UK vehicle check comparison
Caroat vs carVertical for a UK vehicle check
Choose Caroat for a lower priced UK report. Consider carVertical when international records are central to the decision. The right choice depends on the car, not a brand slogan.
Competitor pricing checked .
Caroat is a UK vehicle check service at caroat.co.uk. This page is written by Caroat, so we are one of the compared parties. We checked carVertical's own UK pricing, help and terms pages and linked them beside the claims they support.
Side by side comparison
Caroat and carVertical, checked 31 August 2026
| Decision point | Caroat | carVertical | What matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| One report | £6.99 one-off. See Caroat pricing. | £37.99 on the UK pricing page. | Both are one-off consumer report purchases. Compare the single report price, not a bundle unit price. |
| Multi-report option | Two reports for £9.99. See the bundle. | Two reports for £51.98 or three for £62.97 on the UK pricing page. | These are bundles, not subscriptions. carVertical also has separate business subscriptions. |
| Main coverage | UK vehicle identity, MOT, mileage, finance, write-off, stolen, keeper, plate, import, export and value records. | Damage, mileage, theft, legal status, timeline and market value across international sources. Source. | The named fields matter more than the total number of data points. |
| Geographic reach | UK focused. | More than 1,000 sources and searches across more than 45 countries. Source. | International history can matter for an imported vehicle. |
| UK finance wording | Outstanding finance is a named part of the Caroat paid report. | The public UK pricing page refers to fines, debts and legal disputes, but does not name the UK finance register. Source. | carVertical's exact UK finance coverage is unclear from the public page, so we do not assume it. |
| Report format | Private responsive HTML report that can be printed or saved as a PDF. | Online report with a PDF download. Source. | Both provide a report you can keep or share carefully. |
Prices and offers can change. Check the final order page before paying.
What the price comparison really says
Caroat's listed single report is £31 less than carVertical's listed single report on the checked date. That is a direct comparison between one consumer report and one consumer report. It is not a claim about a temporary voucher, affiliate discount or business subscription.
carVertical's two and three report packages lower its cost per report, but they still require buying several reports. Caroat also has a two report bundle. Only buy a bundle if you expect to check more than one car within the stated validity period.
Where carVertical has the stronger case
carVertical describes a global data network. Its service page says it searches state registries, damage databases, law enforcement agencies, repair shops, service logs and connected fleets across more than 45 countries. It also says the result can be downloaded as a PDF. These points are set out on its own service explanation.
That breadth can be useful when a vehicle was built, registered, repaired or sold outside the UK. Caroat does not claim the same international footprint. If overseas damage or ownership records are the main concern, carVertical's stated coverage deserves weight.
Where Caroat is the more direct UK option
Caroat separates free official UK records from paid commercial history. MOT, tax, mileage and core vehicle details can be checked first without buying a report. The £6.99 report then adds named commercial checks such as outstanding finance, insurance write-off records and stolen markers.
The lower single report price is material for someone checking one UK car. Caroat also states the UK sources and the meaning of each result in the report. It does not present a missing field as a clear result.
Important limits in carVertical's own terms
carVertical's terms say that data availability depends on the country, manufacturer, model and other factors. They also say a report may not contain every category shown before purchase. That is a normal limit of aggregated history data, but it matters when you interpret a blank section.
The same caution applies to Caroat. A database report cannot inspect repair quality, hear a gearbox noise, verify a paper service stamp or prove that the person with the V5C owns the car. Read our guide to what a vehicle check cannot tell you before relying on any report alone.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Caroat if the car has a UK history and you want a £6.99 single report with named UK checks.
- Consider carVertical if an imported car's international history is central to your decision.
- Ask carVertical support to confirm UK outstanding finance coverage if that field is essential to you.
- Match the VIN on the car with the V5C and the report, whichever service you use.
- Use an independent inspection for condition and repair quality.
How this comparison was checked
We used the carVertical UK pricing page, its service explanation and its consumer terms. We did not use review scores, affiliate claims or another comparison site as evidence. Competitor pricing checked 31 August 2026.