road tax, MOT and predicted repairs from the car's MOT advisories) and shows common faults, recalls, ULEZ status and tax. If the MOT record or mileage looks wrong, you can walk away without paying a penny.
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MyCarCheck sells two tiers: Basic at £4.99, which does not include outstanding finance, and Comprehensive at £8.49, which does (checked 8 October 2026). If you prefer MyCarCheck, choose Comprehensive for a used-car purchase, because a check without finance leaves out one of the biggest risks. Read what each tier covers on MyCarCheck's own site before you pay.
Against CarCostCheck, the comparison that matters is £8.49 for MyCarCheck Comprehensive versus £4.99 for CarCostCheck's check, which includes finance with the agreement details and comes with a free MOT, mileage, reliability and running-cost report.
CarCostCheck's free report needs no payment and no sign-up. Here is what it covers:
| Free report includes | What you see |
|---|
| Full MOT history | Every test, with advisories and failures explained in plain English |
| Mileage check | The mileage recorded at each MOT, with clocking detection |
| Reliability score | Worked out from the car's own MOT record |
| Running-cost estimate | Fuel, road tax, MOT and predicted repairs from MOT advisories |
| Common faults | Issues found in the car's own MOT tests |
| Recalls, ULEZ and tax | Recall records, ULEZ status and tax status |
| Stolen, finance and write-off | In the £4.99 history check |
Many check sites show some basic vehicle details free before you pay. What each shows varies, so compare it with CarCostCheck's free report, which covers MOT history, mileage, reliability and running costs at no cost.
For most private buyers, CarCostCheck is the better-value choice: £4.99 with outstanding finance included, against £8.49 for MyCarCheck's Comprehensive check with finance. CarCostCheck's check also shows the lender and agreement details if finance is found and the date of each recorded keeper change, and it comes with a free MOT, mileage, reliability and running-cost report.
- CarCostCheck £4.99: our recommendation for most private buyers. Finance included, a one-off payment and a free report alongside. Add a valuation for £2.99, or buy both together for £6.99.
- MyCarCheck Comprehensive £8.49: a fair alternative with finance if you prefer MyCarCheck.
- MyCarCheck Basic £4.99: leaves outstanding finance out, so for a used-car purchase choose a check that includes it.
Checking several cars? CarCostCheck charges £4.99 for the first car, £4.49 for the second and £4.00 for each after that (up to five), so three cars cost £13.48.
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