Short answer: HPI Check is better for UK-only cars. CarVertical is better for imports. If you want the cheapest option that covers the same UK data, both are more expensive than they need to be.
How much does CarVertical cost?
A single CarVertical report costs £39.99. It gets cheaper per report if you buy several at once:
| Reports | Total | Per report |
|---|---|---|
| 1 car | £39.99 | £39.99 |
| 2 cars | £51.98 | £25.99 |
| 3 cars | £62.97 | £20.99 |
Prices checked on carvertical.com in October 2026. CarVertical's bundle discounts vary with offers.
For that, CarVertical's reports draw on records from more than 45 countries, including past damage, mileage readings and photos where available. If the car has only ever been registered in the UK, you can get the core finance, write-off and stolen checks for much less: see our cheaper alternatives to CarVertical.
HPI vs CarVertical: Side by Side
| HPI Check | CarVertical | |
|---|---|---|
| Single check price | £19.99 full (£9.99 basic) | £39.99 |
| Multi-buy price | 3 for £29.99 | £20.99 each in a 3-pack (£62.97) |
| Stolen vehicle check | Yes (PNC) | Yes |
| Outstanding finance | Yes | Yes |
| Write-off history | Yes | Yes |
| £30K guarantee | Yes | No |
| International history | No | Yes (EU-wide) |
| Historical listing photos | No | Yes |
| Market valuation | Yes (guide) | Yes |
| AI health scoring | No | No |
| Brand recognition (UK) | High | Low |
Prices checked on each company's website in October 2026. CarVertical's bundle discounts vary with offers.
When HPI Is the Better Choice
You're buying a UK car and want financial protection. HPI's full check comes with a £30,000 guarantee. If its data turns out to be wrong and you lose money as a result, HPI's guarantee covers you up to £30,000 (terms apply). CarVertical doesn't offer anything similar.
The seller knows what HPI is. "I've run an HPI check" carries weight. Sellers and dealers recognise the name. CarVertical is less well known in the UK, so mentioning it won't have the same effect during negotiations.
You only need UK data. For a car that's been registered in the UK its whole life, HPI's stolen and finance checks are built around UK records. HPI checks police stolen-vehicle records and UK finance records.
You're checking 3 cars. The MultiCheck at £29.99 for three cars (about £10 each) is decent value if you know exactly which three cars you're viewing. That's cheaper per check than CarVertical even in its 3-pack (£20.99 each).
When CarVertical Is the Better Choice
You're looking at an import. If the car spent time registered in Germany, France, Poland, or another EU country, CarVertical can pull damage records, service history, and ownership data from those markets. HPI's check is built around UK records. For an ex-German BMW or a French-market Peugeot, CarVertical has records a UK-only check won't.
You want historical listing photos. CarVertical shows photos from previous online listings. If the car was advertised before with different bodywork or in a different condition, those photos surface in the report. Useful for spotting undisclosed repairs or resprays.
You're buying across borders. If you regularly buy cars from European auctions or importers, CarVertical's cross-border data is its big advantage. Few UK-focused checks offer anything similar.
The Pricing Problem
Both cost more than a UK-only buyer strictly needs, for different reasons. HPI's full check includes the £30,000 guarantee. CarVertical's price covers European data sources, which add little if the car has only ever been registered in the UK.
Most serious buyers view 5-10 cars before committing. On HPI, checking 10 cars would cost around £110 (even using the MultiCheck deal). On CarVertical, you'd spend about £400 at the single-report price, or about £229 buying in 3-packs.
That's where cheaper alternatives come in. For UK cars, most checks draw on the same core sources: DVLA records, MOT history, and stolen-vehicle and finance registers. The overlap between a £5 check and a £20 check is substantial.
| Service | What you buy | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| PlateInsight | Free check on all 5 cars + 1 full report | £4.99 |
| HPI Check | 5 basic checks (£9.99) + 1 full check | ~£70 |
| CarVertical | 5 individual reports (no basic option) | £114.95–£199.95 |
Cheaper Alternatives to CarVertical and HPI
You don't have to choose one service for everything.
Run a free check on every car you're considering. PlateInsight's free check includes the full MOT history and an AI health score that benchmarks the car against others of the same make, model and age. It also runs a critical issues forecast that tells you when brakes, suspension and other components are statistically likely to need work, based on 261 million MOT records.
Once you've narrowed down to your top pick, unlock the full background check (finance, write-off, stolen and salvage). On PlateInsight that's £4.99, or 3 checks for £9.99 if you're still choosing between a few cars.
If the car costs over £15,000 and you want the guarantee, add HPI on top. If it's an import, add CarVertical. You end up spending less overall.
For a full breakdown of every UK provider including AA, RAC and GOV.UK, see our best vehicle check UK comparison. We also have a detailed look at HPI check pricing and what each tier includes.
Our Verdict
UK car, want the £30K guarantee: HPI Check (£19.99 full). The guarantee is genuine financial protection on expensive purchases.
Importing a car from Europe: CarVertical (£39.99, or £20.99 each in a 3-pack). Its European damage and mileage records are its main advantage over UK-only checks.
Best value for most UK buyers: PlateInsight. Screen every car on your shortlist with the free check, then unlock the finance, write-off, stolen and salvage check on your top pick for £4.99. That covers the core UK checks. Add HPI if you want the £30K guarantee, or CarVertical if the car was previously registered in Europe.
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
Is HPI or CarVertical better for UK cars?
HPI. It costs less (£19.99 vs £39.99), checks the Police National Computer for stolen vehicles, and offers a £30,000 guarantee. CarVertical's advantage is international history, which doesn't help if the car has always been in the UK.
Why does CarVertical cost more than HPI?
Its reports include records from European countries as well as the UK, such as damage, mileage and past listing photos. That is useful for an imported car, but if the car has only ever been registered in the UK you may be paying for data you don't need.
Is there a cheaper alternative to both?
Yes. PlateInsight's free check shows the full MOT history, a health score, red flags and a critical-issues forecast. £4.99 unlocks the finance, write-off, stolen and salvage check, plus a market valuation. The trade-off is no £30K guarantee and no European history.
Do HPI and CarVertical use the same data?
For UK records, there's overlap. Both access DVLA and MOT data. HPI checks police stolen-vehicle records and UK finance records. CarVertical includes records from other European countries, which helps with imported cars.
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Disclosure: This comparison is published by PlateInsight. We compete with both HPI and CarVertical, so we're not neutral. We've aimed to be fair and accurate. Pricing checked October 2026. HPI and HPI Check are registered trade marks of HPI Limited. PlateInsight is not affiliated with or endorsed by HPI. CarVertical is a trademark of carVertical UAB.