carVertical, Total Car Check or Autotrader: which to use?
What each provider's own website says about its price, what the check covers and any data guarantee, with vCheck and our own full check alongside. Where a site does not say, we say so.
Every fact checked on the provider's own site on 26 October 2026.
At a glance
The price of one check on one car, the packs each site lists and the data guarantee it states.
| Provider | One check | Packs | Data guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| carVerticalVehicle history report | £39.99 | 2 reports for £51.98 (£25.99 each), 3 for £62.97 (£20.99 each) | Not stated (it offers a report return guarantee) |
| Total Car CheckGold Check | £9.99 | 3 for £14.99, 5 for £19.99 | £30,000 |
| AutotraderVehicle Check | £6.95 | Not stated | Up to £30,000 |
| vCheckFull Check | Not stated as a single price | From £6.00 a check: 3 for £24, 5 for £35, 10 for £60 | £40,000 |
| VettlyFull history check | £7.99 | 3 for £19.99, 10 for £59.99 | Up to £10,000, Experian's, for 12 months, as a £1.99 add-on |
What each check says it covers
The three records that cost buyers the most, as each provider describes the check priced above, and anything else it lists.
| Provider | Outstanding finance | Write-offs | Stolen | Also listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| carVertical | Not stated for UK finance agreements. Its site lists loans, debts and legal disputes tied to a vehicle | Damage and write-offs | Yes | Mileage, a timeline of events and a market value, from more than 1,000 sources in many countries |
| Total Car Check | Yes | Yes | Yes | A cheaper Silver check (£3.99), whose feature list does not mention outstanding finance |
| Autotrader | Yes | Yes | Yes, with scrapped markers | Mileage history, imports and exports, colour changes and previous owners |
| vCheck | Yes | Yes | Yes | A mileage check, plus cheaper Basic and Initial checks that also list finance, write-off and stolen checks |
| Vettly | Yes | Yes | Yes | A scrapped marker, keepers, plate and colour changes, imports and exports, the VIN, mileage from every recorded source, a valuation, the specification and electric car details, plus a free check first |
A fair comparison
Which may suit you better
No single check is right for everyone. This is where each one stands out, from what its own site says.
carVertical
£39.99Vehicle history report · Data guarantee: not stated (it offers a report return guarantee)
May suit you better if: the car has spent part of its life abroad, as carVertical says it draws on more than 1,000 sources in many countries. Its site does not say whether a UK report includes UK finance agreements, so ask before you rely on it for finance.
Total Car Check
£9.99Gold Check · Data guarantee: £30,000
May suit you better if: you want a £30,000 data guarantee for £9.99, or you are checking several cars: it lists 5 Gold checks for £19.99.
Autotrader
£6.95Vehicle Check · Data guarantee: up to £30,000
May suit you better if: you want a data guarantee of up to £30,000 from a name you know, for £6.95.
vCheck
Not stated as a single priceFull Check · Data guarantee: £40,000
May suit you better if: you are checking many cars and want the largest data guarantee on this page, £40,000. Its bundles page gives the Full Check only as from £6.00, the price per check in a pack of 10.
Vettly
£7.99Full history check · Data guarantee: up to £10,000, Experian's, for 12 months, as a £1.99 add-on
May suit you better if: you want more than the records: a valuation and the specification where available, details for electric cars, mileage from every recorded source and a Vettly Score, after a free check that lets you rule cars out first. Experian's data guarantee of up to £10,000 is a £1.99 add-on.
Questions to ask any provider
- Does the check I am buying include outstanding finance, or only a cheaper tier without it?
- Is there a data guarantee, how much is it, and what do I have to do to claim?
- Does it cover motorbikes and vans as well as cars?
- What happens if there is no record for the registration?
Every provider's single-check price is side by side in our price comparison, and a Vettly report is shown in full in the sample report.
Questions
carVertical, Total Car Check and Autotrader, answered
Is carVertical or Total Car Check better?
Does the Total Car Check Silver check include finance?
Does the Autotrader vehicle check include outstanding finance?
What is vCheck?
Which check has the biggest data guarantee?
Why choose Vettly if some checks cost less?
Sources, checked on 26 October 2026: carVertical, Total Car Check, Autotrader, vCheck. Prices and terms change, so check each site before you buy.
carVertical, Total Car Check, Autotrader and vCheck belong to their owners. Names are used only to identify each provider, and Vettly is independent and not connected with, or endorsed by, any of them.