best websites for car reviews

Ad-free. Influence-free. Powered by consumers.

The payment for your account couldn't be processed or you've canceled your account with us.

We don’t recognize that sign in. Your username maybe be your email address. Passwords are 6-20 characters with at least one number and letter.

We still don’t recognize that sign in. Retrieve your username. Reset your password.

Forgot your username or password ?

Don’t have an account?

• Account Settings
• My Benefits
• My Products
• Donate Donate

Save products you love, products you own and much more!

Other Membership Benefits:

Suggested Searches

• Become a Member

Car Ratings & Reviews

2024 Top Picks

Car Buying & Pricing

Which Car Brands Make the Best Vehicles?

Tires, Maintenance & Repair

Car Reliability Guide

Key Topics & News

Listen to the Talking Cars Podcast

Home & Garden

Bed & Bath

Top Picks From CR

Best Mattresses

Lawn & Garden

TOP PICKS FROM CR

Best Lawn Mowers and Tractors

Home Improvement

Home Improvement Essential

Best Wood Stains

Home Safety & Security

HOME SAFETY

Best DIY Home Security Systems

REPAIR OR REPLACE?

What to Do With a Broken Appliance

Small Appliances

Best Small Kitchen Appliances

Laundry & Cleaning

Best Washing Machines

Heating, Cooling & Air

Most Reliable Central Air-Conditioning Systems

Electronics

Home Entertainment

FIND YOUR NEW TV

Home Office

Cheapest Printers for Ink Costs

Smartphones & Wearables

BEST SMARTPHONES

Find the Right Phone for You

Digital Security & Privacy

MEMBER BENEFIT

CR Security Planner

Take Action

Consumer Reports’ exclusive test results and survey findings can steer you to the best new and used cars, then help you maintain them.

Should You Lease Your Next Car?

Find out if leasing, rather than buying, might be a better deal for you.

Best Used Cars for Teens Under $20,000

These safe, reliable used cars and SUVs are well suited for drivers of all ages.

• 10 Most Satisfying Cars
• 10 Most Reliable Cars
• Most Reliable Car Brands
• Best Cars & SUVs < $30,000
• Best Used Cars & SUVs < $20,000
• Subaru Forester
• Toyota RAV4
• Subaru Crosstrek
• Subaru Outback

Find a Reliable Car

Savvy shopper, bargain hunter, car maintenance, ev savings finder.

NEWSLETTERS: Latest car news, reviews, and advice. Sign Up  

500,000 Miles

CR tests cars to give unbiased ratings and reviews.

How Consumer Reports Tests Cars

Auto safety & efficiency issues.

Car shopping is exciting, but car buying can be stressful. We help with tough decisions like whether to lease or buy, which new or used car is right for you, and how to find a good deal.

The Best High-Mileage Cars and How to Find Them

These are good cars and SUVs that can have plenty of life left even with six figures on the odometer.

Best Deals on SUVs You Can Buy Right Now

How to Beat the 'Four Square' and Other Car Dealership Sales Tactics

Should You Buy a New, Certified Pre-Owned, or Used Car?

Hybrids/EVs

The latest Previews, First Drives, and product tests from CR’s Auto Test Center.

First Drive: 2025 Toyota Crown Signia Hybrid SUV Shines

This crowning achievement improves on the sedan in several significant ways.

Preview: 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S Is a Quick Electric Luxury SUV With 300-Plus Miles of Range

First Drive: 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Is a Charming Throwback With a Touch of Modernity

First Drive: 2025 Mazda CX-70 Is a Two-Row CX-90

Car Maintenance & Repair

Car care and maintenance is essential for safety and making sure your car goes the extra mile. Our experts can guide you to the best car repair shop, car batteries, tires, and more.

The Most & Least Expensive Car Brands to Maintain

Tesla costs the least; German brands the most.

How to Save Money on Car Repairs

How to Wash Your Car

Keep Your Car in Great Shape

Pickup trucks

Check out the latest reports on new cars, car recalls, getting a great deal on a new or used car, tips on driving and car maintenance, and more.

How to Save When Renting a Car

Here’s what to know before you book your next trip.

Best Car Insurance Companies

Chinese-Made Cars Are Already Here. We’ve Even Tested a Few.

Electric Cars and Plug-In Hybrids That Qualify for Federal Tax Credits

Sedans & Hatchbacks

Car Safety & Efficiency

Safety and efficiency are key factors when shopping for a new or used car. Here’s what you need to know about active safety features, the best electric vehicles, and more.

How to Find the Best Home Charger for Your Electric Vehicle

From tax credits to wiring costs, here’s what you need to know before you start charging your EV at home.

Popular Large SUVs Struggle in Updated Crash Test

Safest New Cars of 2024, According to the IIHS

Hot, New Electric Cars That Are Coming Soon

Minivans & 3-Row SUVs

Talking Cars Podcast

On our autos podcast, "Talking Cars," our car experts discuss recent test findings, what’s new in the auto industry, and answer listener questions on a broad range of auto topics.

Talking Cars 446: Driving the Toyota Camry

Plus, the podcast panel discusses defects we sometimes find in the cars we test.

Talking Cars 445: Behind the Crash Tests at IIHS

Talking Cars 444: Driving the Refreshed Tesla Model 3

Talking Cars 443: Driving the Chevrolet Colorado

Make an impact.

Today's EVs Offer Big Savings for Consumers

American Jobs Plan Includes Key Consumer Advocacy Initiatives

CR Survey: More Than 70% of U.S. Drivers Are Interested in Owning an EV

Tell Congress: Let's Invest in the Electrification of Our Transportation System!

An independent, nonprofit member organization that works side by side with consumers for truth, transparency, and fairness in the marketplace.

Mission-Driven Nonprofit

Promoting truth, transparency, and fairness

Consumer-Centric

85+ years of advancing consumer interests

Independent

No advertising, sponsorships, or free samples for testing

Learn about free membership benefits & more

• Account Settings
• Aston Martin
• Lamborghini
• Mercedes-Benz
• Rolls-Royce

Car Reviews

Car comparisons, auto resources.

• Auto Insurance
• Auto Glass Repair
• Auto Warranty
• Product Roundups

Top stories

Latest Auto News & Reviews

Sibling rivalry: chevrolet trailblazer vs chevrolet trax.

If you read our massive sub-compact SUV super comparison recently, you'll know that these little guys are very popular right now. So much so in fact, Chevrolet gave us two to choose from, the Trax and the Trailblazer.

2025 Toyota Crown Signia First Drive Review: Call Me Camry Cross

With the 2025 Crown Signia, Toyota is hoping the third time’s the charm.

Highs and Lows: 2024 Nissan Altima

The Nissan Altima continues to be a survivor in the constantly shrinking family sedan segment. Over the past few months, it was announced two more competitors, the Chevrolet Malibu and Subaru Legacy, will be discontinued.

2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe Offers A Very Canadian Service

Genesis Canada announced pricing and packaging for its upcoming 2025 GV80 Coupe. The first coupe-over for the brand will debut this summer in a lone, all-in trim Up North, carrying a $104,000 CAD price and a unique support program.

LEGO Announces Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole

The latest LEGO Icons vehicle is a brick-built dream for car enthusiasts and LEGO collectors alike. Enter the LEGO Icons Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole.

Toyota, Mazda, Subaru Developing Engines Together

Best Rugged Ridge Jeep Accessories

No one buys a Jeep Wrangler and leaves it stock. How boring would that be? There are such a wide array of amazing aftermarket parts to make your Jeep fit your lifestyle and personality that it makes customizing a Wrangler fun and easy to do. Rugged Ridge from RealTruck produces Jeep accessories that are some of the coolest and most functional on the market.

Subaru Details Hybrid Boxer Powertrain

Subaru detailed its next-generation hybrid system as part of a joint conference with Toyota and Mazda.

Why Are 2024 Mustangs Catching Fire?

Ford is recalling 2024 Mustangs due to an issue with improperly secured clutch pressure lines on vehicles equipped with manual transmissions.

Should I Get a Portable Jump Starter or Jumper Cables?

Jumper cables and portable jumper boxes are both tools used to revive a vehicle with a dead battery, but they have distinct differences despite sharing a similar end-goal. And with a plethora of purchasable options in both camps, it can be difficult to decide which way to spend your pretty pennies. Let’s dive in and compare the two common types of vehicle jumpers, which hopefully helps you reach a conclusion as to which is better for your usage case.

2024 Jeep Gladiator Special Edition Gets The Mopar Treatment

Jeep has a new special edition Gladiator that features a load of hand-picked parts from Mopar, Stellantis’ parts and accessory brand.

VIDEO: 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 Quick Review

As life evolves, so do our automotive needs, pushing many to consider more versatile options that balance fun and practicality. Does the 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 offer enough versatility?

2024 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4MATIC: Posh Pace For A Price

Growing up can be hard to do. With greater age comes greater responsibilities and a shuffling of priorities. Drawbacks, annoyances, and/or compromises that were once acceptable during one’s youth may no longer be the case. Take singular-purpose vehicles for example.

Setting a New Standard in Winch Performance - the Warn ZEON XD

When you think of winch manufacturers, most of us will agree Warn Industries is at the top of the list. It’s a well-deserved title, too. Warn winches are the best for a reason - they work, all the time. But to stay at the top of the hill takes work, and Warn has always been up to the challenge by constantly developing and improving upon its product line.

Formula 1 Reveals 2026 Cars With Active Aero

The FIA has announced a new set of regulations for Formula 1 cars that will take effect from 2026.

Every Angle Of The 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4MATIC

Popular Articles

3 Biggest Changes to the 2024 Hyundai Sonata

2024 Toyota Prius Prime XSE Premium Review: Pleasure Cruise

100,000 Toyota and Lexus Models Recalled

Honda Accord vs Nissan Altima Comparison

3 Reasons to Buy the Rivian R1T Over the Ford F-150 Lightning

Latest comparisons.

2024 Porsche Cayenne S and Cayenne Coupe Review

What’s the Difference Between the 2023 and 2024 Subaru Crosstrek?

Volkswagen Atlas SE Vs SEL: Which Trim is Right for You?

Hyundai Palisade Vs Mazda CX-90 Comparison

Toyota Corolla LE Vs Nissan Sentra SR Comparison

Car buying tools.

• How to Buy a Car
• Free dealer Price Quote

The Recession Killed GM’s 4.5L Duramax V8, But One Escaped the Factory

Destined for the half-ton Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, the LMK Duramax supposedly made 310 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque.

Seeing Texas World Speedway Being Devoured by Housing Development Is Real Sad

The track has been closed for a while, but the pace of construction has picked up, as these new satellite images show houses taking over.

Very Good Dog Runs 4 Miles for Help After Owner Crashes Truck in Ravine

Nevada’s figure-8 roundabout is being removed after too many crashes, vw is shifting billions from ev plans to gas car development.

Gran Turismo di Pizza: Sampling NY’s Best Cheap Pies in a $220K Maserati

It’s pizza time.

2025 Toyota Crown Signia First Drive Review: A Camry Wagon Masquerading as Royalty

2025 rivian r1s first drive review: cutting-edge again, 2024 bmw x5 m competition pros and cons: we’ve all been missing out.

Rivian’s New Cel-Shaded Infotainment Update Is Cool—and Mandatory

Bmw’s oem roof boxes are the best in the game, want a cheap horsepower boost try dangerously low oil levels, feds sue hyundai for allegedly working 13-year-old up to 60 hours a week.

Everyone Calm Down About Brad Pitt’s F1 Movie Car Crash

I want ai to do my taxes, not design f1 trophies, ode to parnelli jones, my racing hero, nascar waiver or not, kyle larson was right to race the indy 500.

Blue Bird Bus Stock Is Blowing Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid Out of the Water

Youtuber alex choi arrested on federal charges for shooting lamborghini with fireworks from helicopter, iconic willow springs international raceway is for sale, this instagrammer takes roller shots of regular traffic and makes it look glam.

This Isn’t a Disney Character—It’s One of the Most Interesting Cars in NYC

This supercharged miata’s resurrection proves special cars don’t have to be exotic, this bmw e36 broke its engine—then it became a dream car, happiness is collecting unloved porsches and driving them hard.

Jun 8, 2024

If it wasn’t his best friend then, it surely is his best friend now.

Figure 8s are meant for the ice, not the roads.

VW isn’t the first major automaker to reassess the EV situation, joining Ford, GM, and Mercedes-Benz.

Jun 7, 2024

Rivian’s new UI design is great. But I don’t love the idea of an automaker drastically changing the look of my car without my consent.

To the moon? No, to the school!

The popular YouTuber could face 10 years in prison for “causing the placement of an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft.”

Not every stunt uses CGI, and with a rumored budget exceeding $300 million, this film has enough money to crash all the cars.

More F1-Engined Porsche 930 TAG Turbos Are Coming, Now With 625 HP

When we say F1 engines, we’re talking about motors actually used in F1 Grands Prix.

Jun 6, 2024

The future of one of the oldest road courses in the country is hanging in the balance after 62 years of family ownership.

Watch a Homebuilt V12 Push a Land Speed Car to 244 MPH at 9,500 RPM

This naturally aspirated V12 with 920 horsepower wasn’t made by Ferrari or Lamborghini. It was made by two dudes in a shop.

It turns out sticking a camera to your rear bumper and recording normie cars can deliver pretty cool results.

Legendary Tuner HKS Is Building Stroked Toyota GR Corolla Crate Engines

Now we want an inline-six version of this engine even more.

McLaren CEO Promises ‘Shared Performance Vehicle,’ Which Is Really Just an SUV

It’s named that “because you can share the performance with more people than you can have in a McLaren today,” apparently.

Tesla Cybertruck Loses to Model X in Towing Range Test—Again

Critics wanted a redo after the first test, so they got one. The results were the same.

Tuned BMW M240i Crashes at 172 MPH and the Driver Walks Away

After running an 8.56-second quarter-mile time, the rear end lost control.

Toyota won’t admit it, but there’s a new wagon in town.

The Rivian R1S and R1T are getting their first major mechanical update for 2025. The look and vibe are unchanged, but it rides and drives better now.

Hey, Ford: Call Your Mustang Sedan the Falcon

We don’t know for sure that Ford will deliver a V8, rear-wheel-drive, four-door Mustang, but we know what it should be called.

Keep Dad in or Out of Trouble With Fathers Day Deals on Electronics

Jun 8, 2024 1:30 PM

Get Your Clutter Under Control With Car Interior Organizer Deals at Amazon

Jun 7, 2024 3:00 PM

Hercules 20V Reciprocating Saw Hands-On Review: Stupid-Good for the Money

Jun 7, 2024 2:30 PM

Father’s Day Deals On Tools And Toys Your Hard To Shop For Car Guy Dad Won’t Buy Himself

Jun 6, 2024 3:42 PM

Teslong TD450S Borescope Hands-On Review: A Thousand And One Uses For Seeing Where The Sun Don’t Shine

Jun 6, 2024 2:30 PM

My ’69 Charger ‘Bolt-In’ Suspension Swap Has Become a Big Fabrication Project

Jun 5, 2024 3:01 PM

Win Father’s Day With Deals on Flashlights and Work Lights at Amazon

Jun 5, 2024 2:30 PM

Big Father’s Day Deals On Smartwatches And Tech: Get Dad Into Fast-Driving Shape

Jun 4, 2024 2:30 PM

Get a Jump on Father’s Day With Lowe’s Massive Craftsman Sale

Jun 3, 2024 2:30 PM

Assemble Your Dream Rig With RealTruck’s Countdown to Summer Sale

Jun 2, 2024 2:30 PM

We'll Be Right Back!

• Car Reviews

Tesla Cybertruck review

Obscenely rapid, actually practical, makes you insta-famous

Lack of interior buttons or stalks, relentless attention, pricier than promised

What is it?

The Tesla Cybertruck, of course. Less a vehicle, more an A-list celebrity, hounded by the public and press wherever it goes. Every move recorded, every morsel of information chewed and inflated, every quote twisted and reinterpreted until none of it makes any sense. It’s a self-fuelling frenzy because every mention sends clicks rocketing, every picture gets social media fizzing – either with anger or excitement.

From the moment the Cybertruck concept was revealed to several billion gasps in 2019, with Elon Musk’s promises of production kicking off in 2021 and a $40k starting price, it’s lurched from one very public problem to another. Design Director, Franz von Holzhausen, smashing the ‘unbreakable’ windows with a metal ball on stage was just a taste of things to come.

There followed multiple delays, leaked engineering reports citing woeful soundproofing and dangerous brakes, Elon’s now famous email to employees insisting the Cybertruck be “built to sub 10-micron accuracy [because] if LEGO and soda cans, which are very low cost, can do this, so can we,” as prototypes with panels gaps like rugby posts were rolling around on public roads. Finally, there was Elon’s admission that “we dug our own grave with the Cybertruck” and they probably won’t hit fully ramped-up production of 200,000+ trucks a year at Giga Texas until 2025.

Is it really real?

Yes. Stop rolling your eyes at the back. Customer deliveries began at the end of November 2023, and choices include the 845bhp ‘Cyberbeast’ tri-motor version we drove, costing $99,990 with a range of 320-miles, and a $79,990 AWD dual motor version with 600bhp, 340-miles range and 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds. In 2025 a RWD-only single motor will arrive with 250-mile range and 0-60mph in 6.5s. You can have it in any colour you like, so long as it's bare stainless steel, and the entry price is $60,990 for that single motor truck.

The tri-motor features two induction motors on the rear axle, and a permanent magnet motor on the front (the tri-motor Model S Plaid is all permanent magnet). It can crack 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds, do an 11-second quarter mile, it weighs 3,100kg and has a 123kWh battery - Tesla’s biggest yet. Claimed range of 320 miles is roughly in-line with the Ford F-150 Lightning , although Tesla will offer an optional plug-and-play 50kWh battery extender - essentially the pack from a standard range Model 3 - that bolts into the bed and takes away a third of your cargo space, but extends the range to 440 miles (470 for the AWD version).

The powertrain, which runs on an 800V architecture - a Tesla first - will charge at up to 350kW if you can find a V4 Supercharger , and is entirely designed and built in house by Tesla.

Why does it look like that?

For this we must defer to design boss Franz von Holzhausen: “We started unpacking existing pick-up trucks and realised that the market hasn't changed at all. In the early days we had a Lotus Esprit in the studio, the submarine car, and then started looking at what else was in this simplistic, angular theme; stuff like the F-117 Nighthawk and the Countach.

“Like Gandini, we wanted to do something dramatic that changed everything. I had this simple idea right in the beginning, this exoskeleton idea, a low-resolution looking type of truck. And out of that side project we made a full-size clay model to show Elon. And he's like, ‘that's what we're doing.’”

From an engineering perspective Lars Moravy, VP vehicle engineering, had a slightly different take: “When it was first introduced there was a lot of consternation because when you look at the shape, the stainless steel and Elon threw in that it had to drive like a sports car but have all the utility of a pick-up truck… basically, we were sweating bullets.”

What’s it made from?

Stainless steel panels bolted directly onto a steel monocoque forming a literally bullet-proof exoskeleton. A truck that wears its toughness on the outside… is the elevator pitch. As ever, getting Elon and Franz’s Delorean-gets-jiggy-with-a-F-150 vision to actually work, was easier said than done.

Turns out it's really hard to bend stainless steel, and when you do bend it, you get orange peel marks on the crease and here there's no paint to hide it. There's no stamping, the steel can only bend in one direction, so Tesla had to invent something new: a process called Airbending where they float the tool on a sort of high-pressure air hockey table, so it's not actually touching the surface when bending it.

READ MORE Elon Musk: Tesla Cybertruck will be able to “serve briefly as a boat”

The steel used is a special grade because stainless is not actually stain proof, it corrodes over time so they had to add various elements to the mix to make it resistant, get that full hardness and have just enough ductility to bend it. The big benefit though is supercar-like torsional stiffness of 45kNm/deg. There’s no “hemming” though, where you “wrap the outer around the inner like in a traditional panel”, Franz von Holzhausen explains, which means all the edges are exposed. They’re chamfered of course, to avoid dicing your fingers, but it takes some getting used to. Put it this way, you wouldn't want to slip in your garage and meet certain corners on the way down. Only one piece has a strip of rubber to protect you: the bottom edge of the frunk. Because when open it’s bang on head height.

The bare metal and flat surfaces look spectacular in soft light, but attract fingerprints like moths to a flame, and in harsh, direct light you notice a rippling effect on the largest flat surfaces. Fear not internet, the tolerances and alignment have tightened for production, but there are quirks in the way the panels meet, look and feel (the way the bottom of the A-pillar buts up against the front quarter panel is particularly challenging). But it is built differently, and should celebrate the fact.

What’s the public reaction like?

Like Taylor Swift has just rolled past on a unicycle wearing Lady Gaga’s meat suit. The constant and intense attention this truck gets is unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. Even before we’ve left Tesla’s Design Centre car park there are employees queuing up for selfies with it, and this is a vehicle they’ve been working on for several years. Whether in dumbstruck disbelief, mild anger or breathless euphoria, there’s a magnetism to it that’s beyond the human brain’s control. You have to take a look, take a picture, post a video, tell a friend, yell something or just stand there, slack-jawed and rubbing your eyes.

And yes… we like how the Cybertruck looks. We love how it sticks two fingers up to anything that’s gone before, that it aggravates some people and fills others with a sense of wonder. We marvel how full of risk it is and how downright confusing it is to look at from just about any angle. It’s barmy, not by adding wings, and slashes and vents and stripes, but by setting fire to design convention and peeing on the ashes. It’s brutal, not beautiful, but commits one hundred per cent. It’s all in. We love that. We assume Toblerone will be filing a lawsuit any day.

Can it do off-road truck things?

We are yet to test the Cybertruck off-road beyond a dusty lay-by, but the ingredients sound promising. Stuff like air suspension that has a range of 12 inches (for maximum possible ground clearance of 17.4 inches) and all-terrain tyres fitted as standard (although you can opt for more efficient and marginally quieter road-biased rubber if you prefer, we’d stick with the all-rounders). There’s an electronic diff so you can lock up the front axle, but with two motors on the rear axle controlling each wheel individually you don’t need one at the back, which does wonders for true ground clearance.

Beyond the standard ‘Off-road’ mode there’s a ‘Baja’ setting with a front/rear torque split slider for when only fast and really quite loose will do. The engineers were raving about its jumping ability when they took it for a hoon in Mexico. It can tow up to five tonnes, which will slice your range at least in half, so the extra battery pack is a must.

What's the verdict?

Were you one of the millions who put a $100 deposit down to buy a Cybertruck all those years ago? If you loved it then, and can absorb the price increases, you’re still going to love it now. Tesla has done the rarest of things - albeit much later than promised - and delivered to production, in effectively unchanged form, the sci-fi fantasy concept truck we first saw back in 2019.

The way it drives, especially at low speeds with its over-eager variable ratio steer-by-wire system, isn’t ideal, but it’s remarkably stiff, composed and rudely rapid when you get a clip on. Crucially though, beneath the gimmicky stainless-steel exoskeleton, it hits all the metrics that pick-up truck owners are after – towing capacity, torque, space, versatility and toughness. You can lose yourself in the accessories catalogue that includes an inflatable tent to attach to the back, a blindingly-bright, roof-mounted lightbar and an extra 50kWh range-extender battery pack for when 123kWh is simply not enough.

In our two days with it, public feedback ranged from denial to awe. But we were in an affluent beach suburb of LA. It would be a different story in middle of nowhere America where pick-ups are religion, and function always outpoints form.

There are parallels, though, with the way the Countach shook things up and pressed the reset button back in the 70s. The Cybertruck is born to shock, but arguably goes even further than Gandini’s wedgy masterpiece, because it’s not a supercar - Tesla has chosen the most utilitarian genre vehicle of all for its Countach moment. Say it out loud for full effect: the most exotic-looking production car in the world is a pick-up truck.

Ford F-150 Lightning

GMC Hummer EV SUV

Chevrolet Silverado

F1 24 review: a modest seasonal update

These are the 12 best hot hatches of all time

Top Gear's top 20 electric cars

Trending this week, behold: the most terrifying motorsport on-board you’ll ever watch, turn it up: listen as a 900bhp dodge charger nascar shoots through a big tunnel, toyota camry (us), the fangchengbao bao 5 is a plug-in hybrid suv that looks strangely familiar, alpine f1 to leave alpine f1 at end of 2024 season, subscribe to the top gear newsletter.

Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox.

Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, you agree to receive news, promotions and offers by email from Top Gear and BBC Studios. Your information will be used in accordance with our privacy policy .

Sorry, something went wrong

Try BBC Top Gear Magazine

10 Best Free VIN Check & Decoder Websites of 2023

• Updated: March 21, 2024

Whether you work at a dealership or want to purchase a used vehicle for yourself, we highly recommend running the VIN through a free VIN check website. While some websites try to claim that they’re free up until the last moment when they want a credit card number, there are a few legitimate free VIN check websites you can use.

Because of all the sketchy sites and misleading information out there, we wanted to highlight a few VIN check sites that are actually free for you here . Not only that, but we’ll highlight what you can expect from these free reports and why you should always get one before purchasing a used vehicle.

10 Best Free VIN Check & Lookup Websites

1. vehicle history – best free vin check overall.

If you are looking for a free VIN check website that is giving you a lot of information for free, Vehicle History is one of the best websites for this task.

It provides a full VIN decoding feature, all the public sales records they can find, all open recalls, and they even do their best to track down pictures of the actual vehicle you’re looking at!

While the information is often outdated, what you’re finding is accurate. You’re only getting all the publicly available information, which means there might be holes in what you’re viewing.

It’s an outstanding free service, but it’s nowhere near as comprehensive as the paid versions. Still, before you potentially waste your money on a paid report from a different site, go ahead and run it through Vehicle History.

If there are any glaring red flags you can find out before you spend anything for the full report, potentially saving you some money.

• Completely free VIN decoding
• Lists full vehicle sale record
• It also includes all open recalls
• If available, it includes pictures of the actual vehicle
• No option for a comprehensive report

2. Mechanic Base VIN Lookup – Our Free VIN Decoder

We are developing the best free VIN check site here on Mechanic Base, and you can try it right now, even though it’s just a demo without full features. However, we will add a lot more features in the future, but we still think it’s useful. Everything you see there is for free and you will not be pushed to purchase anything to get more information.

However, in the future, we will also add features to get a full vehicle history report . A vehicle history report is useful for getting an overview of a car’s past. The report will show you information such as whether the car has been in any accidents if it has been declared a total loss by an insurance company, and whether it has ever been used as a rental or loaner car.

• Easy to use
• Gives the basic necessary information
• Missing some information
• Vehicle History Report not an option

3. I See Cars – Best Mobile App

I See Cars is another service that gives you a ton of information on vehicles without the need to spend a dime. However, unlike other sites to use I See Cars you need to create an account.

Even worse, you only get five free reports each month. After that you need to sign up for either their iVIN Pro or iVIN Lite subscription plan.

But if you do take the time to create an account and don’t plan to use it a ton, it’s a great choice. They have a mobile app you can put right on your smartphone, giving you all the information you’d get from a full report from their website.

Even better, all you need to do to get a report from the mobile app is to scan the VIN directly from the vehicle. It will then give you the option to run the VIN for the full report, making it easier than ever compared to traditional VIN checkers.

On the I See Cars website you can also search for used cars, which certainly lends some additional conditionals to their local market trends features – although that’s only available with a paid subscription.

However, even with all these great features, I See Cars couldn’t top our list simply because it doesn’t offer as much information as other paid services – even with their paid subscription. It’s why they offer CARFAX integration with their top plan, but even then, you need to purchase the CARFAX reports separately.

It’s an excellent free service for your first five reports but stick with the free option. If you’re planning on purchasing a full report, there are better options out there.

• They have a VIN barcode app
• You get car buying analysis
• You can search for used cars right on their site
• In-depth car info on free reports
• Only five free reports each month
• You need to create an account
• Not as much information as other paid services

RELATED: How Can I Find the Owner of a Car by a VIN?

4. VIN Check Info – Notable Mention

If you’re looking exclusively for free VIN information, then VIN Check Info is another outstanding choice. You don’t have to spend a dime to get anything on their site, and it offers a ton of useful information for you.

Free services include:

• Comprehensive historical records.
• Sales transactions.
• Towing and impound history.
• Even the theft history of the vehicle.

Moreover, they give you a comprehensive chart that estimates the cost of ownership of the vehicle you’re looking at for the next five years, helping you decide if it’s in your budget.

It also comes with a free VIN decoding service that lets you know everything the vehicle you’re looking at came with from the factory.

VIN Check Info is a great service with tons of information you can use to decide on a vehicle, but keep in mind it doesn’t have quite the same amount of information as the paid services. Still, if you’re thinking about paying for a report through another service, we highly recommend running it through VIN Check Info first.

That way if there’s something there that will keep you away from the vehicle, you can find out before you purchase a report and save yourself some money.

• Free historical records
• Free VIN Decoder
• Free sales, towing, and impound history
• Free theft history
• Free ownership cost estimate
• No comprehensive report option

5. Epic VIN

Epic VIN is an excellent service, but if you’re looking for something completely free, it leaves you wanting for a little more. The free information includes the engine, last reported odometer reading, the last known selling price, the last known country, and even if there are any accidents or odometer problems on the record.

But that’s where the information stops. Even if there are accidents or odometer problems, you can find out specifics unless you purchase the full report. Moreover, they hold back a ton of information including the ownership history, open recalls, and even if it’s a salvage title.

The full service is well worth the price, especially if you purchase multiple reports at once since it significantly drives down the price. It’s nice that they give you a little bit of information before you decide to purchase the full report, but because of the lack of information we recommend using the more comprehensive free reports mentioned above.

If those reports come back with information and you still want to run the full report, then it’s alright to head over to Epic VIN and purchase a report. That’s really the best way to use Epic VIN, but it’s a service that’s best if you’re looking to purchase multiple reports.

• Subscription plans are affordable
• You get some information before you decide to purchase the full report
• You need to purchase to get full reports
• There’s not a ton of free information

6. NICB Vin Check

Many of the sites you run the VIN through use the NICB database to check for theft and total loss records simply because of how reliable it is. Unlike other sites on our list, NICB is a non-profit dedicated to helping prevent fraud.

Their VIN check service gives you the vehicle’s theft and total loss records, but that’s the only information they provide on the vehicles. There’s no VIN decoding service or anything else, it’s all about theft and total loss records.

However, if you want more information about the vehicle, they recommend several sites you can go to for the full report. But none of the sites they recommend have free services, instead they all charge for everything, which is a major drawback.

It’s an extremely accurate and valuable tool you can use to check every vehicle before you purchase it. In fact, even if you’re not interested in the full history of the vehicle, we highly recommend running the VIN through the NICB database. It’s there to prevent fraud and scams, and it’s a simple and easy way to help protect yourself.

The only drawback outside of the limited information is that you can only run five VINs per hour from the same IP address, so you can’t run a ton of vehicles non-stop. But unless you work at a dealership where you purchase a ton of used vehicles, this really isn’t a problem.

• Completely free service
• They recommend where to go for paid reports
• Free theft records
• Free total loss records
• Very limited amount of information
• You can only run five VINs per hour

7. Clear VIN

Clear VIN is another service that only gives you an extremely limited amount of information with a free report. In fact, outside of the place the manufacturer made the vehicle and the engine inside it, they really don’t give you any other useful information.

Instead, they want you to pay for a report. But if you do fork over the money for a report they provide a ton of information for you to go through. This includes the total number of previous owners, the last known odometer reading, insurance records, salvage and junk titles, lien history, and so much more.

It’s everything you could possibly want to know about a vehicle before you purchase it all wrapped up into one report. Even better, it takes all that information and gives the vehicle a “ClearVin Vehicle Rating” which lets you know how the vehicle stacks up.

This gives you a great idea of how much you should pay for it, especially if you compare it with Kelly Blue Book information.

But just like we’ve recommended with other paid reports, we highly recommend running it through a few of the completely free services above before paying for a report like this one.

While the information might be great, often you can find the most glaring issues with a free report and save yourself some money since you don’t need to purchase the full report for that particular vehicle.

• Tons of options for paid reports
• Very comprehensive records
• They give you a vehicle rating
• Very limited free information

If you’re looking at VIN reports, you can’t get too far before you hear about CARFAX. CARFAX is the largest name in the industry for a reason, but because of their notoriety, they can get away with charging quite a bit more.

While most other companies start their paid reports around $10 to $15 for a single vehicle report, CARFAX charges three to four times that amount. But there’s also no denying that a CARFAX report holds more sway than a paid report from any other company.

They give you tons of information like the vehicle’s accident history, salvage titles, reported mileage, total service history, and so much more. It’s the most comprehensive and reliable report out there, but you’re also paying for it.

CARFAX does not have a free service for anything, so don’t expect to get any information from them until you pay. It’s also why we recommend running the vehicle through one of the free services above before purchasing a CARFAX report for your vehicle.

• Tons of information in reports
• Extremely reliable reports
• You can also search by license plate number
• They even purchase cars!
• No free service
• More expensive reports

Bumper is an extremely similar service to CARFAX, and just like CARFAX, they don’t offer any free services. However, unlike CARFAX they offer a service that allows you to run as many VINs as you want in a set time frame.

They also run trial specials for reduced rates, making it a far more affordable service than CARFAX. This is especially true if you work at a dealership of some sort and need to run lots of reports.

Bumper gives you theft records, accident history, background information, market values, ownership costs, and so much more. While it’s not quite as comprehensive as a CARFAX report it’s pretty close, and the significantly lower cost helps offset this quite a bit.

However, since Bumper offers unlimited searches with a membership, there’s really no reason to run it through multiple services like you should with many comprehensive reports. We really like Bumper and would rank it higher on our list, but since they don’t offer any free services we can’t put it any higher on our list.

• You can search by license plate too
• It gives you an estimated market value
• More affordable than CARFAX

10. Check That VIN

Check That VIN is another VIN reporting service that you might want to consider if you only need limited information on the vehicle. Compared to other paid service options, Check That VIN is extremely low-cost.

Unfortunately, that lower cost also translates to a service that doesn’t give you a ton of information. Each report includes salvage, junk, previous owner information, last known odometer readings, and more.

While this is all information you want to know before you purchase a vehicle, the truth is you can get all this information from a completely free report from one of the services at the top of our list. And if you’re willing to purchase a report you should expect more information than what Check That VIN gives you.

You could do worse because of the extremely low cost of each report, but we recommend steering clear and going with one of the services farther up the list. That’s even if you plan on spending money for a comprehensive report, Check That VIN simply isn’t the best way to go.

• Very affordable reports
• You get junk, salvage, and previous owner information
• Not a ton of information in the reports

Now that you know a little more about the best VIN check services out there, it’s time to figure out why you should check a VIN in the first place and what you should expect. There are tons of questions out there, which is why we wanted to answer some of the most common for you here.

Are There Truly Free VIN Checks?

Yes. While free VIN checks don’t give you as much information as a paid report, plenty of services give you basic information on your vehicle from the VIN without charging anything.

What Can a Free VIN Report Give You?

Free VIN checks should give you free theft, salvage, title, flood, and basic vehicle information. These services don’t cost anything and there’s no reason you should pay for them.

What Can a Paid VIN Report Give You?

If you’re looking for service history, previous odometer readings, previous owner information, lien information, or information about previous use, you’ll likely need a paid VIN report. It’s a more comprehensive report, but it’s not free.

Why Can’t I Get a Full VIN Report for Free?

Just because a record is public doesn’t mean it’s free. Government agencies often charge to let you access this information, which takes time. The VIN checker doesn’t want to work at a loss, so that means passing on some of the cost to you for a fee.

What’s the Difference Between a VIN Checker and Decoder?

VIN checkers and VIN decoders are two common things, but they’re not the same. A VIN decoder simply breaks down everything from the VIN without any outside data. It will tell you all about the specifications the vehicle left the factory with, but it won’t tell you anything else. A VIN checker might use a VIN decoder to give you that basic information too, but it should also provide you with theft, salvage, title, and flood information. This is information available from public records linked to the VIN, not from the VIN itself.

Now that you know a little more about the different free VIN check services out there and what you can expect from them and their paid counterparts, it’s up to you to decide what you need and what service you like the most.

While some services are better than others, the important thing is that you at least run it through something. This drastically reduces your chances of falling victim to fraud or a scam, and it can even give you a few more insights into what’s going on with the vehicle.

So, the next time you plan on purchasing a vehicle take a few extra seconds to run it through a VIN check. It’s well worth it.

Categories: Reviews

Related Posts

Latest Posts

• The Best & Worst Years Of Ford Explorer
• Best & Worst Years Of Toyota Corolla
• Best & Worst Years of Toyota RAV4
• When Should Your Child Switch To A Forward-Facing Car Seat?
• The Best & Worst Years Of Toyota Camry
• I Accidentally Put Premium Gas In My Car, What To Do?

• Best Extended Auto Warranty
• Best Used Car Warranty
• Best Car Warranty Companies
• CarShield Reviews
• Best Auto Loan Rates
• Average Auto Loan Interest Rates
• Best Auto Refinance Rates
• Bad Credit Auto Loans
• Best Auto Shipping Companies
• How To Ship a Car
• Car Shipping Cost Calculator
• Montway Auto Transport Reviews
• Best Car Buying Apps

Best Websites To Sell Your Car Online

• CarMax Review
• Carvana Reviews
• Best LLC Service
• Best Registered Agent Service
• Best Trademark Service
• Best Online Legal Services
• Best CRMs for Small Business
• Best CRM Software
• Best CRM for Real Estate
• Best Marketing CRM
• Best CRM for Sales
• Best Free Time Tracking Apps
• Best HR Software
• Best Payroll Services
• Best HR Outsourcing Services
• Best HRIS Software
• Best Project Management Software
• Best Construction Project Management Software
• Best Task Management Software
• Free Project Management Software
• Best SEO Services (2024 Rankings)
• Best Mass Texting Services 2024
• Best SEO Software 2024
• Best Email Marketing Software 2024
• Best Personal Loans
• Best Fast Personal Loans
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans
• Best Loans for Bad Credit
• Best Personal Loans for Fair Credit
• HOME EQUITY
• Best Home Equity Loan Rates
• Best Home Equity Loans
• Best Checking Accounts
• Best Free Checking Accounts
• Best Online Checking Accounts
• Best Online Banks
• Bank Account Bonuses
• Best High-Yield Savings Accounts
• Best Savings Accounts
• Average Savings Account Interest Rate
• Money Market Accounts
• Best CD Rates
• Best 3-Month CD Rates
• Best 6-Month CD Rates
• Best 1-Year CD Rates
• Best 5-Year CD Rates
• Best Jumbo CD Rates
• Best Hearing Aids
• Best OTC Hearing Aids
• Most Affordable Hearing Aids
• Eargo Hearing Aids Review
• Best Medical Alert Systems
• Best Medical Alert Watches
• Best Medical Alert Necklaces
• Are Medical Alert Systems Covered by Insurance?
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Online Therapy Platforms That Take Insurance
• Best Online Psychiatrist Platforms
• BetterHelp Review
• Best Mattress
• Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
• Best Mattress for Back Pain
• Best Adjustable Beds
• Best Home Warranty Companies
• American Home Shield Review
• First American Home Warranty Review
• Best Home Appliance Insurance
• Best Moving Companies
• Best Interstate Moving Companies
• Best Long-Distance Moving Companies
• Cheap Moving Companies
• Best Window Replacement Companies
• Best Gutter Guards
• Gutter Installation Costs
• Best Window Brands
• Best Solar Companies
• Best Solar Panels
• How Much Do Solar Panels Cost?
• Solar Calculator
• Best Car Insurance Companies
• Cheapest Car Insurance Companies (June 2024)
• Best Car Insurance for New Drivers
• Cheap Same Day Car Insurance
• Best Pet Insurance
• Pet Insurance Cost
• Cheapest Pet Insurance
• Pet Wellness Plans
• Best Life Insurance
• Best Term Life Insurance
• Best Whole Life Insurance
• Term vs. Whole Life Insurance
• Best Travel Insurance Companies
• Best Homeowners Insurance Companies
• Best Renters Insurance Companies
• Best Motorcycle Insurance

Partner content:  This content was created by a business partner of Dow Jones, independent of the MarketWatch newsroom. Links in this article may result in us earning a commission.  Learn More

We found that the best websites to sell your car online for the most money include Cars.com, Carvana, Peddle, CarMax, Copart, CarGurus, and Vroom

Daniel Robinson is a writer based in Greenville, N.C. with expertise in auto insurance, loans, warranty options and more. Away from the keyboard, Daniel spends time with his wife and son, plays guitar, and obsesses over the Beatles and Baltimore Orioles.

Rashawn Mitchner is a MarketWatch Guides team editor with over 10 years of experience covering personal finance and insurance topics.

Key Takeaways :

• Cars.com is our top pick for the best place to sell your car online, and the company lets you sell directly to the site or list your vehicle on the site’s private-sale marketplace.
• Carmax offers the best prices for used vehicles when selling a car online.
• Peddle is our top recommendation for selling an old or junk car online.

Whether your old junker needs to go or you want to upgrade your ride, many websites let you sell your car from home. That said, some have better platforms or higher cash offers than others. The best websites to sell your car online are easy to use and take care of the paperwork for you.

In this review, we at the MarketWatch Guides team will give you a look at the top online car buyers. We’ll cover full-service sites like Carvana first and then discuss private-sale sites like Facebook Marketplace.

Best Online Car Selling Sites

*To rank these companies, we considered these factors: Industry standing, platform features, cash offer value, support services and customer experience

We’ll cover each of our top picks for the best sites to sell a car online in detail in the sections below. While we received offers from each company, we didn’t always use the same vehicle to get a quote. That’s because Peddle and Copart specialize in buying older vehicles, while the other companies buy newer cars. Our team received cash offers for a 2016 Chevy Equinox from sites that buy newer cars and offers for a 2007 Toyota Camry from Peddle and Copart.

#1 Cars.com: Editor’s Choice

Services offered : Car buying and selling 2016 Chevy Equinox offer : $8,275 to $10,575

Cars.com is our pick for the best website to sell your car online. The company has been around since 1998 and is a household name when it comes to selling your car.

Read More:   Cars.com Review

Cars.com Offer

We found the experience of getting an offer was fast and easy. Cars.com also has an  A+ rating  and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which shows it works with customers to resolve complaints.

How Selling a Car to Cars.com Works

Cars.com offers two ways to sell your car. You can sell your car to a dealer in the Cars.com network or list it on Cars.com and sell it to a private buyer for free.

With the first option, you provide information about your vehicle and then get a range for your instant cash offer. If you like the offer, you can continue the process and redeem the offer at a local dealer in the Cars.com network. You can sell your car outright or trade it in for another vehicle there.

With the second option, you can make a free listing on the Cars.com marketplace. People in your area can see your listing and contact you about the vehicle. It’s up to you to protect yourself and make sure the buyer is legit.

#2 Carvana: Most Seamless Process

Services offered : Car selling, buying, financing and warranties 2016 Chevy Equinox offer : $9,911

We can’t talk about the best websites to sell your car online without mentioning Carvana, which was founded in 2012. The company’s name is synonymous with selling a car online because it offers fully digital service from start to finish.

Read More:   Carvana Review

Carvana’s Offer

Carvana offered us $9,911 for a 2016 Chevy Equinox. While that was in the lower range of cash offers we received for the vehicle, it was still reasonable. Many of Carvana’s customers were happy to sell their cars to the company, as evidenced by the more than 8,600 reviews that give it an average of  4.2 out of 5.0 stars  on Trustpilot.

How Selling a Car to Carvana Works

With Carvana, you can get a cash offer, accept the offer and possibly even sell your car without leaving home. Before the offer can move on to a sale, however, a Carvana representative will inspect your vehicle. Depending on where you live, the inspection can be done at your house, a Carvana site or halfway between your home and a Carvana site.

Once the vehicle has been accepted, you can either have it picked up or drop it off at a Carvana site. Carvana pays by certified check or direct deposit. The second option can take two to five business days.

Carvana has 38 physical locations, so you can take your car to one of them to sell it or trade it in.  Trade-ins work just like sales  do with Carvana, and they can often be done remotely. This means you can get an offer online and use that as a credit toward your next vehicle as you shop on the site.

If you do a trade-in, Carvana will bring your new car and take the old one away. However, you might have to bring your car to a Carvana location or meet a representative at another place if your address is outside the service area. Carvana may charge you if they have to bring a trailer and pick up your vehicle.

Carvana’s offer is good for seven days. After that, you may get a different offer from the company. In our experience, Carvana will keep emailing updated offers periodically if you don’t sell your car to the company.

#3 Peddle: Good Choice for Older Vehicles

Services offered : Car selling 2007 Toyota Camry offer : $820

If you have an older vehicle that’s taking up space on your property, we recommend checking Peddle out. The company  buys old and junk cars  across the country, whether they run or not.

Read More:   Peddle Review

Peddles’s Offer

Perhaps you’ve tried getting an offer from Cars.com or Carvana but got a message saying the vehicle was too old or had too much damage. You won’t get that message from Peddle. According to Peddle, the company has bought more than 2 million vehicles.

Most Peddle reviews show customers have a great experience. The company has a  4.6-star average rating  on Trustpilot from more than 120,000 reviews.

How Selling a Car to Peddle Works

Peddle’s car-selling process is similar to Carvana’s. You input information about your vehicle, including its make, model, year and vehicle identification number. Since Peddle buys junk cars, it’ll also ask if the tires are inflated or if any parts have been removed from the car.

Once you finish the questionnaire, you’ll get a cash offer that’s good for seven days. If you accept the offer, Peddle will send a tow truck to pick your vehicle up from your home. The driver will do a quick inspection and then pay you with a check (or cash in some cases).

#4 CarMax: Great Value

Services offered : Car selling, buying, financing and warranties 2016 Chevy Equinox offer : $12,000

Read More:   CarMax Review

CarMax’s Offer

Out of all the car-selling websites we compared, CarMax gave us the best price for our 2016 Chevy Equinox. If you’re looking to get top dollar for your used vehicle, it’s definitely a good idea to check CarMax out. The company has an  A+ rating  from the BBB and has been in business since 1993.

How Selling a Car to CarMax Works

CarMax works a bit differently from other car-selling websites. In reality, you can’t fully sell your car online. You can get an instant cash offer for your vehicle, but you have to go to a CarMax location to finalize the deal. Offers are valid for seven days.

The offer is contingent on an inspection. In our experience, this inspection is fairly quick and won’t bring any surprises if you answered the questionnaire truthfully.

You can sell your car to CarMax or trade it in for another vehicle the dealer has in stock. CarMax can buy your car if you have an auto loan, but you’ll need to bring payoff information from your lender.

The following places don’t have CarMax locations:

• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Washington, D.C.
• West Virginia

#5 Copart: Quick Payments

Services offered : Car buying and selling 2007 Toyota Camry offer : $846.55

Copart is another option for selling an older car that may or may not run. The company holds auctions for the auto industry and buys older cars directly from consumers across the country. It’s a good pick if you want to  scrap a car for cash . Copart owns CashForCars.com, which also buys cars from consumers.

Read More:  Copart Review

How Selling a Car to Copart Works

You can get an instant cash offer from Copart using its online form. Start by entering your VIN or the year, make and model of your vehicle. The online calculator works for most vehicles, but some situations might require a representative to review your information.

Copart’s cash offer for a 2007 Toyota Camry was $26.55 more than Peddle’s offer for the same vehicle. Considering the offers were so close, both are solid choices if you’re looking to sell an older vehicle.

If you accept the offer, Copart will send a tow truck to pick your car up from your home. The driver will do a quick inspection to make sure the car matches the description. You’ll get less money if something’s missing, like the catalytic converter or a door panel.

#6 CarGurus: Easy-To-Use Platform

Services offered : Car selling, buying and financing 2016 Chevy Equinox offer : $11,123

CarGurus is next on our list of the best websites to sell your car online.

Read More:  CarGurus Review

CarGurus Offer

You can sell your car to CarGurus or list it on the company’s marketplace for a $4.95 fee. We received a great offer of $11,123 for a 2016 Chevy Equinox from the online dealer, which was the second highest offer after CarMax.

How Selling a Car to Cargurus Works

The CarGurus platform is simple and easy to use. It took our team about five minutes to get an instant offer. Unlike some other sites, it requires you to provide your VIN or license plate number to give you an offer — you can’t just select your car’s make and model.

Offers from CarGurus are valid for seven days or until you drive an additional 250 miles, whichever comes first. If you like the offer, you can schedule a pickup date for CarGurus to retrieve your vehicle. While CarGurus works with a network of dealers, it’s nice to not have to leave your home to sell your car with the company.

The instant offer option isn’t available in the following states:

• Mississippi
• New Hampshire

You can also list your car privately on CarGurus to try to get a better price. The platform makes it easy to create a listing and upload photos to attract buyers. The listing fee to sell a car on the site is $4.95.

#7 Vroom: Simple Process

Services offered : Car selling, buying, financing and warranties 2016 Chevy Equinox offer : $9,970

Our final recommendation for the best car-selling online platform is Vroom. The online dealer has been in business since 2013. You can  buy a new car , sell your car or trade your car in with Vroom. You can sell your car online to Vroom in any state or visit one of its physical locations in Texas.

How Selling a Car to Vroom Works

To sell your car to Vroom, start by entering your car’s VIN or its plate number and your state in the online form. Once you provide your information and details about your car’s condition, you’ll get an instant offer.

Vroom’s offer is good for seven days or 250 additional miles, whichever comes first. To move forward, you’ll upload photos of your ID and registration. Your ID must be valid for at least 14 days after you receive and sign the contract.

If everything looks good, Vroom will schedule a free vehicle pickup at your location. After your car is picked up, you can choose whether to be paid through direct deposit in a bank account or a check sent via overnight mail.

Vroom doesn’t purchase vehicles in these states:

Where Can You Sell a Car Online?

To help you compare your options, we’ve pulled together the main options for selling your vehicle online. Each comes with benefits and drawbacks and the choice depends on what you want out of the selling experience. Below we’ve broken down each type of car buyer’s benefits and drawbacks along with some tips when selling through different platforms.

Selling To an Online Dealer

Selling to an online dealer is often the easiest and most stress-free way to sell a vehicle. All that you’ll need to do is provide vehicle information to the dealer such as your VIN, vehicle condition and mileage. Once this is done, you’ll often get an offer on the spot that will be finalized upon inspection. If it fits the description you’ve given, you’ll get the money and the vehicle will often be transported for you free of charge.

If you just want a car out of the way and sold, this option is for you. However, these types of car buying companies tend to give lower offers than you would expect with a private sale platform. The offers are also often non-negotiable, so there is no wiggle room. Even so, if you want to sell a junk car for cash, you’ll often get better deals with these types of buyers than if you went to a junkyard.

Listing Your Car With a Private-Sale Platform

A private-sale platform is another web-based option you can use to sell your car. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and eBay Motors are examples of this. Instead of selling to a car-buying company or a dealership network, you can sell your car directly to another person.

The advantage of using a private-sale platform is that you’re more likely to get full market value for your vehicle. This is especially true if you have a specific make and model that car enthusiasts are eager to purchase. 

When you sell to a site like Carvana, that company resells your car for a profit. Companies like Carvana will offer trade-in value to private sellers instead of the market value, which is higher. Since a buyer on a private-sale platform usually wants to own the car rather than sell it for a profit, you can often negotiate a better price with them.

Staying Safe While Selling a Vehicle Privately

When selling with a private sale platform, staying safe and checking all of your bases before selling is important. Below are a few tips to make sure you are safe when selling a vehicle to a private buyer:

• Establish payment options : When getting offers from private buyers online, make sure to have payment details addressed early on. Keep the payment types secured apps like Venmo or with cashier’s checks.
• Take test drive precautions : When allowing a private buyer to drive your car, stick to well populated areas when meeting. Keep any test drive short and nearby.
• Have a paper trail : Throughout the selling process, make sure your paperwork is in order and out of sight from the buyer until the title transfers to them and payment is confirmed.
• Black out any personal information : To avoid any chance of identity theft or fraud, make sure to cross out any personal information relating to you on your documentation.
• Document with a bill of sale : While unnecessary in most states, getting a bill of sale for a car transaction will provide you with direct records to serve as proof.

What Are the Downsides of Using a Private-Sale Platform?

Private-sale platforms have their disadvantages. Here are some downsides we found:

Potential Scammers

Almost anyone can pose as a potential buyer and hide bad intentions, so you have to be careful when using this method to sell your car. Watch out for anyone who is unwilling to meet in public or insists on having a different person meet with you instead.

Also be wary of anyone who offers a money order, check or other form of payment for an amount that’s higher than the agreed sale price. A common scam involves giving a seller a fraudulent check and then having them wire the difference to the buyer.

How Long It Could Take To Find a Buyer

It takes more time to sell your car privately. You’ll need to prepare a detailed listing that might include a vehicle history report. You should also prepare a bill of sale to document the transaction and check with your state’s department of motor vehicles (DMV) for other requirements.

While you can sell your car to a dealer or car-buying website in as little as a day, it might take a few weeks to sell your car privately in your area. Potential car buyers will want to test drive the vehicle and possibly get it inspected. However, using an online marketplace could be worth it since it’s typically the way to get the most money for your car.

Should You Sell Your Car on Facebook Marketplace?

Posting on Facebook Marketplace is one of the most popular ways to sell a car privately. It’s free to list a car on Facebook Marketplace and to communicate with prospective buyers. The platform requires people to have Facebook accounts, so you can investigate your buyer a little bit before you meet up with them.

This makes it a little easier to avoid scams, though they still happen on the platform. Scammers often use automated programs to contact buyers, so if you get a message about your car the same minute you post the listing, be cautious.

Upload clear photos that show the condition of your car, including a photo of the engine. You may be able to get a good price for your vehicle that’s close to the market value, but be prepared for people to haggle. To increase your chances of getting the amount you want, set your price slightly higher than your bottom line.

Should You Sell Your Car on Craigslist?

Craigslist is another good option for selling your car privately. To make your listings stand out, upload multiple photos and write a good description that includes all of the essential vehicle information.

While posting an ad on Craigslist was free for many years, it now costs $5 to list a vehicle ad on the platform. This cost is meant to reduce the presence of scammers on the site. However, scammers can still pose as fake car buyers.

Our advice for selling a car on Craigslist is to never accept any form of payment other than what you ask for. Also, watch out for fishy scenarios like someone living overseas who’s sending their relative to pay for the car or someone who wants to send you a cashier’s check for an amount over your asking price.

People sell cars on Craigslist all the time without issues, but it takes common sense and extra effort to separate serious buyers from tire kickers and scammers. The good thing is that you’re anonymous as long as you use the platform’s email service.

How To Sell a Car Online for the Best Price

Deciding how to sell a car is a difficult decision and it can be hard to know where to start. To assist you in this process, we’ve broken down our recommended steps to get the best price for your vehicle online.

1. Prepare Vehicle Details

When beginning any vehicle selling venture, you will need details and documents related to your vehicle including:

• Year manufactured
• Current general condition
• Any repairs or replacements needed
• Modifications with aftermarket parts
• Accident history
• Factory warranty or extended car warranty documentation
• Vehicle title

You can find most of this information by searching yourself and by getting a free vehicle history report from a provider like Carfax .

2. Find the Value of Your Vehicle

Finding the value of your vehicle before going into the selling process allows you to know whether the offer you’re getting is fair. It also helps you set a good price if you list on an online marketplace. 

3. Fix and Clean Your Car 

Before selling your car online, clean your vehicle and see if any outstanding repairs, replacements or maintenance items are needed. This can considerably raise your chances of getting better offers. 

Generally speaking, getting routine maintenance and making minor repairs and replacements will get you the best bang for your buck. Worthwhile repairs and replacements can include brakes or tires if they’re heavily worn or fixing your lights if they are broken. However, in some cases, making repairs may not be worth it and you may be better off selling to online scrap or junk car buyers. 

We recommend researching maintenance and repair costs for your vehicle to get a better idea of whether the returns of refurbishing your vehicle are worth it. Websites like RepairPal.com can give you average costs for repairs and maintenance.

4. Take Detailed Photos

Whether you’re selling to an online dealer or private buyer, taking a variety of good photos of your vehicle is a good ideal. It is similar to a resume for the car since it displays all the credentials a buyer would need to figure out what they would pay.

Get different images of each side of your car’s exterior and interior, including back seats. Also include shots of the engine compartment, the inside of your trunk, and the undercarriage so that you get full coverage. Try to take these photos in places with even lighting, without many shadows, and a plain background to get the best image quality.

5. Get and Compare Offers

Once you are prepared, it is time to go online and get offers. Due to the nature of online selling, it is easy to get offers in just a few minutes from many online car dealers. Then, compare pricing. If you chose to list on a private-sales platform, this process will take longer as you will be dealing with individual buyers.

6. Sell Your Car Online

Once you get the deal you want, it is time to complete your online sale. Depending on the method you choose, the process for transferring ownership is different. If you go through with selling your car to an online dealer, much of the process will be guided and handled for you by the company. Otherwise, you’ll have to retitle the vehicle, register it in the new owner’s name and pay transfer fees.

Find the Best Place To Sell Your Car Online for You

When looking for the best place to sell your car online, it can be difficult to distinguish what a company offers that differs from its competitors. To help you compare options, we’ll break down the core factors to think about when deciding where to sell your car online. 

• Customer reviews : Often the best place to start is reviews. Compare ratings for a company’s selling services and overall value to help you make a decision.
• Vehicle offers : Car selling websites often offer an easy online quote tool for you to get a valuation for your vehicle. Compare multiple offers across different companies to find the best pricing.
• Services offered : A good way to distinguish how a selling experience will go is by seeing what services they offer to make it easier. Look for things like free vehicle pickups, at-home inspections and drop off options.
• Industry reputation : If a company has good ratings from organizations like the BBB, you can expect trustworthy services.

Other Considerations for Selling Your Car Online and in Person

Below are some of the most common questions about different restrictions and alternative options for selling any vehicle.

Can You Sell Your Car With a Loan?

Sometimes, life circumstances may mean it’s better to get rid of your vehicle than to keep making payments on it. But if you owe money on your car, your lender won’t release the car title until you pay the auto loan off .

To sell a car with a loan still on it, there are two considerations you need to be aware of:

• The balance of the auto loan compared to the car’s value
• The requirements from your lender for completing the sale

Auto Loan Balance vs. Car Value

If you owe more on your auto loan than you can get from the car sale, you’ll have to come up with the difference and pay your lender. We recommend researching your car’s value well before you want to sell it so you can plan how you’ll cover a potential difference. Those options might include paying with your savings, asking family for help or taking out a personal loan.

You’re in a better situation if you can sell the car for more than what you owe. You can simply sell the car and pay your lender on the same day, upon which the lender will release the vehicle title.

Lender Requirements

You should consider your lender’s protocol for selling the car before it’s paid off. Lenders have specific requirements for selling your car privately if you still owe money on the loan. In most cases, you’ll go to a bank or other financial institution and have a third party verify the payment and communicate with your lender.

If you’re selling the car to a dealership, the business can communicate with your lender to simplify the process. If you owe more than the car’s value, some dealers will let you roll that debt — also known as negative equity — into a loan for a new vehicle. We don’t recommend doing a trade-in this way if you’ll owe more than your new car is worth.

Can You Sell a Car Without a Title?

Most often, it is not possible to sell a car without a title. Much of whether you can sell a car without the title information depends on state regulations. In most cases you will have to request a replacement title to go through with a sale. However, if you are selling a classic car, a vehicle bill of sale is often enough to prove ownership.

Can I Sell My Car Back to the Dealership?

Selling a car to a dealership is definitely an option. Given current market conditions , many dealerships are looking for older used cars to buy and resell. You can decide to trade in the vehicle and use it as credit to buy a newer car or you can walk away with the cash.

However, before going to an in-person dealer to sell, we recommend getting the fair market value for your vehicle. Resources like Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds can give you this information so you can go into negotiations with an understanding of what you can get.

Where Can I Sell Car Parts for Cash?

If you are trying to get rid of a junk car for scrap, you’ve most likely considered the option of selling car parts separately. Once you have removed valuable components from your vehicle such as the engine, battery or GPS system, you’ll be left with a few options:

• Junkyards : If you want a quick and easy process, selling your car to a junkyard is a good option. However, you typically won’t get the best bang for your buck.
• Scrap metal yards : This option focuses on buying up parts and selling the usable ones and recycling valuable scrap metal for other uses. Depending on the value of the metal in your car parts, you can get a good cash offer.
• Online listing platforms : If you want to get the best offer possible for your car parts, opt for selling platforms like Amazon, Walmart and Ebay.
• Auto shops and stores : While not the conventional option, you can sell vehicle parts to local businesses if they are interested.

Best Online Car Buyers: Conclusion

For its easy-to-use platform and good cash offers, we recommend Cars.com as our top pick for selling your car online. If you have an old car that needs to go, we recommend Peddle. Below is our summarized list of top picks in order:

• Cars.com : Editor’s Choice
• Carvana : Most Seamless Process
• Peddle : Good Choice for Older Vehicles
• Carmax : Great Value
• Copart : Quick Payments
• Cargurus : Easy-To-Use Platform
• Vroom : Simple Process

Best Place To Sell Your Car Online: FAQ

Below are frequently asked questions about the best websites for selling your car:

What is the best online portal to sell used cars?

Cars.com is our pick for the best website to sell a used car. You can get an instant cash offer in just a few minutes by providing details about your car. If you want to sell to a private party, you can list your vehicle on the Cars.com marketplace instead.

Which online car buyer gives you the best prices?

According to our research, Carmax is the online car buyer that gives the most money for used vehicles. When our team reached out for quotes, they gave us the best price for a 2016 Chevy Equinox, which is why we named it the Best Value vehicle buyer.

How do I not get scammed selling my car online?

To avoid scams when selling your car online, only accept payment for the amount negotiated and in the form you asked for. Avoid buyers who want to pay extra with a cashier’s check — a scammer might give you a fake check and ask you to wire the overage to them. Meet in a safe, public place for the transaction. Also, avoid buyers who are out of state but want to send a “representative” to purchase the car.

What is the largest online used car retailer?

CarMax is the largest online used car retailer. According to the company’s annual report, it made $29.7 billion in revenue and sold about 810,000 used cars and 590,000 wholesale auction vehicles during its 2022 fiscal year. Carvana is the second largest online used car dealer, with $13.6 billion in revenue and 412,296 vehicles sold in 2022, according to its annual report.

What is the best website for pricing cars?

Kelley Blue Book is the industry leader when it comes to finding the value of your car. Other options include Edmunds, Carfax and TrueCar. You can also find the Kelley Blue Book (KBB) valuation tool on many local car dealerships’ websites, which helps if you’re looking to trade your car in.

Can you negotiate with car-buying websites?

Unfortunately, you can’t negotiate with websites like Carvana or CarMax. The offer you receive is the company’s best offer while it’s valid. These online car-buying companies advertise hassle-free or haggle-free cash offers, which means they aren’t open to negotiation.

Our Methodology

Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best platforms to sell your car. We collected data on several providers to grade each company in five key areas. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the car selling platforms that scored the most points topping the list.

Here are the factors our ratings take into account:

• Industry standing : Our research team considers ratings from industry experts and years in business when determining this score.
• Platform : Platforms that offer a variety of features, including instant offers and multiple sales options, are more likely to meet consumers’ needs.
• Cost : To compare providers’ average offer prices, our team conducted a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicle types. We also considered the fees companies charge to use their platforms.
• Support : Car selling companies that offer strong transaction support received the highest scores in this category. This includes offerings like free pickup service as well as how quickly you receive your payment.
• Customer experience : This score is based on customer satisfaction ratings on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot as well as our team’s experience reaching out to each platform.

*Data accurate at time of publication

If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at  editors@marketwatchguides. com .

• Best for customer satisfaction
• Best for older adults
• Best for long-term care
• Best for high returns
• Best for agent support
• Best for term life
• Why you should trust us

Best Life Insurance of June 2024

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

Life insurance is as complicated as the policyholders and beneficiaries who use it. That means there's no single "best" life insurance company. Instead, you can find the best option based on what you want or what you prioritize.

Summary of the Best Life Insurance Companies

• Best for customer satisfaction:   State Farm Life Insurance
• Best for older adults:   Prudential Life Insurance
• Best for agent support:   New York Life Insurance
• Best for long-term care:   Columbus Life
• Best for high returns:   Allianz Life
• Best for term life:   North American Company

Best Life Insurance Companies of 2024

While there is no such thing as the objective best life insurance policy, you will be able to find the best insurance policy for your specific needs. Here are our picks for the best life insurance companies, whether you want to use your life insurance policy to build wealth through cash value or you're just looking for a term life insurance policy .

Best Life Insurance for Customer Satisfaction: State Farm Life Insurance

Bundling is standard, and agents often quote with multiple discounts.

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Best in JD Power customer service ratings
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Company offers a range of different insurance products to meet buyer needs
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Agents are knowledgeable about its products
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Life insurance products are conservative and limited
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Buyers may be subject to multi-year waiting periods before they qualify for full payouts on life insurance policies
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. State Farm agents cannot offer alternative options if State Farm is unable to bind a life insurance policy

State Farm is one of the insurance industry's most prominent insurers offering auto, home, and other insurance. Bundling is standard, and agents often quote with multiple discounts. Its term, universal, and whole life insurance products are no exception.

• Life insurance products include term and permanent life
• Ranks highly for customer satisfaction

State Farm Life Insurance gets the best life insurance ranking in J.D Power's Individual Life Insurance Study, with a score of 843/1,000. The company is also ranked A++ with AM Best for its financial stability with term, universal, and whole life insurance options. 

All State Farm policies have to be purchased through a State Farm agent. Your agent can help you bundle and save or buy one policy. State Farm is also among the companies offering "survivorship universal life insurance ," which means the policy covers two people, and it kicks in after the second person dies. Couples looking to maximize their death benefit for beneficiaries with one premium payment each month may enjoy lower overall costs.

State Farm agents can run quotes and compare options to find the right plans for each applicant. The range of options, discounts, and familiar name all contribute to the popularity of State Farm's life insurance.

Read our State Farm Life Insurance review here.

Best Life Insurance for Older Adults: Prudential VUL Protector Life Insurance

Offers aggressive financial plans.

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Available in all 50 states (New York residents may have different plans)
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Buyers can withdraw money to pay for nursing home bills due to severe illness or disability
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Knowledgeable agents who can walk you through your options
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Financial returns are limited
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Limited policy options for seniors and other groups who might struggle to find life insurance

The aggressive financial plans offered by Prudential may appeal to many younger buyers and those with a stable income. However, those with lower income or buyers who aren't sure about the financial system may be more hesitant to engage with Prudential. Like many other industry giants, Prudential is working to change this perception.

Prudential Life Insurance is available in all states except New York. New York residents can buy the Pruco Life of New Jersey VUL Protector plan. This plan allows buyers to pull money out of their plan to pay for nursing home expenses. Cash value policy premiums are fixed, so you won't have to worry about extra costs later on. Internal costs are low, which minimizes risk. Due to age, many older adults want a safe investment option for their money. Prudential VUL Protector invests to avoid loss. That also means you're not as likely to see big increases in your available funds outside of what you deposit.

Read our Prudential Life Insurance review here.

Best Life Insurance for Long-Term Care: Columbus Life Insurance

Offers lien method to makes it easier to calculate the financial impact of pulling money out early.

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Buyers can pull money out for medical and other bills in the event of disease or disability
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Columbus uses lien method to simplify accelerated death payments
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Company offers a wide range of riders to customize policies
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Premiums may be higher than competitors
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Term policies are not guaranteed to be converted to whole

Best for long-term care and accelerated death benefits.

Columbus Life offers a wide range of riders to customize your policy with affordable premiums. The company also allows you to convert term policies to whole life insurance policies until the end of your term (generally around age 70). For this and many other reasons, customer satisfaction is high.

When using living health benefits (otherwise known as accelerated death benefits), buyers are allowed to pull money from policies early to pay for medical bills, living costs, etc. under certain circumstances. Most companies use a discounted death benefit, which reduces your final payout using two models. Columbus uses the lien method, which makes it easier to calculate the financial impact of pulling money out early.

Best Life Insurance for High Returns on Income: Allianz Life Insurance

Offers life insurance policies for foreign nationals with H-1B visas.

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Plans offer high returns on investment
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Great for investment and long-term retirement planning
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. May increase your income by as much as 20%
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Allianz offers plans for foreign nationals including H-1B visas
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Plans are meant specifically for high-income adults, alternatives may not be offered

Best for investing and high returns on income.

Allianz Life plans are geared towards high-income adults looking for more tax-free income. Allianz offers a 40% multiplier bonus with a 1% annual assets charge. In short, the professionals managing your investments take 10%. Overall, your investments would pull in an extra 14%-1% asset charge. This means you end up with 3% more than what you deposit every year your life policy is active. This plan offers strong returns when using a life policy to supplement your retirement savings. Allianz also offers specialized plans to grow your income by as much as 20% according to some estimates.

Of note: Allianz also offers plans for foreign nationals, including those with H-1B visas.

Best Life Insurance for Agent Support: New York Life Insurance

Offers aggressive financial products and extensively trained agents.

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong life insurance options for financial planning and wealth building
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Policies available nationwide
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Knowledgeable life insurance agents
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. May require a medical exam
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Buyers looking for more modest policies may not find the most competitive pricing

If you're preparing for a comfortable retirement or looking to build generational wealth, New York Life is one of the strongest options. If you have questions or genuinely want to understand your life insurance options, New York Life agents are among the most qualified professionals in the business.

• Life insurance provider with policies available across the US

New York Life Insurance agents go through extensive training before they ever hit the sales floor. What does this get you? Policies vary widely, and New York Life offers both large and small payouts. Some policies have significant penalties for early withdrawal, but taking a loan offers more options. Whatever your questions, New York Life agents are trained to offer comprehensive support giving you accurate information about its policies every time. The company comes in at position eight in J.D. Power's latest life insurance customer satisfaction study.

Read our New York Life Insurance review here.

Best Life Insurance for Term Life: North American Life Insurance

Offers term policies alongside accelerated death benefits for critical, chronic, and terminal illnesses and more.

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Offers accelerated death benefits for critical, chronic, and terminal illnesses
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Offers conversion for life policies up to 70 years old
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Term policies can be renewed up to age 95 for qualifying applicants
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Not all term policies qualify for renewal or conversion

Best Term Policy.

North American Company offers term policies alongside accelerated death benefits for critical, chronic, and terminal illnesses and more. The company allows one conversion on a 20-year policy at 15 years or 70 years old (whichever is earlier). The conversion cannot happen later than the five-year marker regardless of which policy you choose or the length. North American Company also offers a term policy with a lower premium renewable up to the age of 95 for qualifying insureds.

Types of Life Insurance

While there's many different types of life insurance policies , broadly speaking, there are two types of life insurance: temporary and permanent. Let's go over each in detail.

Temporary life insurance

Temporary life insurance is often called term life insurance. This type of policy covers you for a set amount of time before expiring, usually between 10-30 years. If you pass away after your policy expires, your family won't receive any benefits. Additionally, your policy won't accrue cash value like a permanent policy. That said, some term life insurance policies offer a conversion from term to whole life insurance, so you can extend your coverage. 

Because its benefits aren't guaranteed, term life policies are generally cheaper than permanent life insurance. That said, the vast majority of term life insurance policies never pay out. on

Permanent life insurance

Permanent life insurance is an umbrella term for a variety of life insurance policies that will insure you indefinitely and guarantee a payout as long as you maintain your policy. Policy types that fall under permanent life insurance includes:

• Whole life insurance
• Universal life insurance
• Variable life insurance
• Variable universal life insurance
• Simplified life insurance
• Guaranteed issue life insurance

These policies vary widely in purpose and intended buyers, but all guarantee death benefits to your loved ones. Some permanent life insurance policies, like whole, universal, and variable have a cash value component , which you can use as a savings tool or to leave your heirs a larger death benefit.

How to Pick the Best Life Insurance Policy for You

Finding the right fit in life insurance starts with finding a trusted insurance agent. Because there are so many state regulations, shopping for homeowners or auto insurance can be easily done online. Life insurance is not required. So it's a voluntary purchase. Many buyers don't know what they need or when they need it. Before making your selection, consider a few things:

Some companies will sell you a policy for your child as soon as they're born. While this may seem morbid, early sign-up means lower rates for a policy your child could enjoy in the future. Regardless, early sign-up equates to more policy for lower premiums and a higher likelihood of acceptance. At 20, you may be healthier and be able to pay into the policy for a longer period compared to when you're 50 with more age-related conditions.

As a general rule, never agree to more than you can afford. For the average life insurance agent, their job is to sell you a large policy with a large commission. Consider not only how much you make now, but how likely your current income is to continue. If you work on a project basis and your project is scheduled to end in 12 months, you may want to reconsider a policy premium outside your monthly savings.

How much are you prepared to buy? Some people only want a small policy to cover funerals and other end-of-life expenses. Others build a life policy into their retirement plan. Whatever direction you're going, involving a financial planner could help you make the right decisions. Depending on the carrier, customers can also compare set limits with index universal life policies, which set no limit. These policies never expire, and the value builds over the entirety of your life.

Living Benefits

Life happens unexpectedly. You could be healthy one day and in the hospital the next. Many life policies offer living benefits. These allow you to draw a limited amount out of your policy to cover medical and other bills you cannot pay while sick.

Much like a 401(k), many life insurance policies have penalties for early withdrawal. No matter what policy you want, this question is critical to an informed decision. It's a question of how early you can withdraw and how much you'll lose from the total to have the money in 10 years instead of 30 or after death.

Some policies require insured parties to pay premiums for at least one year before any significant payout would be available. Suicide exclusions are common. Even with no medical exam policies, the company may still do a check for known conditions. An insurance company has to mitigate its risk.

Flexibility

Once you've been denied a life insurance policy, a mark goes on your record. No matter the reasons, other insurance companies may deny you coverage based on the first denial. So consider your whole situation and choose your policy carefully before you submit any applications. Some policies have greater flexibility if you lose your job or otherwise can't make payments. Others will lapse if you miss even one payment.

Payment Type

Even within whole life or term life insurance policies, customers have the option to choose guaranteed fixed or variable rates. Some have guaranteed payouts, but you'll need to ask your agent for details.

What is your intended use? Why are you shopping for a life insurance policy in the first place, and what are your goals? Many successful financial planners also have a background in life insurance. So while they may not be able to find you a specific life insurance policy, financial planners can help you set out a blueprint for your purchase.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed the Best Life Insurance Companies

In life insurance, it's easy to get "sold a bill of goods." Many life insurance agents pass a state test to be thrown into the deep end. Agents sell the company product, but not all know the products. In this vein, we look at the products each company offers. We also look at agent training.

A good life insurance agent may not volunteer all facts upfront. But a company's agents should answer questions about its products accurately and in a way the average consumer can digest. Agents should be able to inform you about the long-term benefits and limitations. This will help customers find the right policy for their long-term plan.

We consider affordability, policy sizes available, and performance for a comprehensive assessment in our insurance rating methodology . If you can, we recommend also working with a financial advisor to make a plan for your future with life insurance.

Our Expert Panel for The Best Life Insurance Companies

To inform our choices for the best life insurance companies, we spoke with the following experts:

• Paul LaPiana , head of product at MassMutual
• Barbara Pietrangelo , CFP, CLU, and chair of the nonprofit Life Happens
• Wykeeta Peel , Corporate Vice President and Market Manager, African American Market Unit at New York Life

The Experts' Advice on Choosing The Best Life Insurance for You

How much life insurance coverage do you believe the average buyer should have.

Paul LaPiana, Head of Product at MassMutual

"There are different approaches to determining how much life insurance you need. One is the 'human life' approach, which estimates the current value of your future earning potential. Another is securing specific coverage to pay off debts such as a mortgage or provide for the education of children. A comprehensive protection plan should provide the right amount of coverage over the course of your working life and into retirement."

Barbara A. Pietrangelo, Chair of Life Happens

"There is no one-size-fits-all life insurance policy because everyone is different. One way to get a rough estimate is to multiply your income by 10 to 15; another is adding $100,00 to that amount, should you have a child and anticipate college education expenses.

Your best bet is to talk to a financial professional or use the Life Insurance Needs Calculator on LifeHappens.org to analyze what's right for you."

Wykeeta Peel, Corporate Vice President & Market Manager African American Market Unit at New York Life

"As you consider what policy best meets your needs, it can help to answer four key questions: First, how much death benefit do you need? Second, how long will you need that coverage? Third, what is your budget (or how much monthly premium can you afford to pay?), and finally, what is your investment risk tolerance?

To determine how much death benefit makes sense, it's helpful to think beyond using life insurance to cover funeral expenses and consider whether anyone is relying on the policy owner's income to maintain a lifestyle, pay rent or a mortgage, or fund a child's education and for how long.

There are various rules of thumb regarding the right amount of Life insurance coverage. Some tips can be found online, but they only provide an estimate and don't necessarily factor in an individual's specific needs. In my opinion, human guidance, powered by technology, is required. Basically, it comes down to how much money your loved ones would need to remain on firm financial ground if your earnings were no longer in the picture and that is different for everyone."

What is the biggest opportunity you see for improvement in the life insurance industry?

"Increased accessibility through digital and other channels as well as through underwriting enhancements. Increased tailoring of products and features. And an increased emphasis on health and wellness programs."

"Having enough qualified insurance professionals to walk potential buyers through the multiple benefits of life insurance will be pivotal to the growth of the industry. Education is a key factor here, as professional agents also need to be able to explain life insurance and its benefits in an easy, digestible way, especially when there are so many misconceptions about life insurance."

"The need for life insurance is greater than ever. In fact, a recent New York Life Wealth Watch survey found that 37% of adults have been thinking about life insurance more often these days – and half of adults report that financial products that provide protection (50%) and reliability (50%) are more important now compared to last year. This may be especially true for middle-market and Cultural Market families.

Our organizational structure of having Cultural Market agents embedded in the communities where we live and work allows us to understand the needs of diverse communities and develop solutions that resonate with them."

What advice would you give to buyers who are debating whether or not to buy life insurance?

"It is difficult to say with any certainty how healthy you will be years from now. That's why securing life insurance, and insuring your insurability, today, when you are the youngest you'll ever be again, and perhaps your healthiest is a wise decision."

"Do you love someone? If the answer is yes, then life insurance is certainly something you should consider. Many buy gifts and experiences to express their love, but haven't considered that life insurance is just another way to say I love you. Nothing says support like ensuring your family's financial security and peace of mind."

"If you have someone depending on your income, you should consider purchasing life insurance. A death benefit from a life insurance policy can replace income from the loss of a breadwinner, ensure a family can stay in their home, fund educational or retirement expenses, address debt and so much more.

A life insurance policy can also help you grow your family's wealth over time. Once the risk of an unexpected loss has been managed, you can begin to think more broadly about your family's financial future. Life insurance can enable your mindset to shift from death to growth."

What's the most important thing buyers should look for when choosing a life insurance agent/company to buy from?

"With life insurance, you are securing a future commitment that may be decades away. Research the company behind the policy to ensure it has high financial strength ratings, longevity, and an excellent track record of paying claims."

"When looking for an insurance agent or company, be sure to do your research. When comparing companies, be sure to remember that the policy features that fit you and your loved ones best is the most important factor. Don't automatically assume you should buy from the higher-rated company.

If the policy from the other company has more of what you're looking for, it might be the better choice. If you're unsure where to start, try the Life Happens Agent Locator to find an insurance professional in your area."

• "The insurers' track record: At its core, life insurance is protection - a hedge against the unexpected - and you are paying premiums in exchange for the promise that the insurer will be there when you need them, so the financial strength and track record of the company backing your policy is critical.
• Customer service: Are service professionals available by phone and digital channels? Is there is an online dashboard where you can manage your policy? Beyond ensuring assistance is available after you purchase a policy, it's also critical to ensure you have access to trusted advice and guidance before you buy.
• Flexibility in conversion: How easy is it to change? Life can be unpredictable and while term insurance can cover your loved ones through a critical period of time, you may decide that access to cash value is an important piece of your strategy.
• Accelerated online applications : Online applications are convenient but don't replace human guidance. Keep in mind that accelerated online applications may have a maximum coverage amount, meaning that you may not be able to get all the coverage you may need exclusively through an online process.
• A range of payment options: It's important to understand how often you're required to make premium payments and whether and how often you can change the frequency of payments."

Best Life Insurance FAQs

According to JD Power's 2023 life insurance study, State Farm is the highest-rated life insurance company when it comes to overall customer satisfaction. However, you still may want to shop around for quotes from various insurers if you're looking to purchase a new policy.

There isn't one best life insurance company, because the best option for you will depend on the type of policy you're looking for. It's best to work with a qualified insurance agent to help you find the best coverage. If you're deciding between multiple similar options, it's also worth consulting J.D. Power's life insurance customer satisfaction study . The latest study ranks State Farm as the top pick for individual life insurance, outpacing Nationwide by three points.

The best type of life insurance policy for you will differ from someone else's, as your policy should be tailored to your needs. The best policy for you will be affordable and will offer the benefits best suited to your situation. For example, some policies are only meant to cover end-of-life expenses such as burial and funeral arrangements, whereas others include living benefits like a cash value insurance plan , which you can borrow against during your lifetime.

Some life insurance policies are advertised as "no medical exam." This doesn't mean the insurer won't ask you about known conditions or look at medical records. Policies with no medical exam also tend to offer lower benefits with higher premiums. Most companies have a network of medical examiners, some of whom can come to your home. You can find our guide on the best no exam life insurance here.

Each situation is different and requires a knowledgeable life insurance agent to assess your best options. Bring all your questions and the coverage you're looking for to an insurance agent near you to explore your options.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

• Main content