The bottom line: Peddle makes you an online offer and tows the car away for free, while Cars & Bids auctions enthusiast cars, and the bidding sets the price.
An everyday car, or one that doesn’t run, goes to Peddle, which makes offers on cars in any condition, while Cars & Bids turns away about 60% of the cars submitted.
An enthusiast car, like a sports car, goes to Cars & Bids if you can wait a few weeks, because competing bidders can push the price above a single offer. A reserve has to be a figure Cars & Bids accepts, and the car then sells only if the bids reach it or you agree a deal with the top bidder.
If Cars & Bids turns your car down, Sell Car Advisor’s comparison form gets you several instant offers at once.
Key Takeaways
- Still owe money on it: Peddle buys only a car whose loan is paid off and lien released, while Cars & Bids’ optional SafePay checkout pays off the loan from the sale if you and the winning bidder both use it, for a $297 fee the buyer pays unless you agree to split it.
- Without a title: Peddle has buyers for many cars without a title, but your state sets how you replace a lost one and whether the car can be sold before the new one arrives, so read its rule before you accept Peddle’s offer or submit the car to Cars & Bids.
- Watch out for: Cover your plate, address and any screen showing your name before anyone photographs the car for Cars & Bids, since its listings stay online for good, sold or not.
- Ratings: BBB grades Peddle A+ and Cars & Bids F; Peddle holds 4.7 on Trustpilot from 214,087 reviews and 4.5 on Google from 9,402 reviews, and Cars & Bids 4.2 on Trustpilot from 459 reviews, with most of its recent ones from customers it invited, and 4.4 on Google from 1,022 reviews.
- What Peddle sellers report: Even if the car doesn’t run, charge the battery before Peddle’s pickup, since its drivers aren’t meant to jump-start a car to read the mileage, and sellers report lower prices at pickup when it can’t be read.
- What Cars & Bids sellers report: Some sellers say Cars & Bids’ $199 to $329 photo shoot added real value, while others found it a cost or a delay, so check a photographer covers your area before you pay.
- How you’re paid: Peddle usually pays by company check, and a winning Cars & Bids bidder is expected to pay you in full within a week of the auction closing, directly or through SafePay.
- How fast you can sell: Peddle usually picks up and pays within two days of booking, while a Cars & Bids sale takes weeks: review, your approved listing, then a seven-day auction.
Compare Instant Offers
Where to Sell Your Car?
Better option when you- Car doesn’t run or has major mechanical issuesPeddle buys any condition with free towing; Cars & Bids requires running vehicles
- Need cash within daysPeddle typically picks up and pays within 24 to 48 hours of scheduling; Cars & Bids takes 3 to 4 weeks
- Don’t want to meet strangers or handle logisticsPeddle sends a free tow truck and pays at pickup, and you sign the title when it arrives; Cars & Bids requires coordinating with the buyer
- Car is worth under $2,000Peddle handles lower-value cars; Cars & Bids won’t accept ordinary vehicles
- Have an enthusiast car (sports car, modified, JDM)Cars & Bids reaches serious enthusiast buyers who pay premium prices
- Want maximum price for a special carAuction format with competing bidders drives prices higher than a single offer
- Still owe money on the car loanSafePay handles loan payoff; Peddle requires a clear title with no active loans
Neither, if the car is leased or a pre-1980 classic. Peddle requires clear title ownership; Cars & Bids focuses on cars from the 1980s and newer; see buyers that take a leased car or classic car sites.
Peddle buys junk, salvage, and non-running cars
- Free towing
- Fast payment
- Buys non running cars
- Pays by check at pickup
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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
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.
Peddle vs. Cars & Bids: Detailed Comparison
Note: Cars & Bids charges buyers a 5% fee (capped at $7,500), while sellers pay nothing. Its team reviews every car within one business day, then writes the description for you to approve. Any inspection is the buyer’s to arrange and pay for, and transport is left to the buyer, who can book Cars & Bids Shipping or arrange pickup directly with you.
Alternatives to Sell a Car
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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
- Get a real offer in 2 minutes, with no listing
- No haggling: its best offer comes upfront
- Suits a car under 10 years old in good condition
- Pays off your loan when it buys the car
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Offer amount 30% 5/5
-
Quote speed 20% 5/5
-
Pickup speed 20% 5/5
-
Vehicle acceptance 15% 4/5
-
Process ease 15% 4/5
- Buys damaged cars, even ones that can't be driven
- The engine and transmission must still be in
- Free towing, included with every offer
- Picks up within 48 hours, sometimes the same day
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Offer amount 30% 4.5/5
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Quote speed 20% 5/5
-
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
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
Which offers more, Peddle or Cars & Bids?
It depends on the car. Peddle offered between $355 and $4,980 for our test vehicles in 2026. Cars & Bids doesn’t give instant quotes because it’s an auction, but the average sale price is around $22,500.
The catch is that Cars & Bids only accepts enthusiast cars.
If your car is a regular daily driver, Peddle is your option between these two. If your car is something special, Cars & Bids can get you a lot more through competitive bidding.
How long do Peddle and Cars & Bids quotes last?
Peddle gives you up to seven days to accept its offer, so you can check other buyers first.
Cars & Bids works differently since it’s an auction. Your listing runs for 7 days, and the final price is whatever the highest bidder offers.
You can set a reserve price, but they push for no-reserve auctions because those attract about 40% more bids.
Which has better customer reviews, Peddle or Cars & Bids?
Peddle has 4.7 stars on Trustpilot from 214,087 reviews and 4.5 stars on Google from 9,402 reviews.
They also have an A+ BBB rating. The most common BBB complaint about Peddle is a lower offer at the door, mostly over a car that wouldn’t start or mileage the driver couldn’t read.
Cars & Bids has 4.2 stars on Trustpilot from 459 reviews and 4.4 stars on Google from 1,022 reviews.
Some sellers report a winning bidder who never paid.
Does Peddle change the offer at pickup?
The offer may change if the tow driver finds the car is in different condition than what you described online. For example, an unreported missing catalytic converter or hidden damage could reduce the offer.
Even on a car you listed as not running, the offer can drop if a flat battery means the driver can’t read the mileage, so charge the battery and photograph the lit odometer before pickup. If the driver reduces the offer, you can say no before the car is loaded, or contact Peddle’s customer service right away to discuss it.
Which is faster, Peddle or Cars & Bids?
Peddle is much faster. You get a quote in about 2 minutes, and pickup typically follows 24 to 48 hours after you schedule it. Same-day pickup happens only when a tow company near you has a free truck, and Peddle can’t promise it.
Cars & Bids takes 3 to 4 weeks from the time you submit your car until the auction ends. That includes the review process, photo preparation, and the 7-day auction itself.
How does payment work with Peddle and Cars & Bids?
Peddle pays you at pickup, usually by check. Some locations may offer cash. Payment happens before the tow truck takes your car.
Cars & Bids offers SafePay, an optional payment service that costs $198, plus $99 if the car has a loan, paid by the buyer unless you agree to split it. Contact details go to both sides when the auction ends, so SafePay screens no one out; the buyer pays only after you both confirm your identities.
SafePay also handles title transfer and can manage loan payoffs.
What if I owe money on my car?
Peddle won’t buy it. They require a clear title showing you own the car outright. You’d need to pay off the loan first.
Cars & Bids can handle financed cars through SafePay, which works with your lender to manage the payoff. This is one of the bigger differences between the two if you still have a balance on your vehicle.
Can Peddle buy a car that won’t start?
Yes. Non-running cars are a core part of Peddle’s business. Whether your car has a blown engine, failed transmission, or just won’t turn over, they’ll make an offer and tow it for free.
Cars & Bids won’t work for non-running cars since they need to be presentable for auction photos and buyer test drives.
What happens if the winning bidder on Cars & Bids doesn’t pay?
This is a real risk. Cars & Bids screens buyers, but they can’t force someone to pay. If a buyer backs out, Cars & Bids tries to sell to the next-highest bidder, or may relist your car for free. The bidder forfeits their 5% buyer’s fee, but you have no claim to it.
Peddle has no bidder to back out: its tow driver pays you at pickup, usually with a company check, before the car leaves.
Article Update History
New quotes from Peddle, ratings from Trustpilot, Google and BBB, and Cars & Bids' acceptance of older cars added.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.
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