# CarGurus vs Autotrader for Car Dealers: 2026 Cost and Badges

> CarGurus U.S. dealers averaged $8,308 a quarter in Q3 2026; Autotrader quotes privately. Compare cost, leads, fee-inclusive badges and video support.

URL: https://a21social.com/us/blog/cargurus-vs-autotrader-for-dealers
Author: A21 Social
Published: 2026-11-12

## Summary

CarGurus vs Autotrader in 2026: CarGurus U.S. dealers averaged $8,308 a quarter (about $2,769 a month) in Q3 2026, while Autotrader quotes each package. Both now tie price badges to fee-inclusive prices. Pick on your own cost per sale and Cox tie-ins, then use A21 Social, our recommendation, to post listings as social videos.

## Key facts

- CarGurus averaged $8,308 per U.S. paying dealer in Q3 2026, about $2,769 a month, up 7% year over year.
- CarGurus had 26,402 U.S. paying dealers in Q3 2026, up 3% year over year.
- Since July 14, 2026, CarGurus gives used listings without disclosed fees a No Rating designation and ranks them lower in search.
- Cox Automotive paused Good and Great price badges on Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book effective May 13, 2026, and launched an all-in pricing badge for fee-inclusive prices.
- On March 13, 2026, the FTC warned 97 auto dealership groups that advertised prices must include all mandatory fees.

For most dealers in 2026, CarGurus vs Autotrader comes down to your own cost per sale: CarGurus' U.S. paying dealers averaged [$8,308 per quarter in Q3 2026](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001494259/000119312526449825/carg-ex99_1.htm), Autotrader quotes each US package privately, and both sites now tie their price badges to fee-inclusive prices. To turn those same listings into short social videos, our recommendation is A21 Social, which starts at [$49 a month](/us/pricing). A21 Social publishes this guide.

| Option | Spend benchmark | Price badge in 2026 | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CarGurus | $8,308 per U.S. paying dealer per quarter, about [$2,769 a month by our math](/us/blog/cargurus-cost-for-dealers) | Deal Ratings use the all-in price; used cars without disclosed fees get "No Rating" [since July 14, 2026](https://www.cbtnews.com/cargurus-to-require-fee-disclosure/) | Stores that want 1-month terms and a free entry tier |
| Autotrader | Quote only; dealers report [$2,000 to over $18,000 a month](/us/blog/autotrader-cost-for-dealers) | Good and Great badges paused [effective May 13, 2026](https://www.cbtnews.com/cox-automotive-pauses-good-great-price-badging/); new all-in pricing badge | Franchise stores already using Kelley Blue Book or vAuto |
| Both sites | Add the 2 bills and divide by attributed sales | Fee-inclusive price on both | High-volume stores that trace every lead to a sale |
| Social video on top | A21 Social from $49 a month | No badge; the all-in price rule still applies | Posting every car to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube |

## CarGurus vs Autotrader at a glance

CarGurus is easier to budget before you call, because it reports an average spend per dealer and sells mostly 1-month terms. Autotrader quotes every package and bundles reach across Cox Automotive sites such as Kelley Blue Book.

| Factor | CarGurus | Autotrader |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | About $2,769 average per U.S. paying dealer in [Q3 2026](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001494259/000119312526449825/carg-ex99_1.htm); not a list price | No US price list; dealer reports of [$2,000 to over $18,000](/us/blog/autotrader-cost-for-dealers) |
| How you buy | Packages priced by inventory size and region, most on [1-month committed terms](/us/blog/cargurus-cost-for-dealers) | 4 quoted levels, Connect Core to Connect Premier Plus, all with KBB.com exposure |
| Free option | Restricted tier: [6 photos max](https://products.cargurus.com/welcome-to-restricted), capped anonymous leads | No free tier in the sources we read |
| Audience | Calls itself "the No. 1 visited automotive shopping site in The US" on its [Q3 2026 call](https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2026/11/06/cargurus-carg-q3-2026-earnings-call-transcript/) (company claim) | KBB.com exposure plus Car and Driver Marketplace syndication, which cites [10 million unique monthly visitors](https://www.coxautoinc.com/press-releases/car-and-driver-launches-marketplace-powered-by-autotrader-connecting-visitors-to-millions-of-new-and-used-vehicle-listings/) |
| Enquiry options | Leads, "hot shopper" flags, Guru AI assistant | KBB Instant Cash Offer on VDPs, Accelerate My Deal, Distance Retailing ([NADA 2026](https://www.coxautoinc.com/nada/autotrader/)) |
| Price badges | Deal Ratings and IMV on the all-in price; No Rating without disclosed fees from [July 14, 2026](https://www.cbtnews.com/cargurus-to-require-fee-disclosure/) | Good and Great paused from [May 13, 2026](https://www.cbtnews.com/cox-automotive-pauses-good-great-price-badging/); all-in pricing badge |
| Photos and video | 6-photo cap on the free tier; paid-tier video support not stated, ask your rep | VDP guide recommends 10+ photos and a video or SnapLot 360 walkaround |
| Best for | Independents and franchise stores testing month to month | Franchise stores using KBB, vAuto or Fullpath data |

## What is the difference between CarGurus and Autotrader?

CarGurus is a listing marketplace run by a public company that reports its dealer counts every quarter. Autotrader is part of Cox Automotive and is sold alongside Kelley Blue Book, vAuto and Cox's data tools. In 2026 the biggest day-to-day difference is how each site labels your price.

CarGurus had [26,402 U.S. paying dealers in Q3 2026](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001494259/000119312526449825/carg-ex99_1.htm), up 3% year over year, plus 8,299 international paying dealers. Q3 revenue was $258.4 million, up 12%. The company guided Q4 2026 revenue to $258.5 million to $263.5 million.

Cox does not break out an Autotrader dealer count in the sources we read. Its Fullpath release cites [40,000+ dealer relationships](https://www.coxautoinc.com/press-releases/cox-automotive-completes-acquisition-of-fullpath/) across Cox Automotive. Fullpath's customer data platform now combines your CRM, DMS and service data with vehicle views from shoppers on Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book.

### How CarGurus rates your price now

A Deal Rating is the price label CarGurus shows on a listing, such as a Good or Great deal. CarGurus started requiring fee disclosure on used-vehicle listings on [July 14, 2026](https://www.cbtnews.com/cargurus-to-require-fee-disclosure/). Shortly after, IMV and Deal Ratings switched to "the all-in vehicle price, including all disclosed fees."

Used listings without disclosed fees get a "No Rating" designation and rank lower in search results. After the change, [more than 90% of used inventory](https://www.autoremarketing.com/ar/retail/cargurus-90-of-used-car-listings-now-include-disclosed-fees/) from subscribing dealers carried disclosed fees. CarGurus also added badges that show whether extra fees apply, with a cost breakdown, and a filter that lets shoppers hide listings without disclosed fees.

On its [Q3 2026 earnings call](https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2026/11/06/cargurus-carg-q3-2026-earnings-call-transcript/), CarGurus said it was "among the first platforms to show all in pricing, and to remove deal ratings from vehicles that do not disclose their fees." The labels also face a lawsuit: New York City sued CarGurus on [October 15, 2026](/us/blog/cargurus-vs-cars-com-dealers), alleging more than 2,000 violations tied to deal labels shown on prices that left out fees.

### What replaced Autotrader's Good and Great badges

Cox paused Good and Great price badges on Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book [effective May 13, 2026](https://www.cbtnews.com/cox-automotive-pauses-good-great-price-badging/), according to an internal notice to dealers. It also turned off Fair Market Range price badging in vAuto's vehicle workbook and launched an all-in pricing badge for vehicles with fee-inclusive prices.

Cox's Erin Lomax said: "Dealers are responsible for the prices they advertise, including any mandatory fees." Our [Autotrader all-in pricing badge guide](/us/blog/autotrader-dealer-fees-included) covers what changed on each listing site.

### What the FTC expects on both sites

On [March 13, 2026](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/03/ftc-warns-97-auto-dealership-groups-about-deceptive-pricing), the FTC sent letters to 97 auto dealership groups warning that advertised prices must be the total price, including all mandatory fees. The practices it cited include prices with rebates not available to all consumers and prices conditioned on dealer financing.

The FTC's [September 2026 pricing FAQs](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/automobile-industry-pricing-transparency-faqs) say the advertised price "must include any mandatory fee, including the full document fee if the dealer requires any consumer to pay it." They add that "everyone who has control over the advertising is responsible for making sure the ads state the actual price as the most prominent amount."

After the letters, Cars.com, TrueCar, CarGurus, Carfax and Autotrader all [announced new tools or updated displays](https://www.carscoops.com/2026/06/ftc-dealer-pricing-listing-sites/) for all-in pricing and itemized fees. This section summarizes the rules and is not legal advice.

## How much do CarGurus and Autotrader cost?

Neither site publishes a US dealer price list. CarGurus' U.S. paying dealers averaged [$8,308 per quarter in Q3 2026](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001494259/000119312526449825/carg-ex99_1.htm), about [$2,769 a month](/us/blog/cargurus-cost-for-dealers), while Autotrader dealers on DealerRefresh report [$2,000 to over $18,000 a month](/us/blog/autotrader-cost-for-dealers).

QARSD is CarGurus' quarterly average revenue per subscribing dealer. It is an average across all paying dealers, so it won't match your quote. U.S. QARSD rose 7% year over year, and consolidated QARSD, including international dealers, was $6,955.

Our CarGurus cost guide notes that CarGurus' 10-K prices Listings packages by inventory size and region, and most dealer contracts have 1-month committed terms. Q3 growth in revenue per dealer came mainly from add-on products, then listing upgrades, so ask your rep which lines in your quote are add-ons. The free Restricted tier allows up to 6 photos per car and gives capped anonymous leads.

Autotrader's US listings page shows no dealer prices and sends pricing requests to 1-877-627-9585 (checked November 4, 2026). US franchise packages come in 4 levels, from Connect Core to Connect Premier Plus, and every level includes KBB.com exposure. For a third reference point, Cars.com averaged [$2,532 a month per dealer in Q3 2026](/us/blog/where-to-advertise-used-cars).

### How to work out cost per sale on each site

Cost per sale is your monthly spend on a site divided by the sales you can trace to that site's leads. The DealerRefresh review of 218 forum threads cited in our Autotrader guide reports $800 to $900 or more per sale on Autotrader. For CarGurus, dealer tracking cited on DealerRefresh in [February 2024](/us/blog/cargurus-vs-cars-com-dealers) put cost per lead below $40, and we found no published cost-per-sale figure.

1. Ask each rep for a written quote that lists the package and every add-on.
2. Pull 90 days of sold deals from your CRM and tag each one by lead source.
3. Divide 90 days of spend on each site by the sales tagged to that site.
4. Compare the result with the front-end gross on those same cars.
5. Repeat the math before every renewal, and drop or downgrade the site that loses.

Example: a 60-car independent pays $2,769 a month on CarGurus and traces 7 sales to it in a month, which is about $396 per sale. Its Autotrader quote is $4,000 a month and Autotrader leads close 5 cars, which is $800 per sale. On those numbers, CarGurus keeps the budget and Autotrader needs a better quote at renewal.

## Which one brings more buyers?

None of the independent sources we read compares CarGurus and Autotrader audiences or close rates head to head, so the answer has to come from your own lead-to-sale data. CarGurus publishes its own claims on traffic and lead quality, while Autotrader's reach runs through Kelley Blue Book and the Car and Driver Marketplace.

| Buyer signal | CarGurus | Autotrader |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic claim | "The No. 1 visited automotive shopping site in The US" ([Q3 2026 call](https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2026/11/06/cargurus-carg-q3-2026-earnings-call-transcript/), company claim) | No audience or traffic figures on its [NADA 2026 page](https://www.coxautoinc.com/nada/autotrader/) |
| Lead-quality claim | "Hot shoppers show up to 4x the average close rate" (company claim) | None published in our sources |
| Upgrade claim | Enhanced gives "[4X more unique leads per vehicle](https://products.cargurus.com/welcome-to-restricted)" and is "27% more likely to close leads" than the base tier (company claims) | Ask your rep for package-level lead data |
| Shopper tools on the listing | Guru AI assistant, fee badges, a filter for disclosed fees | KBB Instant Cash Offer Buying Centers on VDPs, Accelerate My Deal digital retailing |
| Extra reach | None stated beyond CarGurus itself | KBB.com in every package; Car and Driver Marketplace with [10 million unique monthly visitors](https://www.coxautoinc.com/press-releases/car-and-driver-launches-marketplace-powered-by-autotrader-connecting-visitors-to-millions-of-new-and-used-vehicle-listings/) (ComScore) |
| Data back to you | Platform signals that flag hot shoppers | Fullpath joins Autotrader and KBB vehicle views with your CRM and DMS |

CarGurus also said franchise dealers are "more satisfied with our lead quality and quantity than our competitors," and that Guru AI usage was up 24% sequentially in Q3. Both are unaudited company statements. Autotrader's Distance Retailing lets you list vehicles in other markets, which widens reach for stores that deliver.

On Autotrader, Car and Driver syndication is automatic for most current clients: Cox said "a vast majority of current Autotrader clients will automatically have their listings syndicated to the Car and Driver Marketplace." Every Autotrader package also includes [KBB.com exposure](/us/blog/autotrader-cost-for-dealers). If you already sell through KBB Instant Cash Offer, the VDP tie-in can bring trade-in shoppers to the same listing.

Fee disclosure now affects buyer reach on CarGurus too. Shoppers can [filter out listings without disclosed fees](https://www.autoremarketing.com/ar/retail/cargurus-90-of-used-car-listings-now-include-disclosed-fees/), so a used car with no fees shown loses its rating and drops out of those searches.

U.S. used-vehicle days' supply was [49 days in September 2026](/us/blog/sell-more-used-cars-dealership), according to Cox Automotive. Track days to turn on cars sold through each site's leads against that benchmark.

## How do CarGurus and Autotrader handle photos and video?

Autotrader's VDP guide recommends [10+ photos](/us/blog/autotrader-cost-for-dealers), a price and a video or SnapLot 360 walkaround, with content live within 24 hours. CarGurus caps its free Restricted tier at [6 photos](https://products.cargurus.com/welcome-to-restricted), and the CarGurus pages we read don't state photo or video limits for paid packages, so ask your rep.

If one inventory feed sends your cars to both sites, the same photo set and price show on each, so fix errors once at the feed. Ask both reps the same 3 questions: how many photos each package takes, whether video files or walkarounds show on the VDP, and who uploads them.

Video on a VDP only reaches shoppers who are already on that site. Buyers scrolling Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTube never see it unless you post the car there too.

### How to post the same listings as social video with A21 Social

A21 Social, our recommendation for this job, reads your listings from CarGurus or Cars.com. It uses AI to turn each car's photos and details into a short vertical video and posts it automatically to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. Nobody on your team films, edits or hires an agency.

A21 Social does not import Autotrader listings. If your feed sends the same cars to Autotrader and CarGurus, connect the CarGurus listing and those cars still get videos. It also does not post to Facebook Marketplace.

One manager sets it up once. After that, posting runs on its own, so nobody has to block out time each week. To get started:

1. Clean up each CarGurus listing first: disclose fees so used cars keep their Deal Rating, and load full photo sets, because the videos are built from those photos and details.
2. Pick a plan on the [A21 Social pricing page](/us/pricing): Starter $49, Pro $129 or Enterprise $199 a month, plus applicable sales tax.
3. Set up [A21 Social](/us) with your CarGurus or Cars.com listings and the social accounts you want it to post to.
4. Each month, tag social leads in your CRM and run the same cost-per-sale math you use for CarGurus and Autotrader.

## Which should you choose?

Choose on measured cost per sale. CarGurus fits stores that want to test month to month against a known average spend, and Autotrader fits franchise stores that already use Cox products. Running both makes sense once you can trace every sale to its source.

| Store type | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise store on vAuto or other Cox tools | Autotrader quote first | Every package includes [KBB.com exposure](/us/blog/autotrader-cost-for-dealers), and Fullpath ties Autotrader and KBB shopper views to your CRM |
| Franchise store without Cox tools | CarGurus, then an Autotrader quote | CarGurus says franchise dealers rate its [lead quality and quantity](https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2026/11/06/cargurus-carg-q3-2026-earnings-call-transcript/) above competitors (company claim) |
| Independent with 5 to 50 cars | CarGurus Restricted or another free option | Our [free vs paid advertising guide](/us/blog/where-to-advertise-used-cars) starts cheap and adds paid sites only on a written quote |
| High-volume independent or dealer group | Both, with source tracking | Autotrader alone can run $2,000 to over $18,000 a month, so measure each sale |
| Under-$15,000 price band | Lowest-cost tier, with fees disclosed | Cars under $15,000 had a [34 days' supply in September 2026](/us/blog/sell-more-used-cars-dealership), 15 days below the industry average, so measure spend per car sold |

- Choose CarGurus if you want a published average to budget against (about [$2,769 a month in Q3 2026](/us/blog/cargurus-cost-for-dealers)), mostly 1-month terms, a free Restricted tier to start on, and Deal Ratings that reward fee-inclusive used prices.
- Choose Autotrader if you already pay for Cox tools such as vAuto, want KBB.com exposure in every package plus automatic Car and Driver syndication for most current clients, and get a written quote that beats your CarGurus cost per sale.
- Use both if you sell enough cars to measure each site on its own, your feed sends one fee-inclusive price to both, and your CRM tags every sale by lead source.

## How we checked this guide

In November 2026 we read CarGurus' Q3 2026 results release filed with the SEC, its Q3 2026 earnings call transcript and its Restricted listings page, plus Cox Automotive press releases and its NADA 2026 Autotrader page. We also read trade coverage from CBT News, Auto Remarketing and Carscoops, the FTC's March 2026 press release and its September 2026 pricing FAQs. Where our earlier guides already reported a figure, such as Autotrader package names and dealer-reported spend, we linked those guides. We could not verify Autotrader's US package prices or traffic, CarGurus' video support on paid listings, or a published cost per sale for CarGurus, so those points say "ask your rep." Every figure in this guide links to its source.

If you want every car on your CarGurus listing to show up on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube too, try A21 Social. Plans start at $49 a month on the [A21 Social pricing page](/us/pricing).

## FAQ

Q: Is CarGurus free for dealers?
A: CarGurus has a free Restricted listing tier that allows up to 6 photos per car and gives capped anonymous leads. Paid packages are priced by inventory size and region. U.S. paying dealers averaged $8,308 per quarter in Q3 2026, about $2,769 a month. That figure is an average and not a list price, so ask for a written quote.

Q: What does No Rating mean on CarGurus?
A: CarGurus has required fee disclosure on used-vehicle listings since July 14, 2026. A used listing that does not disclose its fees gets a No Rating designation instead of a Deal Rating, and it ranks lower in search results. Once you disclose your fees, CarGurus bases the rating on the all-in price.

Q: Does Autotrader still show Good Price and Great Price?
A: Cox Automotive paused the Good and Great price badges on Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book effective May 13, 2026, according to an internal notice reported by CBT News. Cox also launched an all-in pricing badge for fee-inclusive pricing. Cox said dealers are responsible for the prices they advertise, including any mandatory fees.

Q: Do I have to include the doc fee in the advertised price under FTC rules?
A: The FTC's pricing transparency FAQs, published in September 2026, say the advertised price must include any mandatory fee, including the full document fee if the dealer requires any consumer to pay it. Only charges the government requires the consumer to pay can be left out. The FAQs also say everyone who controls the ad is responsible for showing the actual price as the most prominent amount. This is a summary of FTC guidance, not legal advice.

Q: Can you add video to a CarGurus listing?
A: The CarGurus pages we read for this guide do not say whether paid listings support video, so ask your CarGurus rep. The free Restricted tier allows a maximum of 6 photos per car. To put the same cars in front of social shoppers as video, A21 Social builds short videos from your CarGurus listings and posts them to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.

Q: Can dealers add video to Autotrader listings?
A: Autotrader's own VDP guide recommends 10 or more photos, a price, and a video or SnapLot 360 walkaround, with content live within 24 hours. Ask your Autotrader rep which package includes video and how the files get onto your VDPs. A21 Social does not import Autotrader listings, so for social video it works from the same cars on your CarGurus or Cars.com listings.

Q: What is the Autotrader success rate for dealers?
A: None of the sources we read gives an Autotrader success rate for dealers. A DealerRefresh review of 218 forum threads, published May 28, 2026, reports dealers paying $800 to $900 or more per sale. Your own number is your monthly Autotrader spend divided by the sales you can trace to Autotrader leads.

Q: Cars.com vs Autotrader vs CarGurus: which is best for dealers?
A: Cars.com averaged $2,532 in monthly revenue per dealer in Q3 2026, and CarGurus averaged $8,308 per U.S. paying dealer for the quarter, about $2,769 a month. Autotrader quotes each package, and dealers report paying from $2,000 to over $18,000 a month. All three have announced displays that highlight all-in pricing, so the best fit is the site with the lowest cost per sale on your lot.

Q: What do dealers say about CarGurus vs Autotrader on Reddit?
A: We did not use Reddit threads as sources for this guide. On DealerRefresh, a dealer forum, a May 28, 2026 review of 218 threads reported Autotrader spend from $2,000 to over $18,000 a month. Dealer tracking cited there in February 2024 put CarGurus below $40 per lead. Forum numbers are single-store reports, so check them against your own CRM.