I want to take the guesswork out of selling your car. I analyze market data, decode DMV title laws, and test out online car buyers to give you a straight answer on whether it's worth holding out for a higher price or if you're better off taking the most convenient offer and moving on.
Published:Nov 7, 2025
Last Updated:Oct 13, 2026
✓ Fact Checked
How we checked this page
Each company's score is the average of its ratings on Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau, Google Reviews, Yelp, Sitejabber and Facebook, plus the App Store and Google Play for Carvana, weighted by each site's number of reviews.
Based onRatings on 6 review sites and 2 app storesfor 7 online car buyers, weighted by review count
SellCarAdvisor is reader-supported, when you sign up through links on this post, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. How We Work.
The bottom line: We scored the major online car-buying companies on a weighted average of their ratings from Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau, Google Reviews, Yelp, Sitejabber, and Facebook. Each platform counts in proportion to its number of reviews, so a rating built on a larger sample carries more weight.
For example, a platform with 175,000 reviews carries more weight than one with 405 reviews. The formula is:
tops the list at 4.85/5 but won’t buy cars missing the engine or transmission, even though they accept most other damaged vehicles.
ranks second at 4.80/5 and works differently from the others. You visit a branch or schedule a mobile appointment instead of having a tow truck pick up your car.
has the widest rating gap of any company here, from 4.8 on app stores to 1.2 on Sitejabber, which makes it the hardest company to evaluate from ratings alone.
Four of the seven companies on this list specialize in damaged or non-running cars. Only Carvana is built for newer vehicles under 10 years old in good condition.
is the only company that checks your car’s condition by phone or chat instead of in person, but deducts a $125 fee from your payout.
A higher rating doesn’t mean a higher offer for your car. Getting quotes from multiple buyers before deciding is the only way to know who pays the most for your specific vehicle.
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Overall Rating: 4.85/5 (weighted average from 14,680 reviews)
CarBrain specializes in buying damaged and non-running vehicles that other companies won’t touch. It has been doing this since 2007.
Platform
Rating
Number of Reviews
Trustpilot
4.8/5
7,791
BBB
A rating
425
Google Reviews
4.9/5
6,889
Reviewers mention the fast process, with pickup typically happening within 24 to 48 hours of accepting an offer. Payment is usually by check at pickup, though some tow companies carry cash.
CarBrain won’t buy cars that are missing the engine or transmission, even though it accepts most other kinds of damage.
Overall Rating: 4.80/5 (weighted average from 75,768 reviews)
This company works best if you want to sell your car in person at a physical branch location. It has 86 branches in 12 states, and a branch sale takes about an hour once you arrive.
Platform
Rating
Number of Reviews
Trustpilot
4.8/5
74,712
BBB
4.88/5
1,042
Yelp
2.8/5
14
Customers praise the quick in-branch process and professional staff. Some complaints mention price drops between the online quote and in-person appraisal.
A mobile service option is available in many areas if you can’t get to a branch.
Overall Rating: 4.76/5 (weighted average from 362,775 reviews)
Carvana buys drivable cars newer than 1992, with a working odometer, through its online instant offer system.
Platform
Rating
Number of Reviews
Trustpilot
4.1/5
16,239
BBB
A+
Grade, not a review count
Sitejabber
1.2/5
536
iOS App Store
4.8/5
278,000
Google Play
4.8/5
68,000
Note: iOS and Google Play reviews include both car buyers and sellers, not exclusively people who sold cars.
App store reviewers like the convenient selling process. BBB complaints from sellers focus on late payments, loan payoffs, offers re-quoted lower after the 7 days ran out, and title or document problems.
The large gap between platforms makes this the most inconsistent company we reviewed.
Overall Rating: 4.72/5 (weighted average from 113,910 reviews)
Wheelzy specializes in junk cars and wrecked vehicles, with same-day pickup available in many locations.
Platform
Rating
Number of Reviews
Trustpilot
4.7/5
85,842
BBB
A- grade
Grade only, no review count
Google Reviews
4.8/5
28,155
Reviewers mention excellent customer service and fast pickup times. Some customers wished they’d received higher offers, and the most common BBB complaint is a price cut at pickup, often over the catalytic converter.
Some reviewers report successfully requesting a price match when they had proof of a higher offer from a competitor.
Overall Rating: 4.60/5 (weighted average from 197,749 reviews)
Peddle buys older cars and vehicles with mechanical problems that traditional dealers reject. You get up to seven days to accept its offer, so check other buyers before you do.
Platform
Rating
Number of Reviews
Trustpilot
4.7/5
214,087
BBB
4.72/5
13,470
Google Reviews
4.5/5
9,402
Yelp
2.7/5
405
Reviews highlight fair pricing and an easy process. Common complaints involve lower offers at pickup, checks a bank wouldn’t cash, and tow truck delays.
Peddle has 214,087 reviews on Trustpilot and 9,402 on Google, the second most of any company we researched.
Overall Rating: 4.59/5 (weighted average from 4,903 reviews)
Algo checks your car’s condition by phone or chat, so you never have to leave your home during the selling process. It operates in 18 states and Washington, DC.
Platform
Rating
Number of Reviews
Trustpilot
4.3/5
1,940
Google Reviews
4.8/5
2,881
Facebook
4.3/5
82
Customers like the competitive offers and smooth transactions. Some report that the final offer after the phone or chat check came in lower than the initial online estimate.
Note that Algo deducts a $125 fee from your payout, plus an extra $25 if there’s a loan or lease on the vehicle. It also requires you to mail your title before it schedules pickup.
CarBrain has the highest weighted average on this list, 4.85/5 from over 14,000 reviews across Trustpilot and Google Reviews.
WeBuyAnyCar USA is second at about 4.80/5 from over 75,000 reviews.
Keep in mind that a higher rating doesn’t always mean a higher offer for your specific car. Getting quotes from more than one buyer is still the best way to know who will pay the most.
Are online car buyer ratings reliable?
Ratings become more reliable when a company has thousands of reviews across multiple platforms. A company with 100,000+ reviews tells you more than one with just 50 reviews on a single site.
Always read recent reviews from the past 1 to 3 months to see current performance. We use weighted averages to ensure larger review samples have appropriate statistical weight in the overall score.
Why do some companies have good Trustpilot ratings but bad BBB ratings?
Different types of customers use different review platforms.
Trustpilot tends to get reviews from satisfied customers who complete quick transactions, while the BBB often hears from people with unresolved complaints.
Carvana shows the biggest gap in this list, with a strong Trustpilot score but 97 one-star ratings among the 100 newest BBB reviews we read.
Should I trust a car buyer with only a few reviews?
Companies with fewer than 100 total reviews haven’t established a reliable track record. Small sample sizes can be misleading since a handful of very positive or very negative experiences skew the average.
Stick with companies that have at least 1,000 reviews across major platforms.
Do these companies actually pay what they quote?
Most companies honor their quotes if your vehicle matches the description you provided.
Some reviewers report lower offers at pickup, especially when undisclosed damage or missing parts are found during inspection.
Always get the offer in writing and contact the company directly if the driver tries to reduce the price at pickup.
Which car buying service is best for junk cars?
Wheelzy and Peddle both specialize in junk cars and non-running vehicles with free towing, and a Peddle pickup typically comes 24 to 48 hours after it’s scheduled.
CarBrain also handles most damaged cars but won’t buy vehicles missing the engine or transmission.
The Wheelzy vs Peddle comparison breaks down how their offers compare across different car types and conditions.
How much do review counts matter when choosing a car buyer?
Review volume matters a lot. Peddle has 214,087 Trustpilot reviews alone, while Algo has 1,940 on the same platform.
Higher review counts mean the rating is more stable and less likely to be skewed by a few extreme experiences. That’s why we use weighted averages rather than treating all platforms equally.
Methodology Note
We collected rating data from Trustpilot, Better Business Bureau, Google Reviews, Yelp, Sitejabber, and Facebook in 2026, plus the iOS App Store and Google Play for Carvana.
We calculated weighted average scores using the formula:
Total: 909,622.2 points / 197,749 reviews = 4.60 weighted average
This methodology ensures that platforms with more reviews have proportionally more influence on the final score, making ratings more statistically reliable.
We focused on companies operating nationwide that buy vehicles directly from consumers. The weighted averages were calculated from data collected at a specific point in 2026. The Trustpilot and Google ratings in the tables reflect current live data via shortcodes. Check recent reviews before selling your vehicle.
Article Update History
Updated
Every weighted average now recalculated and every review count checked.
tops the list at 4.85/5 but won’t buy cars missing the engine or transmission, even though they accept most other damaged vehicles.
has the widest rating gap of any company here, from 4.8 on app stores to 1.2 on Sitejabber, which makes it the hardest company to evaluate from ratings alone.
