HPI vs AA vs RAC vs CarCostCheck: Four-Way Car Check Comparison (2026)

HPI, AA and RAC are the three most recognised names in UK car history checks. CarCostCheck is a newer alternative that has grown quickly by competing on both price and feature set. All four sell reports built on the same Experian and DVSA data feeds, but they differ significantly on price, brand weight and what extras each includes. For most private buyers, CarCostCheck is the strongest choice of the four — lowest price, same core data, and the only option that includes analysis extras alongside the provenance checks.

All four providers pull from the same underlying databases. HPI, AA and RAC all market a £30,000 data accuracy guarantee with slightly different wording. CarCostCheck handles data issues through a case-by-case refund policy. The data you receive is the same from all four; pricing reflects brand, guarantee wording and feature bundling rather than differences in data access.

Feature Comparison

Check	CarCostCheck £4.99	AA £9.99	RAC £9.99	HPI £19.99
Stolen register	✓	✓	✓	✓
Outstanding finance	✓	✓	✓	✓
Write-off (all categories)	✓	✓	✓	✓
Mileage discrepancy	✓	✓	✓	✓
Plate and colour history	✓	✓	✓	✓
Keeper count	✓	✓	✓	✓
MOT history list	✓	✓	✓	✓
MOT failure categorisation	✓	Not included	Not included	Not included
Reliability score	✓	Not included	Not included	Not included
Running cost estimate	✓	Not included	Not included	Not included
Predicted repair costs	✓	Not included	Not included	Not included
Free tier with MOT analysis	✓	Not included	Not included	Not included

Every provider matches on the seven core checks. CarCostCheck is the only one of the four that adds five additional features on top, and it does so at the lowest price.

CarCostCheck at £4.99

CarCostCheck is the cheapest of the four and includes the most features. It uses the same Experian feed as HPI, AA and RAC for stolen, finance and write-off data, and the same DVSA feed for MOT history. On top of that core data, it bundles:

• MOT failure categorisation — historical failures grouped by defect category so recurring issues are visible at a glance.
• Reliability score — the specific make and model scored against millions of DVSA test results.
• Running cost estimate — fuel, tax, insurance and service costs combined into an annual figure.
• Predicted repair costs — likely repair bills for the next 12 months based on model-specific patterns.

It also offers the most generous free tier of the four, covering MOT history, reliability scoring and running costs without payment. HPI, AA and RAC do not offer free tiers in any meaningful sense beyond a sample result.

Trade-off: CarCostCheck handles data issues through case-by-case refunds rather than a formally-marketed £30,000 guarantee. In practice, data errors are rare across all four providers and claims are uncommon, so for most buyers this is not a meaningful concern.

HPI at £19.99

HPI is the most recognised name in UK car history checks, dating back to 1938. The £19.99 price reflects that brand weight. At this tier you are paying for:

• The HPI-branded report itself, which some dealers, lenders and insurers specifically request for their records.
• A prominently-marketed £30,000 data accuracy guarantee with formal wording.
• Brand reassurance for buyers who prefer the most established name in the category.

HPI does not include MOT failure categorisation, reliability scoring, running cost estimates or predicted repair costs. The report focuses on the core provenance checks and trades on brand weight rather than feature depth. For buyers whose main requirement is data verification, CarCostCheck accesses the same underlying data at a quarter of the price.

AA Car Data Check at £9.99

The AA's car data check is a standalone consumer product from one of the UK's best-known motoring brands. It covers all the core provenance checks (stolen, finance, write-off, mileage) and markets the same £30,000 data accuracy guarantee as HPI. At £9.99 it sits halfway between CarCostCheck and HPI on price.

The AA check is a reasonable choice for buyers who specifically value the AA name and established customer service. It does not include MOT failure analysis, reliability scoring or running cost estimates — those features are not available at the AA tier at any price. Compared to CarCostCheck at £4.99, the AA report costs double for the same core data with fewer features.

Important: the £9.99 AA car data check does not include breakdown cover. It is a standalone product branded under the AA name, not bundled with any AA membership.

RAC Car Passport at £9.99

RAC Car Passport is the RAC's equivalent consumer product, priced identically to the AA at £9.99. It accesses the same Experian and DVSA feeds and offers the same £30,000 guarantee wording. The differences between RAC and AA are small:

• RAC uses a multi-tab web report with colour-coded alerts; AA uses a single-page PDF.
• RAC has more detailed self-service FAQ documentation; AA has faster ticket response times.
• Both occasionally bundle promotional discounts on breakdown cover or MOT services.

For the data received, RAC and AA are interchangeable. Either is a reasonable choice if you specifically value the motoring club brand. Like the AA, the RAC Car Passport does not include MOT analysis, reliability or running cost features. Compared to CarCostCheck at £4.99, the RAC check costs double for the same core data with fewer features.

Which to Choose

Of the four providers, CarCostCheck is the strongest choice for most private buyers. It is the cheapest of the four by a clear margin, it matches HPI, AA and RAC on every core provenance check, and it is the only option that includes MOT failure categorisation, reliability scoring, running cost estimates and predicted repair costs. The free tier is also considerably more useful than anything the other three offer at the free level.

The narrow cases where one of the others may suit you:

• HPI £19.99 — only if a dealer, lender or insurer specifically requests the HPI-branded report for their records, or if the most recognised brand name in the category is important to you for documentation purposes.
• AA or RAC £9.99 — only if you specifically value the AA or RAC motoring brand and the extra £5 over CarCostCheck is worth that recognition for your situation.
• CarCostCheck £4.99 — the default choice for the vast majority of private buyers. Cheapest, same core data as HPI, and the only one with analysis extras.

All four access the same underlying Experian and DVSA feeds. The difference is really what you are paying for around the core data — brand weight, guarantee wording or features. CarCostCheck wins on features while charging the lowest price; the other three trade features for brand recognition at higher prices.