Most people know that buying a used car can save them money, but knowing where to look is key. While you could go to a dealership, independent sellers may be able to offer you better deals on cars that are just as good as those at dealerships.
But it can be hard to find the right seller for your needs. Here, we’ll help you determine which apps are best for finding used vehicles.
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Finding Used Cars
- Carvana
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Carvana is a car company that has revolutionized buying and selling cars. The days of going to a car dealership will soon be over. With Carvana, you can buy a car right from your iPhone or Android device and have it delivered to your door, sometimes for free.
With the Carvana app, you can search over 40,000 new and used cars to find one that fits your needs. You can sort by price or transmission type, and you can get a free Carfax report before you buy. Carvana also offers vehicle financing at an affordable rate, so you can quickly get a newer vehicle and start making monthly payments.
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For those who want to trade in their vehicle, Carvana offers a way to do this as well. You can claim an instant trade-in offer and someone will take your old car when your new one is dropped off.
Carvana also created a vending machine for cars, where you can insert your token and receive your vehicle on the spot.
All purchases come with a seven-day money-back guarantee, which is enough time to get a vehicle inspected to make sure nothing is wrong with it.
Download: Carvana for iOS | Android (Free)
- Vroom
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Similar to Carvana, Vroom is also a delivery site for cars. With this app, you can search and find your new (or new to you) car right from your phone. Like Carvana, Vroom also accepts trade-ins, so you can trade your vehicle without having to get it inspected or take it anywhere.
Vroom offers a seven-day, or 250-mile warranty for every vehicle purchased. You also get a limited warranty as well, which will cover repair costs if something goes wrong. Again, seven days is enough time to get a vehicle inspected. If you find a problem, see if Vroom’s limited warranty will cover it.
Vroom is more affordable than Carvana when it comes to both the cash price and the financing terms. However, Vroom has a smaller inventory than Carvana, so if you’re looking for a specific car it might not be for sale here.
If you’re not picky about your car and are looking to trade-in, you can always try getting a quote from both apps and see which service gives you the better deal.
Download: Vroom for iOS | Android (Free)
- CarMax
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CarMax is one of the largest vehicle dealerships in the US, with locations in most major cities. CarMax offers a wide selection of vehicles in its app and allows you to sort by make, model, MPG, price, and more. You’ll see upfront, haggle-free prices, so you know what you’re going to pay beforehand.
While you can’t get a vehicle shipped to your door, you can request an affordable transfer (usually around $200) from one dealership to another. This means that if you find a car you like for sale in another city, CarMax will ship it to your local branch so you can purchase it there.
CarMax also offers a seven-day money-back guarantee for all car purchases.
Download: CarMax for iOS | Android (Free)
- Autotrader
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For those who want to buy a car from a traditional dealership, consider purchasing on Autotrader. Its iPhone and Android app make it easier than ever to find the exact car you’re looking for. While Autotrader isn’t a dealership itself, it includes a database of all dealers near you, so you can search dozens of dealerships with only one app.
You’ll also find a wealth of private sellers on Autotrader, if you’d rather avoid the car dealers entirely.
With such a wide selection of vehicles available at almost every pricing point, you can easily search specific models and makes that interest you. The Autotrader app also lets you add multiple models to your search, so if you have several cars in mind, you can see all that are available in your area.
You can filter by price, distance, mileage, and more. For those searching for an affordable vehicle, the sort by price option has everything from $500 junkers to six-figure vehicles.
Download: Autotrader for iOS | Android (Free)
- Cars.com
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Similar to Autotrader, the official Cars.com app searches for dealership offerings in your area. Most of the inventory is the same when it comes to Cars.com and Autotrader. However, there are instances where you can find a deal that wasn’t listed on one of the other apps. This is why it’s best to have both apps to make sure you see everything available.
Cars.com also has financing calculators and a value estimate, which Autotrader lacks. Its value estimator will let you know if a car is a good deal or not and will tell you how hot a listing is in terms of views and saves.
best app to buy used cars by owner
- Used Car Search Pro
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Used Car Search Pro by iSeeCars is the dark horse of car apps. It searches 40,000 dealerships and private sellers for cars, and its 59 search filters include every conceivable parameter to find your dream car — even obscure ones like driver height, so you can find a car with enough headroom. The app also judges the market value of cars to make sure you’re getting a fair price and even sorts your selected cars by “best deal.” - CarMax
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This app accesses CarMax’s nationwide inventory of more than 50,000 vehicles. You can get alerted when prices drop, compare up to 10 cars at once and calculate payments on your phone. You also get free vehicle history reports, and CarMax’s expert and customer reviews. Plus, you can scan window stickers or bar codes to access all of a vehicle’s information at any CarMax dealership.
The app exclusively searches CarMax dealerships, all of which have non-negotiable prices on their cars. If you appreciate upfront pricing, that’s great news. If you don’t mind haggling for the best deal, maybe CarMax isn’t for you. If there’s a CarMax location near you, the app provides a no-hassle car-buying experience.
- Autotrader
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Autotrader searches for new, used and certified pre-owned cars at dealerships near you and saves your selected cars to your My Autotrader profile. Car shoppers get a free vehicle history report on each car, plus pricing information and reviews. The app connects you with dealerships or private sellers by phone or email and lets you share cars you love with friends and family by text. - Edmunds
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Edmunds provides expert auto advice website and an arsenal of car pricing tools and calculators. The Buy a Car feature gives a detailed list of vehicles near you that match your specifications — but the research section is where Edmunds pulls ahead of competitors.
Its top-tier car reviews have everything buyers need, and the helpful “costs of ownership” section breaks down expenses, like average fuel and repair spending, for various models. And if you click the app’s “help” section, you can text an Edmunds car-buying expert directly for any questions on car buying or leasing.
- Car Buying by Kelley Blue Book
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Kelley Blue Book is a renowned source in the auto world. The website provides a broad spectrum of car tools, but its Car Buying app focuses on reviewing and pricing specific models and finding dealerships near you. You’ll also access Kelley Blue Book’s car pictures and in-depth videos.
The app is simple to use and has trusted brand power, but it doesn’t have close to all the information its website offers — and it can’t show you local listings of cars you’re searching for.
- TrueCar
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TrueCar users search for their desired car and get a price breakdown based on what others paid for the same vehicle. The app accesses dealer, factory and partner incentives, including ones only TrueCar users get. And its mobile “price check” feature shows TrueCar price estimates simply by scanning the window sticker at any participating dealership. The cherry on top? TrueCar’s app has the best cosmetic design of the bunch.
The app sends your contact information and price quote to a network of over 13,000 TrueCar Certified Dealers, which means plenty of sales calls but also plenty of offers.
- Cars.com
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This brightly colored app lists new and used cars for sale near you with an extensive breakdown of the vehicles’ details and features. You can read owner reviews and see estimated car payments. The app also includes dealer profiles and reviews and a market comparison feature, showing how other vehicles are priced in a given area. Turn on the app’s On The Lot tool the next time you’re at a dealership to instantly compare nearby dealership inventory and find special local offers. - Autolist
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Autolist claims to have the “largest selection of cars” to search, pulling from thousands of used car app and dealership listings. But we love its large, high-definition car images to swipe through as you search.
It also includes a Buyer Intelligence section showing how a car’s price compares with others in the area, how long the car has been on the market and its price change history. You can also get alerts when the price drops on one of your favorite listings.
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