Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Cars.com VS craigslist

Compare Cars.com VS craigslist and see what are their differences

Cars.com logo Cars.com

Visited by more than 11 million car shoppers each month, Cars.

craigslist logo craigslist

craigslist provides local classifieds and forums for jobs, housing, for sale, services, local community, and events
  • Cars.com Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-02-01
  • craigslist Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-13

Cars.com features and specs

  • Comprehensive Listings
    Cars.com offers a wide range of listings, including new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles from both dealerships and private sellers, making it easier for users to explore numerous options in one place.
  • User Reviews and Ratings
    The platform features user reviews and ratings for both vehicles and dealerships, providing valuable insights and helping potential buyers make informed decisions.
  • Advanced Search Filters
    Cars.com includes advanced search filters that allow users to narrow down their search based on various criteria like make, model, price range, mileage, and much more.
  • Research and Comparison Tools
    The website offers various tools for vehicle research and comparison, helping users to easily compare different models, features, and prices.
  • Mobile App
    Cars.com has a well-designed mobile app that provides an excellent user experience, allowing buyers to search for cars and access other features on the go.

Possible disadvantages of Cars.com

  • Ad Pop-ups
    Some users find the frequent ad pop-ups to be distracting and annoying, which can interrupt the browsing experience.
  • Variable Dealer Quality
    The quality of listed dealerships can be highly variable, with some users reporting negative experiences with certain dealers listed on the site.
  • High Competition
    Because it is a popular site, the competition for the best deals can be quite high, potentially making it more challenging for buyers to secure their ideal vehicle at a desirable price.
  • Information Accuracy
    There can be occasional discrepancies in the accuracy of vehicle information, including misprints in details and conditions, which may lead to misunderstandings or misinformed purchases.
  • Limited Direct Support
    Cars.com primarily acts as a listing service and does not offer much direct support for users facing issues with sellers or their purchases.

craigslist features and specs

  • Wide Reach
    Craigslist is popular and has a large user base, which increases the chances of finding what you're looking for or reaching a broad audience.
  • Free Listings
    Most listings, especially for items and services, can be posted for free, helping you save money.
  • Variety of Categories
    Craigslist offers a wide variety of categories from jobs to housing to items for sale, making it a versatile platform.
  • Local Focus
    Listings are localized which helps in finding local deals or services, and it's easier to arrange in-person meetings.
  • Ease of Use
    The website is simple and straightforward, making it easy to create listings and browse through available options.

Possible disadvantages of craigslist

  • Scams and Fraud
    The platform can be prone to scams and fraudulent listings, which requires users to be cautious.
  • Lack of Moderation
    Craigslist does not heavily moderate listings which can result in spam or inappropriate content.
  • Outdated Interface
    The website design is quite outdated and may not offer the best user experience compared to modern websites.
  • No User Ratings
    There is no system for user or seller ratings, making it difficult to gauge the reliability of others on the site.
  • Limited Support
    Customer support is minimal, meaning issues or disputes may take longer to resolve.

Analysis of Cars.com

Overall verdict

  • Cars.com is a good option for those looking to buy or sell a car due to its extensive resources, transparency, and large vehicle inventory.

Why this product is good

  • Cars.com is considered a reliable platform for buying and selling new and used vehicles. It provides comprehensive car reviews, price comparisons, dealership insights, and user ratings, which help users make informed decisions. The platform also offers a wide selection of vehicles and a user-friendly interface.

Recommended for

    Cars.com is recommended for car buyers and sellers, including first-time buyers, those looking for price comparisons, people who want to read expert and user reviews, and individuals seeking a convenient online platform for vehicle transactions.

Analysis of craigslist

Overall verdict

  • Craigslist is a valuable resource for buying and selling goods, finding services, and connecting with local opportunities, but it requires users to be vigilant.

Why this product is good

  • Craigslist (sfbay.craigslist.org) is a popular online platform for classified ads in the San Francisco Bay Area. It offers a wide variety of categories including housing, jobs, services, for sale items, and community events. Its simplicity, wide reach, and lack of fees for most listings contribute to its continuous use. However, users should be cautious of potential scams and exercise safety measures.

Recommended for

  • Individuals looking for affordable housing options
  • Job seekers interested in local opportunities
  • People wanting to buy or sell used items
  • Community members interested in events or activities
  • Small businesses seeking a cost-effective advertising platform

Cars.com videos

2020 Toyota Highlander: Review — Cars.com

More videos:

  • Review - 2021 Ford F-150: Review — Cars.com
  • Review - How Car Buying Sites (CarGurus, Cars.Com, Autotrader) Make Money (and Why Dealers Don't like Them)
  • Review - 2023 Dodge Hornet Review: A Power Player — Cars.com

craigslist videos

Only On Craigslist

More videos:

  • Review - CRAIGSLIST FKIN RULES
  • Review - Craigslist vs. Letgo vs. Facebook Marketplace - Which site gets me more buyers? | Mark David Zahn

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Cars.com and craigslist)
Classifieds Ads
44 44%
56% 56
Cars
100 100%
0% 0
Classifieds
29 29%
71% 71
Used Car Marketplace
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Cars.com and craigslist. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Cars.com and craigslist

Cars.com Reviews

  1. rakoooo9
    · developer at thumbnail download ·
    good

    they give best services

    🏁 Competitors: CarDekho, Car Price Guide
    👍 Pros:    Best customer service
    👎 Cons:    Did not find any cons

craigslist Reviews

15+ Best eBay Alternatives to Try in 2022
eBay gets involved in disputes if necessary, while you are on your own with Craigslist. So, there is a higher risk here. Plus, Craigslist requires you to locally sell, which limits your reach compared to eBay. However, some people love selling on Craigslist because they can get cash-in-hand and don’t have to pay a network or shipping fees.
Top 18 Sites Like Craigslist as an Alternative to Buy (or Sell) in 2020
If you like to buy or sell used items locally, the initial place to look is probably going to be sites like Craigslist. Craigslist has a lot to offer sellers. It’s free to list and sell on Craigslist.
20 Real Craigslist Alternatives For Selling Your Stuff
But what if you are looking for alternatives to Craigslist because the platform is simply not your jam? Or, in my experience of recently selling a lot of stuff, because Craigslist wasn't getting me any results?
What is the good alternative for BedPage.com?
Craigslist is a centralized network of online communities with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumés.
Source: www.quora.com
The Ultimate Guide to Buying Second Hand Furniture, Clothing and Everything in Between
Things to know: Because Craigslist is a direct transaction between buyer and seller, returns are determined by the seller and they’re not obligated to anything. It’s also important to be careful of scammers since Craigslist holds no responsibility for any part of the transaction. And, especially as a woman, it’s important to meet in safe places or to take a buddy with you if...
Source: mamaeco.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Cars.com seems to be a lot more popular than craigslist. While we know about 717 links to Cars.com, we've tracked only 13 mentions of craigslist. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Cars.com mentions (717)

  • Husband got company car with new job- what to do with our personal cars?
    Resale values on 4runners are absurd right now, that car may be worth quite a bit more than the MDX depending on condition and options. It could easily net them enough to pay off the MDX and have money left over. Looking on cars.com the 4Runner should be in the mid to low $20k range, the MDX would be in the mid to high $20k range. If her car is the MDX and she's more comfortable driving it vs the 4Runner, it makes... Source: over 1 year ago
  • How much did you pay for you van?
    2013 Ford E350 extended body passenger van with the 6.8 V10 engine. Just under 60K miles when I bought this last Spring for $26K. I had a few search sites I was using - I think I found this on cars.com?? I was very specifically looking for this model van with less than 100K miles and with this engine. They're not that common and I found it for sale in Missouri. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Need a 2 Month Vehicle in the US - Turo or Buy & Sell a Used Car?
    I went on cars.com and looked for New & Used for under $4k. Seeing some cars from actual dealers, a few of which seem too good to be true? Thanks again for all the effort you've given in helping! Source: over 1 year ago
  • Scale of 1-10 how fucked
    Every good thing in life is fleeting. But there are plenty of NBs on cars .com right now in the $7k-$12k range which are likely to be in the same or maybe even better shape than the one you had. Source: over 1 year ago
  • How do I find best incentive programs that are regionally based? Trying to "stack" as many promos as possible.
    Go to a website with dealer ads, for example cars.com and sort by lowest price. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

craigslist mentions (13)

  • Where to get a realistic idea of rent?
    If you're just shopping around / looking for comparatives, then sites like apartments.com, and https://sfbay.craigslist.org/ are good for getting an overview, keeping in mind they have a bit of a bias in their numbers as they only compare / show what they have so using at least two sites to get a "baseline" would be best. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Thinking of moving to California
    Many towns outside of LA or SF are pretty interesting with its own charm, you need to check it out and, of course, make sure if you can afford. check out https://sfbay.craigslist.org/ for apartment listing, you can get a taste of it. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Moving from Europe to Bay area with family worth it?
    You can also find some great prices on second-hand furniture via the Craigslist classified ads site: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Advice and tips for international postdoc at Berkeley
    I prefer using Craigslist over Zillow/apartments.com for finding rentals. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Housing near Stanford
    A site I am looking for is https://sfbay.craigslist.org/ but I haven't gotten a reply after 10 days when emailing to an encrypted email address. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Cars.com and craigslist, you can also consider the following products

Autotrader - Find used cars for sale at AutoTrader.com. With over 3.

Facebook Marketplace - Marketplace is a convenient destination on Facebook to discover, buy and sell items with people in your community.

TrueCar - Buying a car can be painful.

Bedpage - Bedpage is a classified ad posting a website that comes as the alternative to Backpage and offers almost all the major services to post for multiple categories.

AutoTempest - Everyone's ideal car is out there. Find yours.

eBay - Buy and sell electronics, cars, fashion apparel, collectibles, sporting goods, digital cameras, baby items, coupons, and everything else on eBay, the world's online marketplace