AutoTrader is where a lot of people start a car search, and its vehicle check is right there next to the listing. CarMate is a separate tool that works on any listing, from any site, and reads the advert and the price as well as the history. Here is an honest look at when each one is the right call.
Side by side
| CarMate | AutoTrader Vehicle Check | |
|---|---|---|
| Works on any listing site | Yes, Gumtree, eBay, Facebook, AutoTrader | Built around AutoTrader listings |
| Reads the advert + seller | Yes, scam and red-flag signals | No, history only |
| Is the price fair? | Yes, market valuation vs asking price | Valuation on AutoTrader's own listings |
| Finance / write-off / stolen | Yes, Experian provenance | Yes, on the full paid check |
| MOT + mileage timeline | Yes, full DVSA history | Yes |
| Buy-or-walk verdict | Yes, one clear recommendation | No, you read the data yourself |
| Negotiation help | Yes, opening offer + script | No |
| Free option | 1 free credit on sign-up, plus a free MOT check | Free basic vehicle check |
| Data guarantee | Up to £30,000 on the History Check | Yes, on the full check |
A real example
Say you are torn between two 2019 Ford Focuses: one on AutoTrader from a dealer at £11,500, and a private one on Facebook Marketplace at £9,800.
The AutoTrader check handles the dealer car nicely. It is right there next to the listing, and the paid check gives you the finance, write-off and mileage background. But it does nothing for the Facebook car, the cheaper one, which is exactly the listing you are least sure about.
CarMate takes a screenshot or the reg of the Facebook car and runs the same provenance data, then reads the advert for scam signals, checks whether £9,800 is actually a good price for that spec and mileage, and hands you a verdict: worth viewing, here is what to ask, and here is your opening offer. It turns the listing you were nervous about into a clear yes or no.
Where the AutoTrader check is genuinely good
AutoTrader is a trusted, established brand, and its check is sitting right next to the car you are already looking at. The basic check is free, and the full check is backed by Experian data, the same kind of provenance records a proper history check should use. If you are browsing AutoTrader and want a quick background read on a dealer car, it does that job well.
Where CarMate fits better
The catch is that most of the riskiest cars are not on AutoTrader. Private sales on Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and eBay Motors are where the cheap deals and the scams both live, and that is where you most need a second opinion on whether the advert adds up.
CarMate works on a listing from any of those sites, from a screenshot, a URL or the reg. It reads the advert and the seller for scam signals, cross-checks DVLA, DVSA and Experian records, estimates the market value against the asking price, and gives you one plain verdict plus the questions to ask before you view. The AutoTrader check tells you the car's background; CarMate tells you whether to buy this particular advert.
Which should you choose?
- Dealer car on AutoTrader, quick background check - AutoTrader's own check is free and convenient.
- Private sale on Gumtree, Facebook or eBay - CarMate, because it reads the advert and the price, not just the history.
- The full picture on a specific car before you pay - the CarMate Full Buyer Check covers the listing and the history together.
If your main worry is just getting the provenance data for less, our guide on the HPI check alternative covers what a history check should cost.
What neither one can tell you
Straight answer: no check, AutoTrader's or ours, can see a repair that was never recorded, or read the mind of a seller who is lying well. Both rely on the same official records. Where CarMate goes further is the advert itself, the price, the wording, the seller's story, because that is where a clean-looking record and a dodgy deal usually part ways.
Common questions
Is the AutoTrader vehicle check enough to buy a used car?
The AutoTrader check is a solid history check on a single car, and the basic version is free. It tells you the recorded background, but only on cars listed on AutoTrader, and it does not read the advert for scam signals or tell you whether a private Gumtree or Facebook listing is a good deal. For a private-sale car off another site, a tool that reads the listing and the price as well is more use.
What does CarMate do that the AutoTrader check does not?
CarMate works on a listing from any site (Gumtree, eBay Motors, Facebook Marketplace, AutoTrader), reads the advert and the seller for scam and red-flag signals, estimates whether the asking price is fair, and ends with a buy-or-walk verdict and negotiation help. The AutoTrader check is history data on a single vehicle.
Is AutoTrader or CarMate cheaper for a full history check?
AutoTrader offers a free basic check and a paid full check. A CarMate History Check is £9.99 with a £10,000 data guarantee, or £14.99 with the full £30,000 guarantee, which usually works out cheaper than a standalone full check.
Can I use CarMate on a car that is not listed on AutoTrader?
Yes. CarMate works from a screenshot, a listing URL or the registration plate, so it covers private sales on Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and eBay Motors, not just dealer listings on one marketplace.
Does the AutoTrader vehicle check show outstanding finance?
The paid full AutoTrader check includes finance, write-off and stolen data from Experian. The free basic check does not go that deep, so for finance you need the paid tier. CarMate includes finance, write-off and stolen markers in its History Check as standard.
Which is better for spotting a scam listing?
CarMate. The AutoTrader check reports a car's recorded history; it does not analyse the wording of a private advert, the seller's story or whether the asking price is realistic. CarMate reads all three and flags the patterns that show up in scam and too-good-to-be-true listings.
Can CarMate show salvage damage photos?
If the car has ever been through a UK salvage auction, CarMate surfaces the damage category and any photos held on that auction record as part of the History Check. The AutoTrader check reports a write-off marker but does not show the auction damage detail or photos.
CarMate is operated by Moose Technologies Ltd. Vehicle provenance is supplied by Experian, with official DVLA and DVSA records. CarMate is not affiliated with Auto Trader, and the comparison above reflects each service's stated focus at the time of writing.