Best Websites To Sell Your Car In 2024

Written by:

Dash Lewis , Writer

Written by: Dash Lewis Content Writer

02/09/2024 09:13 PM

Key Points:

• Our top three websites to sell your car are CarMax, We Buy Any Car, and CarGurus. 
• Be prepared to enter your vehicle identification number (VIN), license plate number, odometer reading, and other details to get instant offers for your car.
• You may also find private buyers on websites like eBay Motors, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist.
• Each car selling platform on our list makes instant offers, though some companies require a vehicle inspection before offers are guaranteed.

If you’re considering selling your car or truck, you have options to explore. While there are many places to sell your car, selling your car online offers unmatched convenience, flexibility, and speed.

On this page, we’ll detail 10 of the best websites to sell your car in 2024, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of each. We also provide tips on how to get the most value from your car sale and other online marketplaces to check out during your car selling journey.

Good Choice For Older Vehicles

4.3/5

Simple online platformOffers door-to-door pickup and deliveryPays by ACH transfer or certified check

833-672-0583 Get an Offer On Peddle’s Website

Excellent Customer Satisfaction

4.3/5

Free pickupOffers at home inspectionsWill pay off any outstanding loans

321-340-6624 Get an Offer On Wheelzy’s Website

Featured Provider

4/5

Guarantees every offer for 7 daysFree towing includedRecycles non-operable or junk vehicles

844-596-7477 Get an Offer On Carbrain’s Website

Best Car Selling Websites

Below is a list of our hassle-free choices for the best sites to sell your car online, and our overall ratings for each provider out of 5.0 points:

*Our research team uses these factors to rank providers: reliability, platform, pricing, support, and customer experience.

#1: CarMax: Best Overall

Years in business: 31
Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating: A
Instant offers: ✔

CarMax earned our Best Overall award for its comprehensive service lineup, which includes car selling, buying, financing, and car warranty programs. The company has three decades of experience and positive customer reviews. It also purchases cars directly, eliminating third-party fees. While CarMax doesn’t provide a private party sale option, it does offer trade-in value for select vehicles, plus free car drop-off and pickup services in select locations. 

CarMax offers are good for seven days, and you’ll receive payment on the spot if your car passes the company’s final inspection. If you’re considering CarMax as a potential way to sell your car online, note that the company doesn’t have brick-and-mortar stores in the following locations:

• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Hawaii
• Montana
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Washington, D.C.
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

#2: We Buy Any Car: Best Customer Experience

Years in business: 18
BBB rating: A+
Instant offers: ✔

We like We Buy Any Car for the company’s streamlined user experience. The We Buy Any Car website is well designed and straightforward, making it easy to get any instant offer for your used car and navigate the selling process.

We Buy Any Car will purchase vehicles in almost any condition, from near-new to inoperable. Like CarMax, We Buy Any Car pays sellers on the same business day, typically by check. However, We Buy Any Car requires sellers to travel to a We Buy Any Car store for a final inspection, and the company only has locations in 21 states.

You can find a physical We Buy Any Car store in the following states:

#3: CarGurus: Easy-To-Use Platform

Years in business: 18
BBB rating: A+
Instant offers: ✔

CarGurus will purchase vehicles directly or help sellers reach a wider private buyer audience through the company’s online marketplace. While listing a car on the CarGurus marketplace may cost a little extra, selling to a private buyer can help many sellers get the most for their vehicle.

Like many other companies on our list, CarGurus offers expire after seven days. The company also offers scheduled vehicle pickup, eliminating the need to travel to a brick-and-mortar location for inspections. Note that CarGurus doesn’t currently make instant offers for sellers in the following areas:

#4: Copart: Quick Payments

Years in business: 42
BBB rating: A+
Instant offers: ✔

Copart is an excellent choice for sellers with older or high-mileage vehicles. This company specializes in auto industry auctions and provides instant cash offers for vehicles in varying conditions nationwide. While Copart offers an online calculator for vehicle offers, you may need an inspection from a Copart representative before you receive a guaranteed or final offer.

Offers from Copart for older vehicles are competitive, and the company offers tow truck service, making selling inoperable vehicles easier.

#5: Algo: Best User Experience

Years in business: 8
Parent company BBB rating: A-
Instant offers: ✔

Algo (Auto Lenders Go) has simplified the online car selling user experience and receives positive customer feedback on multiple platforms. Unlike many online car selling sites, Algo offers an online, virtual inspection process and provides vehicle pickup services nationwide. For those interested in dropping off their vehicle, Algo has physical locations in the following states:

Algo buys vehicles in fair to excellent condition, meaning the company may not be an option for sellers looking to part ways with older, high-mileage, or junk vehicles. However, Algo follows through on offers it makes with same-day payment during vehicle pickup.

#6: Edmunds: Good For Quick, Fixed-Price Offers

Years in business: 58
BBB rating: A+
Instant offers: ✔

Edmunds is another comprehensive car buying and selling company with a long history in the industry. While Edmunds doesn’t buy junk, damaged, or inoperable vehicles, the company makes competitive offers on vehicles in fair to excellent condition. Interested sellers can use their vehicle for trade-in value from one of Edmund’s many partner car dealerships. 

Edmunds makes competitive instant offers for most vehicles and provides a wide selection of vehicle research tools, including car value calculators, in-depth vehicle studies, manufacturer studies, and more. Edmunds offers a mobile app experience for users interested in buying vehicles, but sellers must use the company’s website for research, offers, and completing sales.

#7: Peddle: Good Choice For Older Vehicles

Years in business: 20
BBB rating: A+
Instant offers: ✔

As an alternative to Copart and We Buy Any Car, Peddle has made a name for itself as a buyer of old or junk cars. The company consistently makes competitive offers on vehicles in inoperable or scrap metal condition, using a network of partner car dealerships and salvage yards to offer convenient and guaranteed services. 

Peddle backs its offers with free towing services but doesn’t negotiate offers or offer to buy vehicles with outstanding loans. To get a free quote, simply fill out Peddle’s questionnaire about your vehicle’s make, model, year, and condition, and you’ll have seven days to weigh your options.

#8: Carvana: Best All-In-One Process

Years in business: 12
BBB rating: Not rated
Instant offers: ✔

One of the standout features of Carvana is its user-friendly interface and straightforward process. Sellers can receive a real-time vehicle valuation in less than two minutes, thanks to the company’s efficient instant offer tool. This removes the traditional hassles of selling a car, such as negotiating with buyers or dealing with many inquiries. Carvana’s process is transparent, and the offer provided is guaranteed for seven days.

Like many online car selling platforms, Carvana handles all the paperwork associated with the sale. The company offers pickup services in many locations, meaning you can sell your car from the comfort of your home and skip a trip to the dealership. Carvana’s offers fell below Kelley Blue Book (KBB) value but were competitive compared to other online car buying and selling platforms.

If you’re interested in selling your car to upgrade, Carvana is a well-known online car dealership that backs its vehicles with a 150-point inspection process and provides in-depth views of all cars available for purchase.

#9: Vroom: Simple Process

Years in business: 11
BBB rating: Not rated
Instant offers: ✔

Vroom is a popular choice for individuals looking to sell their cars online due to its simplicity and convenience. Sellers input specific vehicle information, including make, model, age, mileage, and condition, and receive a competitive offer locked in for 10 days. This transparent approach offers sellers clarity and confidence in the price they can expect to receive, eliminating the uncertainty often associated with private sales or dealer trade-ins.

Once the offer is accepted, Vroom arranges for the vehicle’s pickup, eliminating the need for the seller to travel to a dealership or inspection location. However, offers the company makes for old or high-mileage vehicles may fall below average, and some customer reviews note slow paperwork completion and other issues. 

#10: Wheelzy

Years in business: 10

BBB rating: F

Instant offers: ✘

Similar to Copart and Peddle, Wheelzy specializes in purchasing old and junk vehicles. The company takes the hassle out of the selling process by handling all paperwork itself and providing free towing service to pick up your car. Although Wheelzy doesn’t provide instant offers, the process of getting an offer is still easy: All you need to do is fill out the form on Wheelzy’s website with your vehicle’s info and a representative will give you a call with your offer.

Wheelzy also boasts an excellent reputation for customer service, with some of the highest customer review scores of any car selling company our team reviewed. It holds a 4.7 out of 5.0-star rating on Trustpilot and earns 4.6 out of 5.0 stars from customers on the BBB.

Other Websites To Sell Your Car Online

If you’re shopping around for places to sell your old car, it might be worth considering online marketplaces like the following:

• eBay Motors
• Facebook Marketplace
• Craigslist

Note that the websites above are private seller marketplaces. Sellers can typically get the most money for their vehicles from private car buyers but must be prepared to haggle and invest more time into researching, advertising, and selling their vehicles. Some private seller marketplaces make these tasks easier. 

Keep in mind that many marketplaces charge listing fees. Always vet potential buyers carefully and meet in a secure public location to ensure a safe and fair transaction. 

How To Get The Most Value When Selling Your Car Online

If you want to streamline your car selling process and get top dollar for your vehicle, consider the advice below.

Preparation

• Clean and detail: Ensure your car’s interior and exterior are both cleaned and detailed. Presentation can significantly affect the offer price.
• Maintenance records: Have maintenance records or a vehicle history report ready. It’s proof that the car has been well maintained. You can get history reports from sites like Carfax.
• Gather documents: Aside from your vehicle’s maintenance records, you’ll want to have your car title, any lienholder paperwork, and other forms required to sell your car ready to go.
• Fix any mechanical problems, if possible: It’s often worth it to fix any issues your car has before selling. However, if the cost of repairs is greater than what you’ll make on it, sell it as is or consider junking it.

Listing

• Quality photos: Upload quality photos capturing many angles of the car’s interior and exterior. It’s best to do this in broad daylight, so potential buyers can really see the car.
• Detailed description: Be thorough and honest in your description. Include features, modifications, and any damages. Potential buyers may walk away or lower their offers if they see your car isn’t in the condition you described online.

Negotiation

• Know your vehicle’s worth: Understand the market value of your car. Use tools online to get an estimate, compare market values from multiple sources, and weigh any offers carefully to protect yourself from scammers. 
• Be open: Be ready to negotiate around your original asking price by knowing your lowest acceptable offer ahead of time, and be prepared to wait for the best offer.

Best Websites To Sell Your Car: Our Take

When selling a car online, you can take your pick from dozens of companies. After hundreds of hours of research, however, our team narrowed down our top three choices to CarMax, We Buy Any Car, and CarGurus. Each company offers competitive prices, broad service areas, and streamlined services to make selling a car online easier than working with traditional car dealers.

Best Websites To Sell Your Car: FAQ

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the best websites to sell your car below:

How We Rate Car Selling Platforms

Our review team extensively researches car selling platforms to deliver informed and unbiased assessments of leading companies. We evaluate several key rating factors that are important to consumers to determine which providers are the best in the industry:

• Reliability: Providers that earn strong ratings from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and have a long history in the car sales industry score well in this category.
• Platform: The best car selling companies provide easy-to-use platforms for a hassle-free experience. Our team rates each online platform based on its available features, like whether it provides instant offers or a variety of sales options.
• Pricing: We got quotes to sell several vehicles to see how each provider’s offers compared to competitors’. We considered a provider’s added fees when determining this rating.
• Support: Car selling platforms that offer consumers support throughout the selling process earn the highest scores in this category. This includes benefits like free pickup services or sending an in-person inspector to you for your convenience.
• Customer Experience: We consider customer reviews on sites like the BBB and Trustpilot to better understand the consumer experience. Car selling companies with convenient quote processes also perform well in this category.

Dash Lewis Content Writer