# Carwow costs for dealers 2026: Commission per lead

> Carwow charges dealers per lead, with 2020 prices at 29 to 49 euros. Carwow does not publish current prices. What the mobile.de acquisition in 2026 changes for dealers.

URL: https://a21social.com/de-en/blog/carwow-kosten-fuer-haendler
Author: A21 Social
Published: 2026-11-01

## Summary

Carwow bills dealers per lead. There are no public prices for 2026; in 2020 a lead cost 29 to 49 euros. Since approval on 8 October 2026, mobile.de is allowed to acquire Carwow Germany. According to the press release, the brand, team, and dealer relationships remain in place. For vehicle videos from your mobile.de listings, we recommend A21 Social starting at €29 per month plus VAT.

## Key facts

- Since 1 October 2020, Carwow has billed per lead, at the time 29 to 49 euros per lead (autohaus.de, 2 November 2020).
- The break-even point compared to the old pricing model was in 2020 a closing rate of about 9 percent; from a rate above 10 percent, there was a 10 percent discount.
- On 25 August 2026, mobile.de and the Carwow Group announced the binding agreement to acquire Carwow Germany.
- The Federal Cartel Office approved the acquisition on 8 October 2026, without stating any conditions.
- As of 1 November 2026, Carwow's dealer page states no prices, but does list more than 2,000 German contract partners.

Dealers pay Carwow per lead: Carwow finances itself [according to its own guide](https://www.carwow.de/ratgeber/welches-auto-passt-zu-mir/carwow-provision-wie-funktioniert-carwow) through a commission that partner dealerships pay for each lead. There are no public prices for 2026; the last known figures are [29 to 49 euros per lead (as of 2020)](https://www.autohaus.de/nachrichten/autohandel/onlinemarkt-neues-preissystem-bei-carwow-2698056). If you want to additionally show the vehicles from your mobile.de listings as short videos on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, we recommend A21 Social, [starting at €29 per month plus VAT](/de-en/pricing). Transparency note: This guide is published by A21 Social.

| Topic | What is documented | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commission per lead, free for customers ([Carwow guide](https://www.carwow.de/ratgeber/welches-auto-passt-zu-mir/carwow-provision-wie-funktioniert-carwow)) | January 2024 |
| Price per lead | [29 to 49 euros](https://www.autohaus.de/nachrichten/autohandel/onlinemarkt-neues-preissystem-bei-carwow-2698056), 10% discount from a closing rate above 10% | 2020, more recent prices not published |
| Fee in the purchase auction | Commission for Carwow, free for the seller, amount [not disclosed](https://www.carwow.de/auto-news/4425/carwow-neue-auktionsplattform) | April 2025 |
| Acquisition by mobile.de | Agreement on [25 August 2026](https://www.carwow.co.uk/news/11200/mobile-de-carwow-group-sign-agreement-carwow-germany), approval on [8 October 2026](https://www.bundeskartellamt.de/SharedDocs/Meldung/DE/Pressemitteilungen/2026/10_08_2026_mobile_carwow.html?nn=52004), no conditions mentioned | October 2026 |
| Completion of the acquisition | [No confirmed date published](https://onlinemarktplatz.de/294053/carwow-uebernahme-mobile-de-freigegeben/) | October 2026 |
| What remains for dealers | Brand, team, management and dealer relationships remain in place according to the press release | August 2026 |

## What is Carwow for car dealers?

Carwow is an online portal for new cars: private customers configure their desired car there, and partner dealerships receive purchase inquiries from this. Customers use the service free of charge, dealers pay a commission per lead.

The Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) describes the difference from mobile.de as follows: mobile.de mainly brokers used cars from dealers to private buyers, Carwow focuses on [individually configured new cars and typically addresses different customers](https://www.bundeskartellamt.de/SharedDocs/Meldung/DE/Pressemitteilungen/2026/10_08_2026_mobile_carwow.html?nn=52004). In [April 2025](https://www.carwow.de/auto-news/4425/carwow-neue-auktionsplattform) an auction was added, through which dealers can buy used cars from private sellers.

Sources differ on the number of partner dealers. The Carwow guide from January 2024, which also explains the commission model, mentions [over 1,800 Carwow partners](https://www.carwow.de/ratgeber/welches-auto-passt-zu-mir/carwow-provision-wie-funktioniert-carwow). In April 2025 autohaus.de cited [around 2,600 dealers](https://www.autohaus.de/nachrichten/autohandel/carwow-bietet-auktionsservice-neuer-fahrzeugankauf-fuer-haendler-3636691) in Germany. As of 1 November 2026, the dealer page itself states [more than 2,000 German contract partners](https://haendler.carwow.de/) and over 4 million visits per month.

### Who owns Carwow after the mobile.de acquisition?

Carwow Germany is being acquired by mobile.de's parent company, Oak Germany Buyer GmbH. The Federal Cartel Office has approved the acquisition and did not mention any conditions in its press release.

| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| [25 August 2026](https://www.carwow.co.uk/news/11200/mobile-de-carwow-group-sign-agreement-carwow-germany) | mobile.de and the Carwow Group announce a binding agreement, subject to regulatory approval. Until approval, both companies operate separately. |
| 8 October 2026 | Approval by the Federal Cartel Office after [about one month of review](https://onlinemarktplatz.de/294053/carwow-uebernahme-mobile-de-freigegeben/), case number B11-88/26 |
| [1 November 2026](https://autohaus.de/nachrichten/gw-trends/mobile-de-mit-neuer-vertriebsstruktur-philipp-arbter-uebernimmt-haendlergeschaeft-3929045) | mobile.de consolidates its sales teams for dealers under Sales Director Philipp Arbter; Christian Hotz becomes Head of OEM Partnerships |
| open | Purchase price and date of completion are not published |

According to the press release from August, mobile.de lists over 1.6 million vehicles and records more than 140 million visits per month. The portal was founded in 1996 and belongs to Adevinta. The Carwow Group, with brands like Carwow, Auto Express and Evo, reaches 17.7 million visitors per month across the UK, Germany and Spain.

The authority also justifies the approval with reference to the competitive pressure on mobile.de, for example from AutoScout24 and the manufacturers' and dealers' own online offerings. Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt said, according to [heise online](https://www.heise.de/news/Bundeskartellamt-mobile-de-darf-Carwow-uebernehmen-11480814.html): "mobile.de has a strong market position, particularly in the brokering of used cars. However, this is not significantly strengthened by the acquisition of Carwow."

## How does Carwow work for dealers?

Carwow brings you business in two ways: through inquiries from customers who have configured a new car, and through an auction in which you can buy used cars from private sellers. You pay a commission for the inquiries. In the auction, Carwow also receives a commission, with no costs for the seller.

### New car inquiries: you pay for each lead

Since [1 October 2020](https://www.autohaus.de/nachrichten/autohandel/onlinemarkt-neues-preissystem-bei-carwow-2698056), Carwow has billed per lead. Before that, dealers paid a fixed fee per vehicle sold. Today, this means you also pay for inquiries that do not result in a sales contract.

On the dealer page, Carwow advertises with the statement: "On average, you only need [6 Carwow leads](https://haendler.carwow.de/) to sell a car." This figure comes from Carwow itself. Like mobile.de, Carwow also brokers [leasing](https://www.autohaus.de/nachrichten/gw-trends/kartellamt-stimmt-zu-mobile-de-darf-carwow-uebernehmen-3914542).

### Purchase auction: used cars from private individuals

According to trade press reports and Carwow, the auction works as follows:

1. The private seller enters their vehicle data and receives an initial valuation.
2. Registered dealers bid for [two to three days](https://www.autohaus.de/nachrichten/autohandel/carwow-bietet-auktionsservice-neuer-fahrzeugankauf-fuer-haendler-3636691). According to Carwow, "hundreds of vetted dealers" submit binding offers; the vehicle is online for a maximum of [3 days](https://www.carwow.de/auto-news/4425/carwow-neue-auktionsplattform).
3. The seller accepts an offer and concludes the contract directly with the dealer.
4. Carwow organizes pickup via transport companies.

According to the press release from [25 August 2026](https://www.carwow.co.uk/news/11200/mobile-de-carwow-group-sign-agreement-carwow-germany), the auction is also intended to support dealers nationwide in buying used cars from private individuals after the acquisition.

## Which dealerships does Carwow suit?

Carwow is particularly suited to dealerships selling new cars or leasing, and to dealers wanting to buy used cars from private individuals. Whether the leads pay off depends on your closing rate.

The closing rate is the proportion of inquiries that result in a sales contract. When the lead model launched, Carwow stated [20 to 30 percent](https://www.kfz-betrieb.vogel.de/neues-preismodell-bei-carwow-wir-brauchen-nicht-jeden-haendler-sondern-die-besten-a-7ac4729bbcc7bc740b1251471a8f1a1e/) for its best partners. CEO Philipp Sayler von Amende said at the time: "We don't need every dealer, just the best ones."

| Dealer type | Suitable Carwow route | What to clarify beforehand |
|---|---|---|
| Brand dealership with new cars | New car inquiries | Price per lead, your closing rate |
| Dealership with leasing offers | New car and leasing inquiries | Difference to mobile.de's leasing offer |
| Used car dealer needing to buy stock | Purchase auction | Amount of the brokerage commission |

Carwow typically runs in parallel with your listing platforms: according to the Federal Cartel Office, [dealers and customers often use several platforms at the same time](https://www.bundeskartellamt.de/SharedDocs/Meldung/DE/Pressemitteilungen/2026/10_08_2026_mobile_carwow.html?nn=52004). For how to weigh the two major listing platforms against each other, read our comparison [mobile.de or AutoScout24](/de-en/blog/mobile-de-oder-autoscout24).

## What does Carwow cost dealers per lead?

Carwow does not publish a current price per lead for 2026. The last public figure dates from 2020: [29 to 49 euros per lead](https://www.autohaus.de/nachrichten/autohandel/onlinemarkt-neues-preissystem-bei-carwow-2698056), cited by CEO Philipp Sayler von Amende.

| Item | Value (as of 2020) |
|---|---|
| Billing | per lead instead of a fixed fee per vehicle sold, since 1 October 2020 |
| Price per lead | 29 to 49 euros |
| Discount | 10% from a closing rate above 10% |
| Break-even point versus the old model | around 9% closing rate |
| Closing rate of the best partners | [20 to 30%](https://www.kfz-betrieb.vogel.de/neues-preismodell-bei-carwow-wir-brauchen-nicht-jeden-haendler-sondern-die-besten-a-7ac4729bbcc7bc740b1251471a8f1a1e/) |

The higher your closing rate, the fewer leads you pay for per car sold. The 2020 figures serve as a guide for sales talks. However, you should calculate using the price Carwow quotes you today.

As of [1 November 2026](https://haendler.carwow.de/), the dealer page lists no prices, no fees per lead and no commissions. Interested dealers fill out a contact form there. Carwow also does not disclose the [amount of the commission in the purchase auction](https://www.carwow.de/auto-news/4425/carwow-neue-auktionsplattform).

It's similar with the listing platforms: the euro prices for [mobile.de dealer packages in 2026](/de-en/blog/mobile-de-haendler-preise) are not public, and [AutoScout24 also does not publish euro prices for German dealers](/de-en/blog/autoscout24-haendler-kosten). In all three cases, only a written quote is reliable.

### Does the mobile.de acquisition change your Carwow costs?

There are no documented price changes so far. According to the press release from [25 August 2026](https://www.carwow.co.uk/news/11200/mobile-de-carwow-group-sign-agreement-carwow-germany), existing relationships with dealers and manufacturers remain unaffected, and carwow.de retains its brand, team and management.

According to [autohaus.de from 25 August 2026](https://www.autohaus.de/nachrichten/autohandel/mobile-de-uebernimmt-carwow-3894872), carwow.de will continue to operate as an independent business unit. After completion, an indefinite license is to govern the use of the Carwow brand in Germany. Together, both companies want to focus on new cars, leasing and vehicle purchasing for dealers.

According to [kfz-betrieb](https://www.kfz-betrieb.vogel.de/mobilede-uebernimmt-carwow-deutschland-a-448b0ee7e31dbd81e5f8302b4441c8d7/), the acquisition is intended to "create targeted added value for dealers and OEM partners in the areas of new cars, leasing and used car purchasing." Previously, mobile.de had already acquired Null-Leasing. The [autohaus.de report on the approval](https://www.autohaus.de/nachrichten/gw-trends/kartellamt-stimmt-zu-mobile-de-darf-carwow-uebernehmen-3914542) does not mention concrete integration plans for dealers.

## How to use Carwow in your dealership

Get written confirmation this week of what Carwow currently costs you, and determine your own closing rate before booking leads or bidding in the auction. The following steps can be completed within a few days:

1. Request a written quote via the contact form on the [Carwow dealer page](https://haendler.carwow.de/). Ask about the price per lead, discount tiers, the auction commission, as well as the contract term and notice period.
2. Determine your closing rate: completed contracts relative to the leads of the past few months. Compare the result with the 2020 figures, i.e. a break-even point of [about 9 percent](https://www.autohaus.de/nachrichten/autohandel/onlinemarkt-neues-preissystem-bei-carwow-2698056) and a 10 percent discount from a rate above 10 percent.
3. Ask your contact at mobile.de whether anything changes in your contract due to the new sales structure as of [1 November 2026](https://autohaus.de/nachrichten/gw-trends/mobile-de-mit-neuer-vertriebsstruktur-philipp-arbter-uebernimmt-haendlergeschaeft-3929045). Get the answer in writing.
4. Set your maximum purchase price before placing your first auction bid. For how to work it backward from your target price, see our article [Determining used car prices as a dealer](/de-en/blog/gebrauchtwagen-preis-ermitteln).
5. List purchased vehicles on mobile.de immediately with photos and video. For how to add the video to the listing, see our article [Uploading mobile.de video](/de-en/blog/mobile-de-video-hochladen).

### Who creates the vehicle videos for your inventory

Once a purchased vehicle is listed on mobile.de, it needs attention. With A21 Social, no one on your team needs to pick up a camera for this. The software uses AI to generate short, vertical-format videos from the photos and vehicle details in your mobile.de listings and automatically publishes them on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. You don't need your own video editing or an agency for this.

You can link the YouTube video directly in the mobile.de listing. There is one limitation: A21 Social only imports vehicles from mobile.de. Vehicles that you only offer via Carwow, AutoScout24 or Kleinanzeigen are not read in by the software, and it does not publish anything on Facebook Marketplace.

An example: you purchase a station wagon via the Carwow auction and list it with photos on mobile.de. A21 Social turns this listing into a short video and publishes it on your channels. You then add the YouTube link to the listing afterward.

The monthly packages cost [€29 (Starter), €79 (Pro) or €149 (Enterprise)](/de-en/pricing), each plus VAT.

## Common mistakes with Carwow as a dealer

The following four mistakes can be avoided with a follow-up question or a figure from your own operation. Otherwise, they cost money or tie up capital in a miscalculated purchase.

- Calculating with 2020 prices: The [29 to 49 euros per lead](https://www.autohaus.de/nachrichten/autohandel/onlinemarkt-neues-preissystem-bei-carwow-2698056) are six years old, and there is no more recent public figure. A calculation based on this may no longer add up. Only plan with the price that Carwow quotes you in writing.
- Not knowing your own closing rate: In the lead model, you also pay for inquiries without a contract, and in 2020 the discount threshold was 10 percent. Without your own rate, you don't know what a sale costs you. Record inquiries and contracts every month.
- Bidding in the auction without knowing the commission: Carwow does not publish the [amount of the commission](https://www.carwow.de/auto-news/4425/carwow-neue-auktionsplattform), so your purchase price may end up higher than expected. Ask for the amount beforehand and deduct it from your maximum bid.
- Assuming the acquisition is complete: The approval is in place, but there is [no confirmed date for completion](https://onlinemarktplatz.de/294053/carwow-uebernahme-mobile-de-freigegeben/) and no published integration plans. Anyone already planning around joint packages is planning blindly. Your existing contract remains the authoritative one.

## What you should do next

Get a current written quote from Carwow and compare it against your own closing rate before signing or renewing a contract. After that, it's worth tracking what mobile.de and Carwow announce for dealers after completion.

With the new sales structure as of [1 November 2026](https://autohaus.de/nachrichten/gw-trends/mobile-de-mit-neuer-vertriebsstruktur-philipp-arbter-uebernimmt-haendlergeschaeft-3929045), the sales teams for dealers at mobile.de are consolidated under one leadership. Clarify questions about packages and leasing with your contact there. As long as both platforms have separate contracts, document the answers regarding Carwow and mobile.de separately.

Every car you buy through the auction then sits in your inventory. For how to sell it faster, see our guide [Reducing days in inventory](/de-en/blog/standtage-reduzieren-gebrauchtwagen-haendler).

## How we reviewed this guide

In October and November 2026, we reviewed the Federal Cartel Office's press release, the press release from mobile.de and Carwow, reports from autohaus.de, kfz-betrieb, heise online and onlinemarktplatz.de, as well as Carwow's dealer page and guide. We were unable to verify the current price per lead, the auction commission, the purchase price, and the date for completion of the acquisition, because none of these sources state them. The pricing figures for the lead model date from 2020 and are marked accordingly in the text. Every figure in this guide is linked to its source.

If you want to show your mobile.de listings as video without filming yourself, try A21 Social, [starting at €29 per month plus VAT](/de-en/pricing).

## FAQ

Q: How does Carwow make money?
A: According to its own statement, Carwow finances itself through a commission that partner dealerships pay per lead. Customers use the portal free of charge. Carwow also receives a commission for brokering the purchase auction; the private seller incurs no costs in this process.

Q: What does the Carwow auction cost dealers?
A: For brokering the auction, Carwow receives a commission; for the seller, the auction is free of charge. Carwow does not publish the amount of the commission, and there is no information on the auction fees in the trade press either. Ask for the amount in writing before your first bid and factor it into your maximum purchase price.

Q: What requirements apply to becoming a Carwow dealer?
A: Carwow's dealer page lists no prices, fees, or commissions. Entry is via a contact form on that page. Clarify terms, contract duration, and price per lead in the initial conversation and have everything confirmed in writing.

Q: Will Carwow remain independent after the acquisition by mobile.de?
A: Yes. According to the announcements from 25 August 2026, carwow.de remains an independent business unit with its own brand, local team, and its own management. According to kfz-betrieb, Carwow is based in Munich. Philipp Sayler von Amende remains CEO of carwow.de. After completion, an indefinite license is intended to govern the use of the Carwow brand in Germany.

Q: Has the Federal Cartel Office approved the acquisition of Carwow by mobile.de?
A: Yes, the Federal Cartel Office approved the acquisition on 8 October 2026 after about a month-long review. The press release mentions no conditions. The authority justifies this by noting that mobile.de mainly brokers used cars, while Carwow focuses on individually configured new cars.

Q: What closing rate do dealers need for Carwow leads?
A: Under the 2020 pricing model, the break-even point compared to the old model was a closing rate of around 9 percent; from a rate above 10 percent, there was a 10 percent discount. The best partners achieved 20 to 30 percent at the time. Carwow itself states on its dealer page that dealers need an average of 6 leads for one sale.

Q: Should I offer new car leasing via Carwow or via mobile.de?
A: According to autohaus.de, both platforms broker leasing; mobile.de had already acquired Null-Leasing beforehand, according to kfz-betrieb. The Federal Cartel Office notes that dealers and customers often use several platforms simultaneously. Get a written offer from both and compare the costs with the deals you actually achieve there.