Comparison
TradeBasis vs vAuto
An appraisal and market intelligence platform for US used-vehicle dealers — with live dealer-listing comps, transparent comp sets, no setup fees, and no multi-year contracts. Plans from $99 USD/month. Built by a 20-year auto industry operator who wanted a number you can stand behind, not one that bends to whatever you want it to be.
The short version
vAuto is a category-defining tool and we're not pretending otherwise. It's been refined for two decades and the Cox Automotive ecosystem (Provision, Stockwave, Conquest, iRecon, 20-group reporting) is genuinely powerful for multi-rooftop groups that live inside it. TradeBasis isn't trying to displace that workflow.
What TradeBasis is built for: US franchised and independent dealers who want a defensible appraisal number based on live dealer-listing market data, a transparent comp set you can click through, and pricing that doesn't require a sales call. The Lite tier is $99 USD/month for the walk-the-lane workflow. The Pro tier is $249 USD/month for the full desk: custom comp sets, exclusions, recon, MDS, inventory with live re-pricing, and the Workbench KPI dashboard. No setup fees. Cancel anytime.
Feature comparison
| TradeBasis | vAuto Provision | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | US franchised + independent dealers | US franchised + independent dealers |
| Market data scope | Live US dealer-listing comps with cascading radius (local → statewide → national → year-bracket fallback) | Continental market and transaction data |
| Entry price | $99 USD/month (Lite, 1 user) | Quote-based; not publicly listed |
| Setup fees | None | Yes; industry-reported setup fees in the multi-thousand range |
| Contract length | Month-to-month, cancel online | Multi-year contracts are standard |
| Sign-up | Online in under two minutes, no sales rep required | Sales call and demo cycle required |
| Comp set transparency | Every comparable vehicle is shown individually, linked to its source listing where available | Comp set abstracted behind adjustable knobs |
| Mileage adjustment | Logarithmic — a 125k-mile unit isn't penalized the same per mile as a 40k-mile unit | Linear per-mile adjustments |
| Velocity / Days-on-Market penalty | Automatic four-band: hot (≤30d) 0%, normal (31–60d) 2%, slow (61–90d) 5%, frozen (90+d) 10% | Days Supply metric (MDS); penalty logic varies by configuration |
| Trim matching | VIN-aware with synonym dictionary and Tesla / BMW / Porsche variant normalization | Trim handling varies by integration |
| Customer trade walk-down sheet | Included in Pro | Available |
| Inventory + live re-pricing | Included in Pro | Available |
| 20-group reporting | Not available | Yes — major reason groups stay |
| Parent company | Basis Software Inc. — independent | Cox Automotive |
| Market focus | United States dealers | United States dealers |
Where TradeBasis is materially different
Live dealer-listing comps you can inspect, with a documented search ladder
TradeBasis grounds each appraisal in vehicles currently listed by US dealers. For an Austin dealer appraising a 2021 RAV4 Hybrid, the right comp set starts with nearby Texas dealer listings — then widens statewide and nationally only when the local set is thin. The fallback ladder is documented, and every vehicle behind the number is visible.
A comp set you can click through, not a black box
Every comparable listing TradeBasis pulls into your number is visible. You can see the source listing, kick the $30k declared-accident car out of the set, and watch the appraisal recalculate. The full Pro worksheet shows every line item — mileage adjustment, velocity penalty, recon, target gross — as a labeled, editable input. Nothing happens behind the curtain.
Pricing you can read on the homepage
$99 USD/month for Lite. $249 USD/month for Pro. No setup fee. No annual commitment. Sign up online without a sales call. If it's not for you, cancel.
Who TradeBasis is for
- US independent and franchised dealers who want a defensible appraisal number grounded in live dealer-listing market data
- Stores that want a second data set alongside their existing tools — TradeBasis pulls comprehensive US dealer listings, not just one syndicated feed
- Operators frustrated with month-long sales cycles, multi-thousand setup fees, and multi-year contracts
- Dealers who want the manager and the appraiser working off the same numbers, with the comp set fully visible to both
Who shouldn't switch
- Stores already locked into vAuto for 20-group reporting — that's a real workflow and TradeBasis doesn't replicate it
- Groups that live inside the broader Cox Automotive stack (Stockwave, Conquest, iRecon, Dealertrack DMS) and need that ecosystem's integrations
- Groups that require deeply customized enterprise integrations before they can adopt another appraisal workflow
If you're in either of the first two categories, TradeBasis can still live alongside vAuto as a second data set — many operators run both for exactly that reason.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best transparent alternative to vAuto?
For US dealers, practical alternatives include TradeBasis ($99–$249 USD/month, transparent live dealer-listing comps, no setup fees) and Carbly (a mobile appraisal tool with a strong auction workflow). vAuto itself remains the standard for multi-rooftop groups using Cox Automotive's 20-group reporting. The right alternative depends on whether you need 20-group reporting (stay on vAuto), transparent comp sets and published pricing (TradeBasis), or a mobile-first auction workflow (Carbly).
How much does vAuto cost?
vAuto Provision pricing is not publicly listed and is quoted per dealership based on rooftop count, modules, and contract length. Industry-reported setup fees are in the multi-thousand-dollar range, and multi-year contracts are standard. TradeBasis publishes pricing on its homepage: $99 USD/month for Lite, $249 USD/month for Pro, no setup fees, month-to-month.
Can I switch from vAuto to TradeBasis without paying a setup fee?
Yes. TradeBasis has no setup fees, no implementation charges, and no annual contract. You sign up online, complete a short onboarding tour, and start appraising. If you're mid-term on a vAuto contract, running both tools in parallel until your renewal date is the common path — TradeBasis is cheap enough that this is a realistic option.
Does TradeBasis use US market data?
Yes. TradeBasis runs cascading radius searches that start with nearby comparables and only widen statewide when the local comp set is thin. The data set is comprehensive US dealer listings, with every comparable visible and linked to its source. The minimum comp set threshold is 8 vehicles, with a flagged fallback to 5.
What's the difference between TradeBasis Lite and Pro?
Lite ($99 USD/month, 1 user) is the walk-the-lane workflow: VIN + miles in, defensible number out. Pro ($249 USD/month, up to 10 users) adds the full appraisal worksheet, custom comp sets, individual listing exclusions, recon adjustments, market days supply, the customer trade walk-down sheet, inventory management with live re-pricing, the Workbench KPI dashboard, Vehicle Locator, and appraisal history.
How is TradeBasis different from Carbly?
Carbly is a US-built mobile appraisal tool with a strong auction-lane workflow. TradeBasis emphasizes transparent live dealer-listing comp sets that link down to the source listing where one is available, published flat pricing, and a desk-tool tier (Pro) with full inventory and KPI workflows. Carbly's strength is its mobile-first auction workflow; TradeBasis's strength is comp transparency and the depth of the desk tool.
Is TradeBasis owned by Cox Automotive or any of the major dealer software groups?
No. TradeBasis is built by Basis Software Inc., an independent software company. It is not owned by, affiliated with, or a reseller for Cox Automotive, CDK, Reynolds, or any other dealer software group.
Do I need to sign a contract?
No. TradeBasis is month-to-month. Cancel online any time. There is no annual commitment, no early-termination fee, and no setup fee.
Try TradeBasis on a real appraisal
Pull a VIN you ran through vAuto this week. Compare the number, compare the comp set, compare the time it took. No contracts. Cancel anytime.
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