Regresar al GuidesYou’re ready to buy a new car and have a good idea of what you want. Before you head to your local dealership to arrange a trade-in, you should look online. The dealership is going to charge you full MSRP pricing, but this isn’t the most cost-effective approach to car shopping.
Instead, embrace modern technology by checking out some of the best car buying apps. The car buying process through a mobile app is a simple one. Many apps offer additional services, such as free vehicle history reports, credit score reports, and car loan options.
Check out this list of the best apps for car buying and find your dream car. All of the mobile apps on this list are available through the Android and Apple app stores.
1. Autolist
Shop for used cars, trucks, and SUVs on Autolist. This app is designed to work best on an iPad, but you can use it on your iPhone or Android phone too. You’ll find the largest selection of locally used vehicles. The app searches through thousands of used car sites, so that car buyers don’t have to.
Filter used cars for sale by location, make, model, and year. So you can find the perfect car at a fair price. When you find the vehicle you want, easily call, text, or email the seller directly from the app.
Standout features include the ability to check CARFAX reports and access Autolist’s Listmate. This lets you check the vehicle’s accident, service, and price history. You can also set alerts for new vehicles and price drops.
2. Autotrader
With over 20,000 private sellers and six million vehicles on Autotrader’s network, there are plenty of new, certified, used cars, and trucks to look through. Personalize your car buying experience by making an account. You can filter your search results, pick up where you left off, and share vehicles with your friends and family.
Autotrader uses Kelley Blue Book Price Advisor on every listing to ensure you always get a fair price. Another notable feature is the Delivery to Your Door filter that lets you shop from home and have the vehicle delivered. You can also search for vehicles with a highly specific list of search filters.
3. CARFAX
Over 28,000 used car dealers list over a million certified and used cars on the CARFAX app. Every car listed comes with a free carfax Vehicle History Report. Use the search filters to narrow down your options then save and compare your favorites from recent searches.
Running a CARFAX report through the app is simple: enter the vehicle VIN or license plate number. Reports run on vehicles not listed within the app do require a separate in-app purchase. One report is $39.99, three reports are $59.99, and six reports are $99.99. Each report will give you a full history of the vehicle accident and repair history. Users appreciate that the report helps them to make an intelligent buying decision about a particular vehicle.
4. CarGurus
Take the guesswork out of finding your next car by using a data-driven approach to your search. Proprietary deal-rating algorithms dig deep to find the best buys. It takes into account accident history, dealer reviews, dealer location, and price. The analysis process is so rigorous that only 30% of vehicles analyzed are considered a good or great deal.
You’ll have free access to valuable and unique insights, such as the number of previous owners, price changes, accident history, and days on the lot. Arrange your financing in advance, set price drop alerts, and even sell your old car. What’s nice about the financing services is that it only takes minutes and will have no impact on your credit score.
5. CarMax
Browse through this app’s nationwide inventory of over 50,000 used cars, trucks, and SUVs. Search for vehicles based on make, model, year, type, price, features, and more. You can look at each vehicle’s details and images. Save your searches to make browsing in the future easier and faster. Get alerts for listing changes to your saved vehicle.
Users find the app to be convenient and helpful as it lets them schedule free appraisals and pull free history reports. You can calculate estimated monthly payments, apply for financing, and make payments through the app.
A standout feature of the CarMax app is the Seven Day Money Back Guarantee on every car. Your appraisal isn’t just an estimate; it comes with an actual offer.
6. Cars.com
The Cars.com app gives you access to over 4.9 million listings. There are over five million owner reviews to provide you with an accurate idea of what it’s like to own your next vehicle. The Matchmaker Experience helps you find the perfect for your budget and driving needs.
Keep an eye out for the “Hot Car” badges. These are the vehicles that you need to act fast on. You’ll also see Deal Badges marked as Great Deal, Good Deal, and Fair Price. These will help you know how well vehicles are priced. The badge system takes into account ownership history, features, condition, and influential market factors.
Use the app to scan a car’s VIN at the dealership lot to pull up a car’s listing. This helps you have the information you need to negotiate the best price for your next car.
7. Edmunds
Read car reviews and find out what others have paid for your next dream car. Edmunds brings you an entire network of new and used car dealers. You can use the app to narrow down your search to the exact vehicle with all of the features you want.
A standout feature of this app is that it goes beyond the standards price comparison. You can use the app to secure special offers and price promotions. This lets you get the best deal beyond what the window stickers show. You can also use the app’s calculators to determine upfront what your interest rate and loan payments would be. That way, you know what to expect before heading to the dealer.
8. iSeeCars
The Used Car Search Pro app from iSeeCars lets you search through over four million used cars, trucks, and SUVs. There are 59 search filters available for you to narrow down your search to the perfect vehicle. These go beyond the standard price, make, model, year, and features. One standout filter is the ability to search for vehicles based on your height.
You’ll like that search results are automatically sorted by the best deal and price. Each listing gets analyzed by an algorithm that compares it to the current market, and vehicles that are priced below and above market are noted as such. You can also create email alerts to notify you of new listings and price drops.
9. KBB.com
Kelley Blue Book is known for being the go-to reference for determining the market value of new and used cars. You can use the app to search for vehicle prices, compare different models, and find dealerships.
This is incredibly useful for finding out your current vehicle’s worth. You can also find out the value of your next vehicle. This information is incredibly helpful when considering a trade-in or working with lenders to secure an auto loan. Knowing the value of your future car will give you an idea of your potential monthly payments.
10. TrueCar
Buy smarter and drive happier with TrueCar. You can use the app to get an upfront and personalize offer from a TrueCar certified dealer. This lets you know exactly what you’ll get for your current car and what you’ll owe on your new one before you ever step foot on the lot.
Use the Price Curve feature to know what other buyers in your area have paid for similar vehicles. This lets you browse through local listings or choose from over a million used car listings across the country. You’ll also get a free condition report summary so that you know exactly what you’re buying.
