Best We Buy Any Car Alternatives of 2024

A guide to the UK's biggest car buyers

WeBuyAnyCar is known as the UK's biggest car buying company. The UK online car market has rapidly grown in recent years and many car consumers are preferring to buy and sell their cars online opposed to the traditional methods of purchasing and selling vehicles.

In this guide, we’ll review and compare the Top 10 UK online car buying companies and how they differ from the well known buyer We Buy Any Car. If you ever wondered who to sell my car to online, we have conducted a lengthy online search on how each company works, how much they charge, and much more.

WeBuyAnyCar Review

It was founded in 2006 by Noel and Darren McKee. Since its launch the company has quickly become a household name, as they have frequently advertised on radio and television.

It was founded in 2006 by Noel and Darren McKee. WeBuyAnyCar has become a household name through consistent television and radio advertising. Their campaigns have effectively captured audience attention and built brand recognition. TikTok star Mufasa, whose real name is Jeff Obeng, has been revealed as the new face of WeBuyAnyCar's advertising campaigns.

There are more than 500 We Buy Any Car branches across the UK and they claim on average their customers are 15 minutes away from a branch. According to their website, they have bought over 3.5 million cars since their inception in 2006. 

How it works

Like most online car buyers, it all starts with filling out your car’s registration number, mileage, a few additional details. Within a minute, you receive an estimated valuation for your vehicle based on current market prices and condition details you provide.

But it's important to note that this initial valuation is not a firm offer to purchase your car. An actual offer is only made after an in-person inspection of your vehicle at their branch.

When you arrive for your appointment, the branch manager will need to see all the necessary paperwork for your car. They will then conduct a thorough inspection to assess its condition. 

While you may have described your car in detail online, it's common for issues to be discovered only during a hands-on inspection.

If your car matches the description you provided, they can finalise the sale and pay you the agreed-upon price.

Tip: Keep in mind that you will not be able to get a final offer remotely so be prepared for potential changes to your vehicle’s valuation post inspection.

Charges

There is usually a cost for selling your vehicle to We Buy Any Car. The fee applicable will depend on the value of your vehicle. Here’s what to expect:

Car value	Transaction fee
£99.99	N/A
£100 - £3,999.99	£49.99
£4,000.00 - £4,999.99	£59.99
£5000 or over	£74.99

Price guarantee

Your offer is guaranteed for 4 days.

Convenience

How convenient is it to sell your car to WeBuyAnyCar? Here are our observations:

Pros:

• Quick online valuation - you won’t be asked to fill out a huge form to find out roughly what your car is worth
• Appointment flexibility - wide selection of time slot options available to choose from
• 500+ branches throughout the UK - it should be easy to find one near you
• Quick appointments - they estimate that appointments take around just 20 minutes

Cons:

• Car drop off - you will need to arrange transport or a lift to take you home after the sale
• Payment speed - it takes 4 days after the sale to receive your money, unless you pay a fee of £24.75 for next day payment or £29.75 for Faster Payment
• Uncertainty of the final offer: after an initial online valuation, the final offer depends on an in-person inspection. This could result in a lower final sale price

Payment

When you sell a car to WeBuyAnyCar, you get paid via bank transfer. There are 3 different payment options available:

Standard: It takes 4 days after the day of sale for you to receive the money. There are no charges for this method.

Next day: You receive the money on the next working day after the sale. A fee of £24.75 applies.

Premier: The money is transferred to you within a short period after you sell your car to them. A fee of £29.75 applies.

 

To give a more well rounded view that is beyond our research, you may also want to check out real customer opinions: We Buy Any Car reviews.

Exchange My Car Review

Exchange My Car is a car selling comparison site that launched in June 2021. The company is based in Hertford UK and their innovative services are available nationwide. 

They connect you with a network of reputable car-buying partners interested in purchasing your vehicle in just 30 seconds. What’s unique about them is that they give you multiple offers in one go, and work exclusively with buyers who offer instant payments and free home collection. 

Plus, their algorithm is designed in such a way that it matches your car with buyers who specialise in buying that particular type of car, hence you stand a good chance at receiving top-tier offers.

How it works

Exchange My Car streamlines the car selling process with a simple three-step process. Users begin by receiving multiple offers from multiple buyers based on their car's details in just 30 seconds. 

Once you accept an offer, the buyer arranges a convenient collection time and location. 

Unlike We Buy Any Car, you won’t need to take your car to them. Instead, a professional buyer will come to inspect and collect your vehicle. 

Once the inspection is complete, your final offer will be confirmed and you’ll receive an instant payment via bank transfer. 

None of Exchange My Car’s buyers charge any fees for making instant payment.

Tip: Since all buyers of Exchange My Car offer free nationwide pickups and instant payments, you can decide which buyer to sell to simply by choosing the highest offer.

Charges

Unlike We Buy Any Car, selling your vehicle through Exchange My Car is totally free from beginning to end.

Price guarantee

Your offer is guaranteed for 7 days.

Convenience

How convenient is it to sell your car to Exchange My Car? Here are our observations:

Pros:

• Multiple instant offers - In 30 seconds you get multiple offers from motivated buyers
• Instant payment - You get paid before your car is taken away
• Free of charge - There are no charges for selling a car with them
• Sell any type of car or van - Whether your car or van is nearly-new or even scrap, they connect you with compatible buyers that make competitive offers for your type of vehicle.
• Free collection - You won’t need to leave your home to get your car sold

Cons:

• Multiple buyers - If you are selling more than one car at a time, they may be 'allocated' different buyers depending on their make, model, age, mileage and condition
• No auction - Buyers will offer you their highest price instantly and won't bid against each other. Nonetheless you may be able to fetch a higher price after elaborating on your vehicle's specifics

Payment

Exchange My Car’s buyers process Faster Payment instant bank transfers  before they take your car.

Contrary to WeBuyAnyCar, this premium payment method is completely free of charge.

 

If you are interested in what other customers have to say about Exchange My Car, why not take a look at: Exchange My Car Customer Reviews

You may also want to check out what independent bloggers have written about Exchange My Car.

WeWantAnyCar Review

We Want Any Car was founded in 2009 and it is a UK based car buying company owned by Cox Automotive Group. Similarly to We Buy Any Car, the company used to have multiple branches throughout the country, however it’s now switched to offering vehicle collection from your home or workplace.

How it works

The process of selling your car to We Want Any Car starts with filling out a brief form with your car’s registration and mileage, then your personal details. At the end, you’ll be presented with an “up to” guide price.

If you’re happy with the valuation you’ve received, a member of their team will get in touch with you to discuss and book your appointment.

Unlike WeBuyAnyCar, you won’t need to drive to your nearest branch, as the company will send a representative to inspect your vehicle.

Similarly to most online car buyers, your initial valuation is subject to your car matching the company’s assumptions, which you can find in their Terms & Conditions. Should your car not match these assumptions, your valuation may be inaccurate.

Once you have agreed with their final offer, you’ll receive the money via instant bank transfer and transfer ownership of the vehicle to the company.WeWantAnyCar will then arrange for the vehicle to be collected within the following 5 working days.

Tip: Clarifying any incorrect assumptions directly with the company might save you from unexpected readjustments to your offer after the inspection.

Charges

Previously, We Want Any Car was charging a fee of £58.75 for cars worth between £100 - £4,999.99 and £78.75 for cars priced over £5,000. 

However, in their recently updated model, they have become a no-charge car-selling platform. Now you can sell any car that’s running or not severely damaged to them without any fees.

Price guarantee

The valuation which We Want Any Car offers lasts for up to 5 days.

Convenience

Here are our views of the pros and cons of how convenient it is to sell your car to WeWantAnyCar:

Pros:

• They’ll come to you - You won’t need to drive to get your car inspected or collected
• Quick payment - You receive an instant bank transfer after inspection, before the car gets collected
• No-Charge: With the latest update they have become a no-charge service. Now you can sell you roadworthy cars with them free-of-charge

Cons:

• 5-day wait - You might have to wait up to 5 days after inspection for your car to be collected
• Outstanding finance policy - If your outstanding finance is higher than their valuation of your vehicle, they won’t be able to help you settle it and won’t be purchasing your vehicle

Payment

With We Want Any Car, you will get paid upon collection, once you agree to your car’s final valuation. They only have one standard payment method, which is via instant bank transfer and there are no extra charges incurred by this.

If you are interested in what other customers have to say about We Want Any Car, why not take a look at: We Want Any Car Reviews

Money4YourMotors Review

Money 4 Your Motors is a UK based car purchasing company founded in 2010 by Patrick Mooney. They claim over 4 million people have used their services, making them another We Buy Any Car alternative company to consider when looking to sell your car.

How it works

The process to get your online valuation is yet again similar to WeBuyAnyCar and other online car buyers: You’ll need to enter your car’s REG and mileage, then some personal details and your valuation will be ready. It takes no longer than 1 minute.

What’s best about Money 4 Your Motors is that they offer convenient online inspection appointments. The process begins with a phone call from Money 4 Your Motors to schedule an online appointment at a time that suits you. You'll receive a secure link via text or email to initiate the online appraisal.

During the approximately 30-minute appointment, a Money 4 Your Motors representative will conduct a video appraisal of your car using your device's camera. The technology ensures that only the camera is accessed during the call.  

After the appraisal, you'll receive an offer for your car. If you accept, Money 4 Your Motors will arrange to collect your vehicle within 48 hours (or up to 72 hours if demand is high) and pay you instantly via bank transfer upon collection.   

Tip: Make sure you have your bank card, your driving licence and another ID to hand during your appointment as the company states if any of these are not presented, the appointment may be cancelled.

Charges

With their updated model, Money 4 Your Motors has become a no-charge platform to sell a car. Now you don’t have to pay an admin fee with them.

Price guarantee

The valuation price of the car is valid for up to 7 days.

Convenience

Here’s our take on what are the pros and cons of selling your car to Money4YourMotors:

Pros:

• Innovative online appraisal appointment - With Money 4 Your Motors, you can schedule a convenient online car appraisal. A quick chat, a secure video call, and you'll have a valuation in no time.

• Free collection - They come to collect your vehicle free of charge

• Instant payment - You get paid straight after the inspection

Cons:

• Not all cars are accepted - Money 4 Your Motors may not purchase older models, non-running vehicles, or heavily damaged cars.

Payment

Money 4 Your Motors offer instant same day payment during your inspection appointment.

If you would like to see what customers have to say about selling their car with Money 4 Your Motors, please visit: Money 4 Your Motors Reviews

Jamjar Review

Jamjar is another UK car buyer that’s been around for nearly 27 years. Classed as a car selling comparison site, the company prides itself on giving you multiple instant offers from their car buying partners for you to choose from, rather than a single set valuation. Although, unlike Exchange My Car, all cars get offers from the same set of buyers without vehicle based customisation.

They also give you the option to set up your own advert and wait to be contacted by potential buyers.

How it works

To get your offers from Jamjar, users can obtain an instant and free valuation of their vehicle by entering basic information. This process takes around 30 seconds.

To improve the accuracy of valuations, Jamjar encourages users to build a detailed profile of their vehicle. This includes uploading photographs and providing comprehensive descriptions of the car's condition.

Once the vehicle profile is complete, Jamjar compares the seller's car against offers from various online car buyers. Sellers can view multiple offers, allowing them to see a comprehensive range of potential selling prices.

Sellers can review the offers and choose to accept one that meets their expectations. If the initial offers are not satisfactory, sellers have the option to improve their offers by providing more information or additional photos.

After accepting an offer, the seller can arrange for the vehicle to be collected. Jamjar provides a free nationwide collection service, making it convenient for sellers to complete the transaction without needing to deliver the car themselves.

Payment is typically processed electronically and can be received within four working days after the sale. For those needing quicker access to funds, Jamjar offers options for next-day payment or immediate payment for an additional fee.

Alternatively you could set up your own advert with a full vehicle description and images and wait for a buyer to show interest in purchasing it. This way, you could potentially get more money than accepting the instant offers, but it’s not guaranteed and it’s likely to take longer to sell.

Tip: The highest offer may not always be the best, you may also want to compare payment speed and method, and collection/drop-off ease of Jamjar with other platforms before making a decision.

Charges

Jamjar is a free platform to sell your car. They generate revenue through fees charged to the car dealers who purchase cars through their platform.

As a seller, you don't incur any costs for using the Jamjar website apart from potential fees from the buyer you choose to go with.

Price guarantee

Jamjar's offer typically expires within 7 days. But since they work with multiple partners their offers may have different expiry dates.

Convenience

Here are our views on the pros and cons of selling your car through Jamjar:

Pros:

• Multiple offers - You can choose which offer suits you best
• Advert option - If you’re not satisfied with your instant offers, they give you an option to create an advert to list your car to their buyers
• Carefully selected buyers - The company claims to only work with buyers who meet their standards

Cons:

• Unfiltered offers - Customers might receive quotes from buyers who don't specialise in the type of vehicle they're selling

• Little support - The company will present you with multiple offers, but won’t get involved in the process of helping you sell your vehicle

Payment

Jamjar does not get involved in the transaction to sell your car. Payment speed will vary depending on who ends up buying your car.

For more information on how Jamjar operates please visit their customer reviews: Jamjar Reviews

Motorway Review

Motorway launched in 2017 in London, UK, by multiple founders: Tom Leathes, Alex Buttle and Harry Jones. The company is a two-sided online auction platform for private car sellers and verified dealers who purchase their stock from Motorway.

How it works

Unlike WeBuyAnyCar, Motorway does not give you an instant offer. Instead, they’ll ask you a few of your car’s details, and your personal information to present you with an “estimated price” that you can use as a guide to how much you should try to sell it for.

To find out how much dealers want to buy your vehicle for, you’ll need to continue with the process and fill out further information about your car regarding its features, equipment and ownership.

They will then send you a text message with a link where you will need to take around 16 photos of your vehicle. If the vehicle has any damage, you’ll need to supply detailed images of those as well. Motorway will also ask you to upload an image of your car’s service history if applicable.

We estimate this entire process is likely to take you 30-60 minutes, assuming you have all your car’s information to hand and you’re able to go outside to get some pictures taken. Otherwise, you may need a day or two to gather everything you need to set up your own auction advert.

Once your advert is all set up and you’ve submitted your reserve price, you can start receiving bids from dealers.

Provided that you accept one of the bids, the dealer will get in touch with you within two working days to agree a date and time for inspection and collection of your car directly from your workplace or from your home.

Tip: It is important to notice that the price you’ll receive initially is just a guide valuation, not an offer. You’ll only receive real offers from dealers once you’ve fully set up your advert with information and pictures of the car.

Charges

There are no fees for selling your car through Motorway’s platform.

Price guarantee

Motorway does not have a price guarantee period, differently to We Buy Any Car and other companies. Your final offer may be subject to change even on the day of sale.

Convenience

In summary, here’s how convenient it may be to sell your car with Motorway:

Pros:

• It’s free to use - You won’t need to pay any administrative or transactional fees

• Same day payments - Customers usually get the money on the same day as the car gets collected

• Free vehicle collection - Your car gets collected from your home or workplace

• Wide network of dealers - The company has over 4,000 potential buyers for your vehicle

• No obligation to sell - You can approve or decline your highest offer, it’s at your discretion whether you proceed with the sale or not

Cons:

• No instant offers - You won’t get an instant offer after entering your information, you will need to wait for the end of the auction

• Lengthy process - Selling your car via Motorway requires you to invest some time setting up your advert, awaiting for bids and then liaising with the winning bidder

• Price is not guaranteed - The company says your final sale price is dictated by the dealer demand for your vehicle on the day of sale, meaning your final offer could be very different from the estimated valuation they initially give you

• Various images required - You’ll need to take at least 16 images of your car following Motorway’s specifications and requirements. You also won’t be able to simply upload images you already have, as they will only accept ones taken while using their mobile app clip

• Not all cars are accepted - Not all cars can participate in their online auction, some cars get rejected

Payment

With Motorway, you’ll get paid by bank transfer, usually on the same day you sell your car. The time it takes may vary depending on what dealer is buying your car.

Here is what Motorway’s customers have to say about their experiences with selling their car to the company, you can view it here: Motorway Reviews

The Car Buying Group Review

The Car Buying Group is a UK based car buying company owned by auction specialists Aston Barclay. It has operated since 2014 and served over 50,000 customers, making it one of We Buy Any Car’s top competitors.

How it works

With The Car Buying Group, you’ll need to enter your car’s registration number, mileage and answer a few quick questions about its history. Some personal details are also required to be able to get a valuation, with this process taking no more than one minute.

You’ll then be able to select a suitable date for the collection of your vehicle from your preferred location. Shortly after, their support team will get in touch with you to discuss further details about the car and its ownership, as well as request you to upload some images and documents. Once you’ve gone through this process, they’ll be able to confirm your collection appointment’s details.

On the day of sale, they will carry out an inspection and collection of your vehicle on the same day, and quickly transfer you the money before your car gets taken away.

Tip: Make sure you describe the condition of your car to their team over the phone in order to receive an adjusted yet accurate valuation so you know what you’ll get paid upfront, avoiding last minute price deductions.

Charges

The Car Buying Group says their services are free of any charges.

Price guarantee

The Car Buying Group’s instant valuation is valid for 7 days.

Convenience

Here’s what we think of how convenient it is to sell your car to The Car Buying Group:

Pros:

• Free service - You won’t be charged to sell your car
• Home collection - You won’t be asked to drive to a branch to get your car sold
• Quick bank transfers - You get paid during your appointment and you’ll receive a receipt, before they take the vehicle away
• Referral scheme - The Car Buying Group offers an incentive of £50 when you recommend them to a friend who ends up selling their car to them (The company’s Terms & Conditions apply)

Cons:

• Appointment length - As the company carries out a thorough inspection of the vehicle, appointments can take one hour or more
• Booking times - You won’t be able to specify an exact time for your appointment, you will only be able to choose between “morning” or “afternoon” slots

Payment

As mentioned previously, The Car Buying Group processes payments via instant bank transfer during the collection appointment at no extra fee.

For information on customer’s opinions on the way The Car Buying Group operates, please visit: The Car Buying Group Reviews

Highlights

After reviewing these companies and reading hundreds of customer testimonials, we’ve observed that there are 5 mains aspects customers really care about when they are selling their car online:

• Getting instant offers

• Comparing the market

• Whether the vehicle will be collected free of charge

• Whether there are any charges for selling the vehicle (admin fee, transaction fee, etc)

• Whether their payment is processed immediately

So here’s a brief summary of what you can expect when you sell your car to WeBuyAnyCar or alternative websites:

 

Disclaimers

This guide is for general information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Its content is not intended to malign any party listed and the statements, information and ratings contained in any content are solely the opinion of the authors or bloggers and do not reflect the opinion of Exchange My Car Limited and/or any of its associated companies, partners, affiliates, respective owners, managers or agents.

Although the authors make strong efforts in the production of their content, they cannot guarantee that all the information on this page is factual, complete or up to date. Exchange My Car Limited does not verify for accuracy any of the content contained in this page. The content within this guide must not be relied upon by and we accept no liability to any third parties.

We welcome suggestions to improve or add to this content, as well as to replace information which has become outdated since this guide’s latest publication date - Subject to the authors review and approval. Contact support@exchangemycar.co.uk for any queries.

Exchange My Car is not a commercial partner of: WeBuyAnyCar; WeWantAnyCar; Jamjar; Motorway.

Exchange My Car is a commercial partner of: Money4YourMotors; The Car Buying Group.