CarHistory alternative: an honest comparison
CarHistory, owned by Equifax, sells a $39.95 car history report and a $28.95 PPSR certificate. Here is what each includes, where CarHistory is the better buy, and when a $12.95 certificate or the $2 government search does the job for less.
Updated
The short answer
If you want odometer history, previous sale listings and a valuation in one report, CarHistory has data that CarVerify does not sell. If what you need is finance owing, stolen and written-off status, which is the part of any report that comes from the government, CarVerify's certificate is $12.95 against CarHistory's $28.95, and ppsr.gov.au charges $2 if you have the VIN.
CarHistory vs CarVerify vs the $2 search
Taken from each provider's own website. Prices include the $2 government fee where a certificate is included.
| CarHistory | CarVerify | ppsr.gov.au | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $39.95 history report; $28.95 PPSR certificate | $12.95 certificate; $27.95 report | $2.00 online, $7.00 by phone |
| Official PPSR certificate | Yes | Yes, unaltered | It is the certificate |
| Search by | Plate and state, or VIN (full report needs a VIN) | Plate and state, or VIN | VIN or chassis number only |
| Odometer | Odometer history and fraud check, where data is available | Expected range for the car's age only (report); no recorded readings | No |
| Previous listings | Previous sale listings | No | No |
| Valuation | Yes (Glass's: trade-in, private and dealer) | No | No |
| Recalls | Not stated | Yes (report) | No |
| Refunds | Refund on request if the report is empty, incomplete or shown to be inaccurate; not for a wrong VIN | Full refund if no certificate, or if the report is more than 15 minutes late; typos re-run free | Fees are not refundable |
| Public reviews | 1.1 from 55 reviews (ProductReview) | No public reviews yet | Not applicable |
Sources: CarHistory report, CarHistory PPSR certificate, CarHistory FAQs, ProductReview, carverify.com.au/pricing, ppsr.gov.au car search, PPSR fees. Checked .
What CarHistory does better
CarHistory draws on Equifax's own vehicle database, which it says is fed by major Australian insurers and other companies, alongside the PPSR. That lets its $39.95 report add an odometer history and fraud check where data exists, previous sale listings and a Glass's valuation covering trade-in, private and dealer prices.
None of that is in a CarVerify report today. Ours gives an expected odometer range for the car's age, which tests the dash reading but is not a record of this car. If recorded readings, past ads or a valuation would change your decision, CarHistory is the better buy.
Where CarVerify is the better fit
- Price. The official certificate by plate or VIN is $12.95 here and $28.95 at CarHistory. Both include the same $2 government search.
- The certificate explained. Every order gets a plain-English verdict page; the $27.95 report decodes each write-off damage code and lists open recalls for the make and model.
- Delivery and refunds. If your report has not arrived 15 minutes after payment, or we cannot get the certificate, you get a full refund, and a mistyped plate or VIN is re-run free.
- A free finance re-check within 14 days on the report tier, so you can confirm the register is still clear on the day you pay. Some other services offer a similar re-check.
When the $2 government search is enough
If you have the 17-character VIN and are happy reading the certificate yourself, search it at ppsr.gov.au for $2. It is the same certificate CarHistory, carfacts and CarVerify include, and it answers the questions that cost buyers money: finance, stolen and written-off. How to do the $2 PPSR check walks through it.
Why people look for a CarHistory alternative
Mostly price: $39.95 is a lot for a car you may not buy, and the $28.95 certificate costs over ten times the government fee. Reviews are the other reason. CarHistory's ProductReview rating was 1.1 from 55 reviews when we checked, with complaints about charges for reports that found little and about blank or disputed odometer sections.
Review sites lean towards people with a complaint, and CarVerify has no public reviews yet, so weigh the price and what each report contains more than the stars.
Which to choose
- Have the VIN and want the basics: ppsr.gov.au, $2.
- Only have the plate, or want the result explained: CarVerify, $12.95, or $27.95 with decoded codes and recalls.
- Want recorded odometer readings, past listings and a valuation: CarHistory, $39.95.
- Whatever you buy: search again on the day you pay, and get a mechanic to inspect the car. No report sees the car itself.
Guides for buyers
- How to Check Car History in Australia: What ExistsAustralia has no single car history file.
- How to Read a PPSR Certificate, Section by SectionA PPSR certificate is written for lenders and lawyers, so the parts that matter to a car buyer need some translation.
- What Is the PPSR? A Plain-English Guide for Car BuyersThe Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is the Australian Government register of security interests over personal property, including cars.
Choose what you need
Full pricingOne-off price, no subscription. Every report includes the official government certificate and arrives in about 2 minutes.
PPSR Certificate
The official certificate, by rego or VIN, in plain English.
- Official PPSR certificate PDF, unaltered, with its search number (AFSA)
- Finance owing and the secured party named (PPSR)
- Stolen status (NEVDIS; Tasmania not covered)
- Written-off status: statutory or repairable (NEVDIS)
- Rego number, expiry, make, model and colour (NEVDIS)
- Search by rego + state or by VIN; plate lookup included
- Plain-English verdict page, emailed in minutes
Car History Report
Everything in the certificate, decoded, plus recalls, build data and the checks most sellers never run.
- Everything in the certificate, plus:
- Identity cross-check: state rego record vs NEVDIS vs VIN decode, field by field, with any mismatch flagged
- Registration status, expiry and purpose of use, with ex-taxi, hire or fleet use flagged
- Write-off damage codes decoded: impact, fire, flood, hail, water
- Secured party contact details and the exact payout-letter steps when finance is found
- Open safety recalls for the make and model, searched on vehiclerecalls.gov.au
- Build date, approval and import pathway for 2021+ cars (Register of Approved Vehicles)
- Expected odometer range for the car's age, to test the reading on the dash
- A "what to ask the seller" checklist built from this car's results
- Free 14-day finance re-check before you hand over the money
What we promise
Free re-run on typos
Mistyped a plate or VIN, or the register returned no vehicle data? We run it again at no charge.
Most reports arrive within 2 minutes
If yours has not arrived within 15 minutes, we refund in full.
No certificate, full refund
If we cannot deliver the official PPSR certificate, you pay nothing.
One-off price, no subscription
Pay once. No trials, no renewals, nothing pre-ticked.
Have the VIN? You can search the PPSR yourself for $2 at ppsr.gov.au. We add the plate lookup, the decoded report and the guarantees. Go to the $2 search
Questions people ask
Is CarHistory legitimate?
Yes. CarHistory is an Equifax product and its reports include the official PPSR certificate. Whether it is worth $39.95 depends on whether you need its odometer, listing and valuation data.
Does CarHistory include a PPSR certificate?
Yes. Both its $28.95 PPSR certificate product and its $39.95 history report include the official certificate, the same document ppsr.gov.au issues for $2.
What is the cheapest alternative to CarHistory?
The government search at ppsr.gov.au, $2 with the VIN. Budget Direct also gives the certificate free in exchange for your contact details and marketing consent, limited to two per mobile number. If you only have a plate, CarVerify's certificate is $12.95.
Does CarVerify show odometer history like CarHistory?
No. CarVerify's $27.95 report gives the expected odometer range for the car's age, labelled as a benchmark. It does not have recorded readings from insurers or past ads. For recorded readings in NSW and WA, the free state rego checks show recent ones.
Is CarVerify affiliated with CarHistory or Equifax?
No. CarVerify is an independent Australian service run by Spawn Solutions Pty Ltd. CarHistory is an Equifax product.