If you’re shopping for your next car and aren’t sure where to start, look no further. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best car-buying apps in Canada so that you can find your next ride from the comfort of your own home. Learn more about how you can use these handy apps and websites to track down your dream vehicle at a price you can afford.
Clutch is an online dealer that offers used cars at competitive prices. Its easy-to-use web app lets you sign up for an account and browse its inventory. You can filter by make, model, trim, price or payment, body type, year, mileage, exterior colour, number of seats, transmission, fuel type, drivetrain and cylinders. You can also filter by discounted vehicles.
You can save any vehicle you’re interested in as you browse, and if you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can sign up to receive email notifications about new vehicles that match your needs.
When you’re ready to buy, fill out an easy application on Clutch’s website to prequalify for financing or pay in cash.
AutoTrader.ca: Best for pricing out vehicles and finding the best deal
AutoTrader.ca lets you search through a massive inventory of over 400,000 new and used vehicles in your area. Search online via the website, or download a highly rated mobile app for Android and iOS devices. You can conduct a targeted search by inputting the make and model of the vehicle you’re looking for into the search tool. You can also narrow your search with specialized filters that sort by price, mileage, year, transmission type and colour (among others).
This app has a tag system next to many postings to let you know if you’re getting a below or above market price for the vehicle you’re interested in. On top of that, you’ll be able to save your search and get price alerts and new listings straight to your email inbox. You can also view CARFAX history reports to help you assess whether a vehicle is worth buying.
It’s easy to sign up for an AutoTrader account, which will allow you to save vehicles as you’re scrolling.
CarGurus: Best for searching for a dealership vehicle with specific or custom features
CarGurus has a large inventory of dealership vehicles that it markets to buyers from across Canada. You can easily search for the make and model of the vehicle that you’re interested in or peruse the whole inventory if you’re not sure what you want.
When you conduct a search on this car-buying app, you can specify what type of car you’re looking for using a number of generic filters such as price and mileage. You can also choose to search by more specific filters such as the size of the cabin, the safety rating and the car’s fuel economy.
As an added benefit, CarGurus will give you a rating of how good each vehicle’s price is along with an overall rating out of five stars for the dealership. You’ll also get an average breakdown of how much you’ll have to pay for your vehicle each month. This will help make sure that you get the best deal possible from a reputable and trustworthy source at a price you can afford.
iOS app
Android app
Web app
Kijiji: Best for easy access to vehicle stats in main browsing list
Kijiji is one of the best search engines for private-sale cars in Canada. Kijiji offers a number of different search filters so you can narrow down what type of vehicle you’re interested in. It’s also one of the most recommended apps on Reddit based on the first-hand experience of many users.
After you define a search in this car-buying app, you’ll get a list of vehicles that match the specific parameters you’re interested in. One of the major benefits is that the mileage and price will be listed in the main vehicle list, so you won’t need to open postings in another window to access pertinent information.
You’ll need to watch out for ads in the app, which can interfere with the search functionality. Some users also warn that you’ll need to watch out for scammers when buying and selling cars on Kijiji.
iOS app
Android app
Web app
Used.ca: Best for accessing a wide range of private-sale vehicles
Used.ca is a site that lets you shop for private and dealership cars — similar to Craigslist and Kijiji. All you need to do is set your location and then sort by the “Automobiles and Other Vehicles” category. From there, you can set generic filters to find the vehicle you’re most interested in.
Most of the vehicles listed on this app are private-sale vehicles but you’ll find the odd dealership ad here and there. The plus side of this app is that it’s well-known in most areas so there are a lot of listings available. It’s also easy to negotiate the price with the seller before you go to see the car (and there are no pushy salespeople to contend with!).
The downside of shopping with Used.ca is that just about anyone can post an ad, which means you could end up buying a lemon. This app also provides fewer filters to search by, which means you can’t get overly specific about what you’re looking for.
iOS app
Android App
Web app
Facebook Marketplace: Best for buying a private-sale vehicle
If you’re looking for used car apps, Facebook Marketplace is a user-friendly app that lets you search for private-sale vehicles within your area. There are a number of basic search filters in the app so that you can sort vehicles by features such as price and mileage.
The main benefit of using Facebook Marketplace is that all your communication with sellers happens through Facebook Messenger. It also allows you to see the seller’s Facebook profile as well as how long they’ve been a member of Facebook. This can give you additional peace of mind if you want to make sure that the person you’re buying from is a trustworthy source.
The only thing you might want to be cautious of when using Marketplace is that the seller can also view your profile if you send them a message. This could potentially expose you to security risks so you should be sure that your profile is set to private and doesn’t give away sensitive personal information.
iOS app
Android App
Web app
TD Wheels: Best for buying and financing a vehicle in one app
Launched in 2019, TD Wheels is designed to streamline the car buying and financing process. This car-buying app lets you search for and compare cars, SUVs, minivans and trucks from dealerships across Canada.
You can also check the latest manufacturer discounts, estimate the trade-in value of your current vehicle and apply to pre-qualify for a car loan through TD Auto Finance. If you’re ready to buy, you can then be connected with the closest participating dealer.
The app is easy to understand and user-friendly, while another benefit is that you get the peace of mind of dealing with a Big Five bank. But the app is for new vehicles only, so if you’re looking for used car apps you’ll need to consider other options.
iOS app
Android app
Web app
CarCostCanada: Best for getting the best price
CarCostCanada is a website and iOS app designed to help you get the lowest price when buying or leasing a car. This price information service offers detailed pricing reports to help you lock in a good deal, so it’s one of the best car apps if you want to avoid getting ripped off by a dealership.
You can get details of incentives and rebates, compare prices for similar vehicles, access price guidance for recommendations on how much you should pay, and trade-in valuations. And if there’s a local recommended dealer available, CarCostCanada will refer you in their direction.
Unfortunately, the app isn’t currently available on Android devices.
iOS app
Android app
Web app
Carpages.ca: Best for car buyers in big cities who want to compare vehicles from a range of dealerships
Carpages.ca is a popular online automotive marketplace and car-buying app where you can compare and shop an inventory of over 60,000 vehicles across Canada. The free platform is available right across the country, but it’s much easier to find listings in major cities than in smaller regional areas.
Start by choosing the make and model of vehicle you want, entering your city and selecting a price range. For more advanced search options, you can filter results based on the model year, mileage, transmission, style of vehicle and more.
And while you may need to visit the dealership in person before buying in some cases, Carpages.ca also offers a Buy From Home program. This allows you to have the vehicle brought to your home for a test drive, or delivered to you once you have purchased it.
iOS app
Android app
Web app
Trovit: Best for accessing a big inventory of vehicles posted by multiple sources
Trovit is an app that pulls ads from a number of different sources to give you a more complete inventory of what’s available in your area. This means that posts aren’t listed directly on Trovit but you’ll be redirected to a third-party platform if you want to learn more about a specific vehicle.
The benefit of this app is that you can access thousands of cars in one place. It also allows you to search by generic filters so that you can narrow down what type of vehicle you’re interested in. The main downside of this app is that you won’t be able to contact sellers directly in the app, which means all of your communication won’t be in one place. You’ll also have to navigate through irrelevant ads within the app for other car-buying sites.
iOS app
Android app
Web app
Unhaggle.com: Best for getting the best overall price from a dealership
Unhaggle operates from a unique premise because it starts a bidding war between dealers to get your business. All you need to do is specify what type of vehicle you want to purchase and list out the optional extras you’re interested in (such as Bluetooth, heated seats or a sunroof).
From there, you’ll get a list of vehicle-specific data that outlines what other drivers have paid in your area for a similar vehicle. You can also request that dealers submit their lowest bids in a reverse auction for the car you want — which guarantees that you get the best price.
The biggest concern with this site is that you’re essentially handing your personal information over to a long list of dealers in your area, which could result in unwanted calls or emails. That said, you can avoid this if you upgrade to Unhaggle Premium, which operates on an anonymous basis for both you and the dealers you’re sourcing quotes from. However, the Premium service costs $500.
iOS app
Android app
Web app
How did we choose these car-buying apps?
We chose our top picks for car-buying apps based on their overall design and functionality. Since many of these apps have very similar features, they are listed in no particular order. It’s up to you to make an assessment of what’s available and pick the one that sounds like the best fit for you. You can also sign up for a few of your favourites to get access to the largest inventory of vehicles possible.
Bottom line
There is a wide range of car-buying apps and sites in Canada that you can use to find your dream vehicle. Most of the apps listed above are free and ready to download while a couple of options will cost you a small amount to get access. Learn how you can shop around for the best deal, and read our guide to financing your new vehicle when you’re ready to make a purchase.
Frequently asked questions
The app that works best for you will likely depend on what type of vehicle you’re looking for. You can check out the “Best for” byline on the options listed above to find out which area each app excels in.
No, you typically won’t have to pay to use a car-buying app. Most apps are free of charge and make money on re-directs or advertisements within the app.
Tim Falk is a freelance writer for Finder. Over the course of his 15-year writing career, he has reported on a wide range of personal finance topics. Whether you're investing in stocks and ETFs, comparing savings accounts or choosing a credit card, Tim wants to make it easier for you to understand. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors. See full bio
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