Updated May 2026
MOT Checkup vs CarCostCheck: Free MOT History Check Compared
Both have strong free tiers. MOT Checkup leads on MOT depth and AI common-faults; CarCostCheck leads on running cost and reliability score.
MOT Checkup is the better tool for a deep free MOT history check while CarCostCheck is the better tool for ownership costs, because MOT Checkup centres on the DVSA MOT timeline plus AI common-faults and a free stolen check, whereas CarCostCheck builds its free tier around fuel cost projections, road tax estimates and a reliability score with a paid upgrade from around £4.99 for extras.
TL;DR
- MOT Checkup: free, MOT-history-first, AI common-faults, free stolen check.
- CarCostCheck: free, ownership-cost-first, reliability score, paid tier from around £4.99.
- The two complement each other rather than duplicate.
- Use MOT Checkup before viewing a specific car; use CarCostCheck when shortlisting models.
- Neither replaces a paid HPI-style report for finance or write-off data.
Side-by-side comparison
| MOT Checkup | CarCostCheck | |
|---|---|---|
| Price for core check | Free | Free (premium from £4.99) |
| Full DVSA MOT timeline | ||
| Mileage at every test | ||
| Advisory + defect categorisation | ||
| AI common-faults by make | ||
| Owner-survey reliability score | ||
| Running cost / fuel projections | ||
| Road tax estimate | Tax status only | Tax cost projection |
| Free stolen-vehicle check | ||
| Sign-up required | No | No |
| Time to first result | Under 3 sec | Under 5 sec |
Where MOT Checkup leads
- Full DVSA MOT timeline since 2005 with mileage at every test.
- AI-summarised common faults by make and model, drawn from DVSA failure patterns.
- Free stolen-vehicle check alongside MOT history.
- No paid tier — the full free view is the entire product.
Where CarCostCheck leads
- Three-year ownership cost projections — fuel, road tax, insurance group context.
- Owner-survey-derived reliability score that complements MOT failure data.
- Strongly designed at-a-glance summary card aimed at the shortlisting stage rather than the gate-check stage.
- A paid premium tier from around £4.99 for additional history information, useful if you only ever check one car a year.
Use them together
- Shortlisting between models: open CarCostCheck for running costs and reliability score.
- Viewing a specific registration: open MOT Checkup for full MOT history, AI common-faults and the stolen check.
- Pricing the buy decision: layer a paid HPI-style report on top if the car is over a few thousand pounds.
When to use CarCostCheck instead
- You are early in the process and choosing between two or three different makes.
- Running costs and reliability score matter more to your decision than MOT history depth.
- You want their paid premium add-ons without bouncing through a second provider.
- For the MOT and mileage angle on a specific car, still come back to MOT Checkup.
The honest summary
CarCostCheck is the closest free competitor on quality of the free tier, with one of the best running-cost views in the UK market. MOT Checkup is not trying to be a CarCostCheck — it is trying to be the best free MOT history checker with AI context and a stolen check built in. Use the right tool for the right question, and a paid HPI-style report on top when finance or write-off matters.
Compare other UK vehicle checks
See how MOT Checkup stacks up against the rest.
Free MOT history vs paid finance and write-off data.
Free vs free — interface, AI summaries, and what each shows.
Two free MOT history tools — feature-by-feature.
Free MOT and DVLA basics — which one wins on depth.
Free overlap, paid extras — when each is worth running.
Skip the comparison — try the tool now.
What's worth paying for, and what isn't.