Is CarMate or carVertical better for a UK used car?

For a normal UK-registered car, CarMate is built for the job: it checks the history through Experian, reads the actual listing, estimates the market value against the asking price and gives a buy-or-walk verdict. carVertical is stronger if the car was imported or you specifically want accident photos and damage records from outside the UK.

When is carVertical the better choice?

carVertical pulls from international databases, so for a car imported into the UK, or when you want a record of past damage and accident photos from other countries, it reaches data that a UK-focused check does not.

What does CarMate do that carVertical does not?

CarMate reads the listing itself, estimates whether the asking price is fair against the market, flags scam and red-flag signals in the advert, and gives negotiation help with an opening offer. carVertical provides a vehicle history report but does not assess the advert or the price.

How much does a CarMate History Check cost?

A CarMate History Check is 2 credits (£11.98 as a one-off, less per check in a multipack) and is backed by a data guarantee from £10,000. A Listing Check is 1 credit (£5.99).

CarMate vs carVertical: Which Car Check Is Right for You?

Both CarMate and carVertical help you avoid a bad used car, but they are built for slightly different jobs. carVertical is an international vehicle history report. CarMate is a UK car-buying tool that checks the history and reads the actual listing to tell you whether it is a deal.

Here is a straight comparison so you can pick the right one. There are real cases where that is carVertical, and we will say so.

Quick verdict Buying a normal UK car and want to know "is this advert honest, is the price fair, should I view it?" - CarMate is built for exactly that. Buying an imported car, or you specifically want photos of past accident damage from abroad - carVertical has international data CarMate does not.

Side by side

	CarMate	carVertical
Main focus	UK listing + history + price verdict	International vehicle history report
Reads the actual advert	Yes, scores the listing and the seller	No, history only
Tells you if the price is fair	Yes, market valuation vs the asking price	No
UK finance / write-off / stolen	Yes, Experian provenance	Yes, varies by record
Imported / cross-border history	Limited (UK-focused)	Strong, this is their edge
Accident photos from abroad	No	Often, where available
MOT + mileage timeline	Yes, full DVSA history	Yes
Negotiation help	Yes, opening offer + script	No
Data guarantee	From £10,000 on the History Check	Yes, terms differ
Price	History Check £11.98, Listing Check £5.99	Per report, usually more for a single check

Where carVertical is genuinely the better pick

We are not going to pretend otherwise. If the car was imported into the UK, or you want a record of damage and accident photos from other countries, carVertical pulls from international databases that a UK-focused check like ours does not reach. For a fresh import with a foreign history, that international reach is worth paying for.

Where CarMate fits better for UK buyers

If you are buying a car that has lived its life in the UK, the questions you actually have are usually: is this seller telling the truth? Is the price fair? Should I bother driving to see it? carVertical gives you a history report and stops there.

CarMate reads the listing itself, cross-checks it against DVLA and DVSA records and Experian provenance, estimates the market value against the asking price, and ends with one plain verdict plus the questions to ask the seller. The History Check is backed by a data guarantee from £10,000, and a Listing Check is £5.99.

It is a different shape of answer: carVertical tells you what happened to the car; CarMate tells you whether to buy this one.

Which should you choose?

Imported car, or you want international accident photos - carVertical.
UK car, and you want to know if the advert and the price stack up - CarMate.
The full picture on a specific UK car before you pay - the CarMate Full Buyer Check covers the listing and the history together.

If you have already decided you want the provenance data for less, our guide on the HPI check alternative walks through what a history check should cost and what to look for.

CarMate is operated by Moose Technologies Ltd. Vehicle provenance is supplied by Experian, with official DVLA and DVSA records. CarMate is not affiliated with carVertical, and the comparison above reflects each service's stated focus at the time of writing.