The bottom line: Cars & Bids beats Carvana for a car enthusiasts want, such as a sports car, a modified build, a rare model or a classic. Buyers bid against each other, which can push the price up.
It turns most cars away, though, and you need to be patient.
Carvana is the better fit for an everyday commuter car you want sold within a week. You get a fixed offer online and skip the listing work.
Neither is built for junk cars or cars with a salvage title.
Compare offers from several buyers with Sell Car Advisor before you decide.
Key Takeaways
- Which car goes where: Carvana prefers cars under 10 years old in good condition and Cars & Bids auctions enthusiast cars, so quote a newer enthusiast car with both.
- Watch out for: Cars & Bids’ photo shoot costs $199 to $329, and some sellers had to book it when the site refused their own photos.
- How fast you can sell: Carvana can buy the same day in some locations, while a Cars & Bids auction runs seven days once live, and some sellers waited weeks for that.
- What Cars & Bids sellers report: Some sellers say the auction beat a dealer’s offer by thousands, but others whose car didn’t sell got more elsewhere, one of them from Carvana.
- What Carvana sellers report: Some sellers say Carvana’s offer beat a named rival’s, so get Carvana’s figure before the auction and set your Cars & Bids reserve above it.
Compare Instant Offers
Where to Sell Your Car?
- Have a rare or modified carEnthusiast buyers compete and pay premium prices
- Want zero selling feesNo seller fees vs Carvana’s pickup fee, set by location (free drop-off)
- Want maximum selling priceAuction competition can push prices higher for special cars
- Have a modern classic (1980s or newer)Cars & Bids’ focus is cars from the 1980s on
Better option when you- Need money fast (under 1 week)3 to 10 days on average, same day in some areas, vs 3 to 4 weeks for Cars & Bids
- Have a regular commuter carCars & Bids turns down ordinary vehicles
- Want minimum effortBasic photos vs a detailed photo set and active comment participation
Neither, for a junk car, salvage title, or major damage. Neither is built for these vehicles: Carvana wants cars under 10 years old in good condition. Try Peddle or Wheelzy instead.
Carvana buys newer running cars, with pickup in some areas
- Accepts cars with active loans
- Trade-in can save on sales tax
- License plate starts the quote
- Direct deposit option available
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Offer amount 35% 5/5
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Process ease 20% 5/5
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Offer validity 15% 4/5
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Pickup / drop-off 15% 4/5
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Payment speed 15% 4/5
Cars & Bids auctions cool modern and late-model enthusiast cars
- Sellers keep 100% of sale price
- Over 80% sell-through rate
- SafePay handles money and title
- Listing help from the team
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Audience match 30% 5/5
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Sale price potential 25% 4/5
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Listing cost / fees 20% 5/5
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Process transparency 15% 5/5
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Time to sell 10% 4/5
Automated assistant: general info, not legal advice
Answers come from our state paperwork data and published guides. Confirm anything binding with your state DMV.
Carvana vs. Cars & Bids: Detailed Comparison
Note: On Cars & Bids, a winning bidder can still fail to pay, and you have no right to the fee that bidder forfeits.
Alternatives to Sell a Car
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Offer amount 30% 5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
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Pickup speed 20% 4/5
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Vehicle acceptance 15% 5/5
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Process ease 15% 5/5
- Buys any car in any condition, running or not
- An offer in seconds, with no listing to write
- Free towing, with no fees taken off the offer
- Pays by check on the spot at pickup
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Offer amount 30% 4.5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
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Pickup speed 20% 4/5
-
Vehicle acceptance 15% 4/5
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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
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Buyer reach 25% 5/5
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Safety features 25% 3/5
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Listing cost 20% 5/5
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Time to sell 15% 4/5
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Ease of listing 15% 5/5
- Free to list, with no fee on a local sale paid in person
- Sell directly to buyers near you
- Post to a local buy and sell group at the same time
- Buyers see your profile and seller ratings
- You handle the payment and paperwork yourself
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
Frequently Asked Questions
What fees do Carvana and Cars & Bids charge sellers?
Cars & Bids charges sellers no listing fee, though its optional photo shoot costs $199 to $329. You keep 100% of the winning bid. Buyers pay a 5% fee ranging from $250 to $7,500.
Carvana’s pickup may cost a fee depending on your location, and you see it when you book; our test offers ranged from $0 to $600. You can avoid the fee by dropping off at a vending machine near you instead.
How long does each selling process take?
Carvana averages about 3 to 10 days from offer to sale, and in some locations it buys the car on the day of the offer. Cars & Bids takes 3 to 4 weeks total. That includes Cars & Bids’ answer on your submission, which it aims to give within one business day, time to prepare photos and the listing, then a 7-day auction.
Which service offers more money for cars?
It depends on your car. Cars & Bids can get you more for enthusiast vehicles because buyers compete in auctions.
For regular commuter cars, Carvana offers market-rate pricing with the trade-off being convenience over maximum dollars. Average sale prices on Cars & Bids run around $22,000 to $27,000.
What if my car doesn’t sell on Cars & Bids?
If bidding doesn’t meet your reserve price, the car doesn’t sell. The catch is you must wait one full year before listing that same car on Cars & Bids again.
About 80% of accepted cars do sell, but remember that not every car is accepted.
Can Carvana change their offer after giving a quote?
Yes. Their online quote is good for 7 days, but the final offer may change after inspecting your car. If they find issues you didn’t mention online, they’ll adjust the price.
You can walk away if you don’t like the new number.
What cars does each service accept?
Cars & Bids wants enthusiast vehicles from the 1980s and newer, including sports cars, modified builds, rare trucks and special editions.
They turn down cars that are too ordinary. Carvana accepts a car newer than 1992 with a working odometer, as long as it can be driven safely.
How do Carvana and Cars & Bids handle cars with loans?
Both services handle loan payoffs. Carvana works directly with your lender at pickup. Cars & Bids uses their SafePay system to manage the payoff during the title transfer.
If you owe more than the car is worth, you’ll need to cover the difference.
Which has better customer reviews?
Carvana has 4.1 stars on Trustpilot from 16,239 reviews.
Cars & Bids has 4.2 stars on Trustpilot from 459 reviews and 4.4 stars on Google from 1,022 reviews.
With Carvana, book the appointment inside the 7-day offer window: sellers’ complaints describe offers that came back lower once it ran out, and pickups that were moved.
Sellers’ complaints about Cars & Bids include being asked to lower or drop their reserve, paying for a photo shoot, and a winning bidder who never paid.
Article Update History
Ratings from Trustpilot and Google and BBB status checked, and Cars & Bids' move into older classic cars added.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.
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