Short answer: HPI is the original car check brand, operating since 1938, and the name most people think of when buying a used car. But in 2026, it is difficult to recommend. At £19.99 per check, it is one of the most expensive options on the market. It carries a 1.3 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, with hundreds of complaints about hidden subscriptions. And the data it provides is available from cheaper services that actually include more checks.
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What HPI Actually Provides for £19.99
An HPI check queries the Experian vehicle database and returns information on whether a car has been reported stolen, has outstanding finance, has been written off (insurance categories), has had a plate or colour change, and the number of previous keepers. It also includes a basic mileage check and the HPI Guarantee.
That sounds comprehensive until you realise what it does not include. There is no MOT history analysis, no running cost breakdown, no reliability scoring, no common fault detection, and no repair cost predictions. These are all things that matter just as much as whether the car has finance on it, especially if you are trying to avoid a money pit.
The Experian data that powers HPI is not exclusive. Multiple providers, including CarCostCheck, AA, RAC, and MyCarCheck, access the same underlying databases. The difference is what each provider charges and what extras they bundle in.
The Trustpilot Problem
HPI's Trustpilot rating makes for uncomfortable reading. At 1.3 out of 5, it is one of the worst-rated consumer services in the automotive space. The complaints fall into three main categories:
- Subscription traps: The most frequent complaint by far. When you buy a single check, HPI automatically enrols you in a £39/year subscription called "HPI Check Annual." This is mentioned in the small print but not made obvious during checkout. Customers report discovering the charge 12 months later with no prior reminder.
- Guarantee failures: Several reviewers describe buying a car that later turned out to have undisclosed problems, only to find the HPI Guarantee did not apply. The guarantee covers stolen vehicles and outstanding finance specifically, not mechanical issues or general misrepresentation.
- Poor customer service: Reviewers consistently report slow response times and difficulty getting refunds for the subscription or guarantee claims.
To be fair, HPI is a large service processing millions of checks, and unhappy customers are always more likely to leave reviews. But a 1.3 rating sustained over hundreds of reviews is a pattern, not a coincidence.
HPI vs CarCostCheck: What You Actually Get
| Feature | HPI (£19.99) | CarCostCheck Free | CarCostCheck Premium (£4.99) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stolen check (PNC) | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outstanding finance check | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Write-off check (Cat A/B/N/S) | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Plate/colour change history | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Previous keeper count | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Full MOT history (every test since 2005) | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| MOT advisories in plain English | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Estimated repair costs per advisory | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mileage clocking detection | Basic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reliability score (0-100) | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Annual running cost breakdown | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Common faults for make/model | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DVSA recall check | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Insurance group estimation | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hidden subscription? | £39/year auto-renew | No | No |
| Price | £19.99 | Free | £4.99 |
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When HPI Might Still Make Sense
There is one scenario where paying for HPI could be worth it: if the seller insists on an "HPI check" by name, or if you are buying through a dealer that specifically requires an HPI-branded report. Some dealers and private sellers view the HPI brand as the gold standard, regardless of whether cheaper alternatives offer better data.
If you do buy an HPI check, cancel the subscription immediately after purchase. Do not wait. The auto-renewal kicks in after 12 months and there is no reminder email before the charge.
The Verdict
HPI built its reputation over decades, and the brand recognition is deserved. But the product has not kept up with the market. At £19.99 with no MOT analysis, no running costs, no reliability scoring, and a hidden subscription, it offers less data for more money than modern alternatives. CarCostCheck provides the same core stolen, finance, and write-off checks for £4.99, plus a dozen additional data points included free. For the vast majority of used car buyers in 2026, there is simply no reason to pay four times more for less information.
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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