How we score car history checks
Every provider is scored out of 10 on the same five criteria. The overall score is a weighted average, and the ranking is that score from highest to lowest.
The five criteria and their weights
The weights reflect what matters most to someone about to buy a used car: first whether the check covers the risks that can cost them the car or thousands of pounds, then what it costs, then whether they can understand the result.
| Criterion | Weight | What we assess | Scoring guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage and included checks | 30% | How comprehensively the compared check covers the risks that cost used-car buyers money: outstanding finance, theft, insurance write-offs and mileage, then supporting history such as MOT, keepers, plate changes and import/export status. | Higher scores for broad, detailed coverage of the risks that matter, such as finance, theft, write-off, mileage and damage history, plus supporting records. Lower scores where important data is thin or unclear. |
| Price and value | 25% | What a buyer actually pays to get the important information for one car, and what that price includes, including any data guarantee. | Higher scores where the price buys more important information and protection. Lower scores where the price is high for what is included. |
| Risk clarity | 20% | How clearly the major risks (finance, theft, write-off and mileage) are named, flagged and explained, judged from product pages and published sample reports. | Higher scores where major risks are flagged plainly with a clear result. Lower scores where it is hard to tell what was found. |
| Pricing transparency | 10% | How easily a buyer can see the price, what each package includes and what they will pay before checkout. | Higher scores where buyers can see what they will pay and what is included before payment. Lower scores for misleading headline prices or unclear packages. |
| Report usability | 15% | How easily an ordinary buyer can get the report and spot significant issues: account requirements, a risk summary, plain English, as shown in published samples and product pages. | Higher scores for instant, easy-to-read reports that put significant issues first. Lower scores for dense or jargon-heavy reports. |
How the score is calculated
Each criterion is scored from 0 to 10 in half-point steps. The overall score is the sum of each criterion score multiplied by its weight, shown to one decimal place. Ties are broken by the coverage score. Every score has a written reason, which you’ll find in the score table on each review.
Worked example, Carpeep: 9.0 × 30% + 8.0 × 25% + 9.5 × 20% + 10.0 × 10% + 9.5 × 15% = 9.0
What counts as a full check
We treat four checks as essential: outstanding finance, stolen status, insurance write-off and mileage. Finance, theft and write-off records aren’t in free government data, so a check without them can’t protect you from the costliest problems. Supporting data such as MOT history, previous keepers, plate changes, import/export, scrapped and colour-change markers, VIN checks and valuations add to the coverage score.
For each feature we record one of four statuses: included (the provider lists it), partial (included with a material limitation, explained in a note), not included (the provider says it isn’t) and not listed (the provider doesn’t mention it). We never mark a feature as included unless the provider lists it.
How we compare prices
- The compared check is the package the provider presents as its complete history check, for example HPI’s full HPI Check rather than its Basic Check. Every review names it.
- Price for one car is the advertised consumer price of that package on the provider’s website when we checked. Where a provider sells it only in bundles, we show the smallest bundle and the price per check.
- Bundle prices are shown separately, as the lowest published price per check for a package that includes finance, stolen and write-off checks.
- Promotions are labelled when the provider presents a price as a sale or limited offer.
- We don’t use discount codes, trade prices or prices from third-party sites.
Research process and sources
For each provider we read its own product, pricing, sample-report and guarantee pages and record the price, package structure, included checks and guarantee terms, with the date and the address of each page. Primary sources always win: we prefer the provider’s own website, then official sources such as GOV.UK, DVLA and DVSA. Each review lists the pages we used and gives a verification confidence:
- High: price, packages and contents confirmed on the provider’s own pages.
- Medium: the main facts are confirmed, but some features aren’t itemised or the price is only partly published.
- Low: key facts such as the price or core checks couldn’t be confirmed directly.
How often we update
Providers change prices, packages and promotions often. We aim to re-check every provider’s price and contents at least once a quarter, and whenever a provider or reader tells us something has changed. Each review shows the date its facts were last verified, and this page shows the date the ranking was last reviewed. When a fact changes, we update the data and the scores and ranking recalculate from it.
Limitations
- For this edition we haven’t bought reports from every provider. Risk clarity and usability scores are based on providers’ product pages and published sample reports. Providers whose report layout we couldn’t see are scored conservatively.
- We compare what providers say their checks include. We don’t independently audit the accuracy of their underlying data.
- Coverage depends on the data available for each vehicle. Several providers state that some items are shown only “where available”.
- Prices and features can change between our checks. Always confirm the price and contents before you pay.
Corrections
If a price, feature or guarantee on this site is wrong or out of date, tell us and include a link to the provider’s page. We check every correction against the primary source and update the data if it’s confirmed.