The bottom line: Driveway offered more than CarMax, by $3,250 to $5,050, for the truck and the SUV we quoted at both, and CarMax $400 more for the electric car.
Driveway picks the car up from your home for free. Its sellers report the sale taking one to four weeks, so if you need the car sold this week, go to CarMax.
Get a Carvana offer as well: it offered more than CarMax for all three cars, though less than Driveway for the truck and the SUV.
Get offers from Driveway and CarMax, and compare other buyers’ offers before you accept either one.
Key Takeaways
- What our tests found: For a 2022 Ford F-150 XL, Driveway offered $23,450 and CarMax $18,400; for a 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime, $25,650 and $22,400; and for a 2018 Tesla Model 3, $11,000 and $11,400.
- Still owe money on it: CarMax and Driveway both pay off your loan, Driveway within 3 to 5 days of pickup, so with either one keep making payments until your lender shows the loan closed.
- Owe more than the offer: If you owe more than the offer you accept, you pay the buyer the difference yourself, at CarMax by cashier’s or certified check.
- How long the offer lasts: Both give you 7 days to accept, and both can change the offer if the car’s condition or history differs from your answers, Driveway even over a past accident you didn’t know about.
- Watch out for: Once you accept Driveway’s offer, sign the documents it mails you and send them back with its prepaid label, since you schedule pickup only after that.
- Ratings: BBB grades CarMax A+ and Driveway B; on Trustpilot, Driveway rates 4.3 from 4,365 reviews and CarMax 4.5 from 3,519, most by people who bought a car there, and on Google Driveway rates 4.6 from 4,905.
- What CarMax sellers report: If CarMax is paying off your loan, bring your lender’s payoff letter and check CarMax’s payoff figure against it before signing, since CarMax paid some sellers’ lenders less than they owed, and those sellers had to pay the rest.
- What Driveway sellers report: Some sellers say Driveway’s offer beat CarMax’s, while others had the car turned down after they had accepted the offer.
- How you’re paid: CarMax hands you a bank draft at the store, and Driveway sends a bank transfer after pickup that lands instantly or in 1 to 3 business days, depending on your bank.
- How fast you can sell: CarMax buys at the store the same day with no appointment, and Driveway’s valet collects the car from your home at a time you book.
Compare Instant Offers
Where to Sell Your Car?
- Need to sell todayFinish in 30 minutes to 4 hours versus Driveway’s 1 to 3 week process
- Prefer face-to-face transaction250+ physical locations versus Driveway’s online-only process
- Want instant access to your moneyRTP transfer at pickup if your bank takes it, or ACH in 1 to 3 business days, versus a CarMax bank draft you have to deposit
- Selling a newer truck or SUVOffered $3,250 to $5,050 more than CarMax on the truck and SUV in our tests
- Want to sell from homeFree home pickup nationwide versus CarMax at-home pickup at most locations, where a fee may apply
Neither, if you want your online quote honored. Driveway’s quote holds 7 days if the photos match your description, though some sellers report cuts or a car turned down; CarMax adjusts its online offer if the car differs from what you entered.
Either, if you need to sell a car with a loan. Both handle loan payoffs directly with your lender.
Neither, if the car is over 20 years old, 180k+ miles, or has salvage/frame/flood damage. Both focus on newer cars in decent shape. Try Peddle or Wheelzy instead.
Driveway buys cars online, collects them and pays into your bank
- Offer valid for 7 days
- Photo inspection on your phone
- Paid by bank transfer after pickup
- Picks up anywhere in the U.S.
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Offer amount 35% 5/5
-
Process ease 20% 3/5
-
Offer validity 15% 4/5
-
Pickup / drop-off 15% 5/5
-
Payment speed 15% 5/5
CarMax inspects and buys your car at 250+ stores
- Buys your car even if you don't buy one there
- Offer holds seven days and is not negotiable
- At-home pickup, though not everywhere and a fee may apply
- Quote in about 2 minutes online
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Offer amount 35% 3/5
-
Process ease 20% 3/5
-
Offer validity 15% 4/5
-
Pickup / drop-off 15% 4/5
-
Payment speed 15% 2/5
Automated assistant: general info, not legal advice
Answers come from our state paperwork data and published guides. Confirm anything binding with your state DMV.
CarMax vs. Driveway: Detailed Comparison
| Category |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Newer cars when you need a same-day sale | Newer trucks and SUVs when you can wait 1 to 3 weeks |
| Quote Speed | About 2 minutes online (not always available) | About 3 minutes online |
| Offer Validity | 7 days | 7 days |
| Time to Complete | 30 minutes to 4 hours (same day) | 1 to 3 weeks from quote to payment |
| Payment Method | Bank draft (deposit it; it can’t be cashed) | RTP instant transfer at pickup if your bank takes it, or ACH (1 to 3 business days) |
| Pickup Fee | At-home pickup in most markets (a fee may apply), or bring car to store | Free home pickup nationwide |
| Inspection Type | In-person, 30 to 45 minutes | AI photo review, sometimes a video call, then a driver walk-around and test drive (about 30 minutes or less) |
| Cars with Loans | Yes, but the payoff took 3 to 7 weeks for some sellers | Yes, lender paid within 3 to 5 days of pickup |
| Won’t Buy | Salvage titles; frame or flood damage brings a low offer, not a refusal | Cars over 20 years old, 180,000+ miles, major damage or title problems |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.5/5 stars (3,519 reviews) | 4.3/5 stars (4,365 reviews) |
| Google Rating | Varies by location, usually 4+ stars | 4.6/5 stars (4,905 reviews) |
| BBB Rating | A+ | B |
| Main Drawback | In-person offers may differ from online quote; pays by bank draft, not transfer | 1 to 3 week process; document system can lose your paperwork |
Note: In most cases CarMax can’t report the sale to the DMV for you, so file your state’s notice yourself. You may also need to mail your title to Driveway with a prepaid label before they schedule pickup.
CarMax vs. Driveway Offers
We requested quotes from both companies for several vehicles. Here’s what each one offered:
2018 Tesla Model 3 with 73k miles and clean title CarMax +$400
See both offer screenshots
2022 Ford F-150 XL with 72.5k miles and clean title Driveway +$5,050
See both offer screenshots
2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime SE with 61.5k miles and clean title Driveway +$3,250
See both offer screenshots
How each offer can change
- CarMax: it inspects your car in person for 30 to 45 minutes, and its in-person offer may come in lower than the online quote.
- Driveway: it uses AI photo analysis first, sometimes a video call, then a driver walk-around and test drive at pickup. Its number holds for 7 days if you described your car accurately, though some sellers say it was cut after the photos or at pickup.
Best Alternatives
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Offer amount 35% 5/5
-
Process ease 20% 5/5
-
Offer validity 15% 4/5
-
Pickup / drop-off 15% 4/5
-
Payment speed 15% 4/5
- Get a real offer online in 2 minutes
- Suits a car under 10 years old in good condition
- No haggling: its best offer comes upfront
- Pays off your loan when it buys the car
-
Offer amount 30% 5/5
-
Quote speed 20% 5/5
-
Pickup speed 20% 4/5
-
Vehicle acceptance 15% 5/5
-
Process ease 15% 5/5
- Its sweet spot is cars over ten years old
- Buys any car in any condition, running or not
- Free towing, with no fees taken off the offer
- Pays by check on the spot at pickup
-
Offer amount 30% 4.5/5
-
Quote speed 20% 5/5
-
Pickup speed 20% 4/5
-
Vehicle acceptance 15% 4/5
-
Process ease 15% 2/5
- Owned by Copart, the salvage auction company
- Buys almost any vehicle with a motor, running or not
- Free towing, and it handles the title transfer
- Hands you a check at pickup, or mails it
To see what different buyers offer for your car, get quotes from several at once:
Compare instant offers before you accept one
Compare instant offers before you accept one
Alternatives: Sites Like CarMax | Sites Like Driveway
Frequently Asked Questions
Which offers more for cars, CarMax or Driveway?
In our January 2026 tests, Driveway offered more on 2 of 3 vehicles. The gaps were large on the truck and SUV, with Driveway ahead by $5,050 on the Ford F-150 and $3,250 on the Toyota RAV4 Prime.
CarMax offered $400 more on the Tesla Model 3, which was the only vehicle where it came out ahead. The offers we received suggest Driveway pays more for higher-value trucks and SUVs.
CarMax’s in-person offer may come in lower than the online quote after inspection. Driveway’s offer can also change if its photos or the CARFAX report differ from what you entered.
How long do CarMax and Driveway quotes last?
Both companies give you 7 days from when you get your quote. That’s enough time to get offers from other buyers and compare.
After 7 days, you can request a new quote from either company. The new amount may be different depending on market changes.
Which has better customer reviews, CarMax or Driveway?
Driveway has 4.3 stars from 4,365 reviews on Trustpilot. CarMax has 4.5 stars from 3,519 reviews on Trustpilot.
Driveway also has 4.6 stars from 4,905 reviews on Google.
Sellers’ complaints about CarMax center on late or short loan payoffs and in-store offers below the online quote.
For Driveway, sellers mention pickup delays, having to resubmit documents, and talking to different reps instead of one person.
Do CarMax or Driveway change their offers at pickup?
CarMax does a full 30 to 45 minute inspection when you arrive.
Based on customer reviews, the final in-person offer may be lower than the online quote if the inspection finds issues the online form didn’t catch.
Driveway may do a video call to check your car before pickup. The driver also gives your car a walk-around and test drive at your home, which takes about 30 minutes or less.
Driveway can lower its offer if the photos or the CARFAX report show something you didn’t list. One seller says it cut the price for a few scratches at pickup, and others say it turned the car down.
Which is faster, CarMax or Driveway?
CarMax is much faster for completing the sale. You can walk in and leave with a bank draft in 30 minutes to 4 hours.
With their express drop-off option, it can take under 30 minutes if you already have an accepted online offer.
Driveway takes 1 to 3 weeks from quote to payment. But once the driver collects the car, an RTP transfer reaches your bank right away if your bank accepts RTP; otherwise ACH takes 1 to 3 business days.
So CarMax is faster overall, but Driveway gives you faster access to your money after the sale completes.
How do CarMax and Driveway pay sellers?
CarMax pays with a bank draft, a check its issuing bank guarantees. You have to deposit it at your bank, which decides when you can use all the money. You can’t cash it.
Driveway pays by RTP (Real-Time Payments) if your bank accepts it, and by ACH transfer if not. RTP money reaches your account right after pickup. ACH takes 1 to 3 business days, and Driveway can send a paper check instead.
What if I still owe money on my car?
Both companies handle loan payoffs. CarMax pays your lender directly, but for some sellers the money took three to seven weeks to arrive. Keep making your car payments until the loan shows as paid off to avoid credit issues.
Driveway also pays the lender first, then sends you any remaining balance. That payoff reaches the lender within 3 to 5 days of pickup.
Which company is better for selling a car with mechanical issues?
Neither is a great choice for cars with major mechanical problems. Both prefer vehicles in good working condition and will either offer very low prices or decline cars with serious issues.
You’ll do better with companies that buy damaged and non-running vehicles like Peddle, Wheelzy, or CashForCars. These services buy cars for parts or repair, so they’re set up to handle mechanical problems.
Article Update History
New quotes from both, ratings from Trustpilot and Google, and CarMax's at-home pickup added.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.
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