An HPI check costs between £9.99 and £29.99 depending on which tier you go for. The basic check is £9.99, the full check with the £30,000 guarantee is £19.99, and there's a MultiCheck option at £29.99 for three cars. Prices checked on hpicheck.com in October 2026.
Most people land on this page wanting a straight answer, so here it is:
HPI Check Pricing: All Three Tiers
| Tier | Price | Per car | £30K guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | £9.99 | £9.99 | No |
| Full | £19.99 | £19.99 | Yes |
| MultiCheck | £29.99 | ~£10 each | Yes |
Prices from hpicheck.com, checked September 2026.
The full check adds write-off details, mileage checks and the £30,000 guarantee to the basic check. The MultiCheck gives you three full checks, for people viewing three cars.
What Does Each HPI Tier Include?
They don't cover the same data. HPI says the basic check leaves out elements such as write-off details and mileage discrepancies, as well as the guarantee.
| Feature | Basic (£9.99) | Full (£19.99) |
|---|---|---|
| Stolen vehicle check (PNC) | Yes | Yes |
| Outstanding finance | Yes | Yes |
| Write-off history (Cat S, N, B, A) | No | Yes |
| Plate change history | Yes | Yes |
| Keeper count | Yes | Yes |
| Mileage discrepancy flag | No | Yes |
| VIN verification | Yes | Yes |
| £30,000 guarantee | No | Yes |
HPI says its £30,000 guarantee covers you if you lose money because its data turns out to be inaccurate (terms apply, so read them before relying on it). That's the main reason people pay the extra tenner.
Is an HPI Check Worth It?
It depends entirely on how much the car costs.
Spending £15,000 or more? The full check at £19.99 makes sense. You're paying £20 for £30,000 of financial protection. If undisclosed finance surfaces after you buy, that guarantee could save you the entire value of the car. At this price bracket, it's a no-brainer.
Spending under £5,000? The maths start to look different. A £3,000 car is unlikely to have outstanding finance. You're paying £20 for a guarantee you'll almost certainly never use. A cheaper check gives you the same stolen, finance and write-off data without the guarantee, and you could put the £15 you saved toward a mechanic looking over the car in person.
Viewing several cars? This is where HPI gets expensive. Most buyers view 5-10 cars before committing. Even the MultiCheck only covers three. At those volumes, you're better off running cheap checks on everything and saving HPI for the final car you actually want to buy.
Cheaper Alternatives to HPI
Most UK vehicle checks draw on the same core sources for stolen, finance and write-off data, whether you pay £5 or £20. What differs is the extras and the guarantee.
| Service | Price | Stolen/finance/write-off | Extras | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HPI (full) | £19.99 | Yes | Mileage, keeper count, plate changes | £30,000 |
| PlateInsight | £4.99 (free check first) | Yes | Free MOT history, health score and failure forecast; valuation, AI verdict and ownership history in the £4.99 report | No |
| AA Car Check | £14.99 | Yes | Mileage, keeper history | £30,000 |
| RAC Vehicle Check | £9.98 basic / £14.99 full | Yes | Physical inspection option (from £132) | £30,000 (full check) |
| CarVertical | About £40 | Yes | International history, listing photos | No |
Prices checked on providers' websites in September 2026 (CarVertical via UK comparison sites; its price varies with offers).
The trade-off is the guarantee. If you need one, HPI's full check, the AA's check and RAC's full check all offer up to £30,000. If you don't, you're paying for it anyway.
For a full breakdown of every UK provider, see our best vehicle check UK comparison. If you're not sure exactly what an HPI check is or what it covers, we've broken that down separately. If you're specifically weighing up HPI against CarVertical, we've written a dedicated comparison covering when each one makes more sense.
The Practical Approach
Run cheap checks on every car you're considering. Use PlateInsight's free check to shortlist the ones worth viewing. The AI health score and critical issues forecast tell you which cars have red flags before you drive anywhere.
When you've settled on your top pick, run the full stolen, finance and write-off check. On PlateInsight that's £4.99. If the car costs over £15,000 and you want the financial safety net, add HPI's full check for the £30K guarantee on top.
On PlateInsight, 10 free checks plus one full background check costs £4.99. Three cars on HPI MultiCheck costs £29.99. Ten on HPI would run you about £110.
You don't need to spend £20 on a history check to spot the big risks. Run a free check now, then unlock the finance, write-off & stolen check for £4.99.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an HPI check cost in 2026?
Basic: £9.99. Full (with £30K guarantee): £19.99. MultiCheck (3 cars): £29.99. Prices from hpicheck.com, October 2026.
Is an HPI check worth it?
On cars over £15,000, the £30K guarantee justifies the £19.99. On cheaper cars, a lower-cost alternative like PlateInsight (£4.99 for a full background check) gives you the core checks without the premium.
What's the difference between a basic and full HPI check?
HPI says the basic check leaves out elements such as write-off details and mileage discrepancies. The full check adds those and the £30,000 guarantee, which covers you if undisclosed finance is found after you buy the car.
Is there a cheaper alternative to HPI?
PlateInsight's finance, write-off and stolen check costs £4.99, and RAC's basic check £9.98. The AA's check and RAC's full check cost £14.99 each and include a £30,000 guarantee; PlateInsight's doesn't.
Can I get a free HPI check?
No. HPI doesn't offer a free HPI check, though it does have a free MOT history checker. The GOV.UK MOT History tool is free but only covers MOT data, not stolen, finance or write-off information. PlateInsight's free check shows the full MOT history, a health score and red flags on any UK car.
Check Any Vehicle's Full History
MOT results, mileage timeline, AI health score, and market valuations. New users get 5 free credits.
Disclosure: This guide is published by PlateInsight. We've aimed to be accurate about HPI's pricing and features, but we're a competitor, not a neutral party. HPI pricing was checked on hpicheck.com in October 2026 and may change. HPI and HPI Check are registered trade marks of HPI Limited. PlateInsight is not affiliated with or endorsed by HPI.