What Bring a Trailer does

Bring a Trailer (BaT) is an online collector car auction marketplace founded in San Francisco in 2007 by Randy Nonnenberg and operating as Bring a Trailer Media, LLC. The platform enables private sellers, dealers, and a vetted BaT Local Partner network to list enthusiast, classic, vintage, and exotic vehicles for time-boxed online auctions, while a global base of 1.65 million registered users (as of 2025) bids in a transparent, comment-driven format. The platform has facilitated cumulative volume of 250,000+ lots, with 2025 throughput of 49,486 auctions, an 81% sell-through rate, and $1.7 billion in platform sales — the fourth consecutive year above $1 billion.

The technology stack centers on a self-serve auction platform with multilingual interface (English, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, German), multi-currency conversion (USD, GBP, EUR), a watchlist and notification system, and a Verified Checkout service that secures payment and title transfer for winning bidders. Listings follow an editorial standard with detailed photography, provenance, and history, and are reinforced by content properties (BaT Stories, BaT Podcast, BaT Event Calendar) and email products (BaT Daily Mail, Results Digest, No Reserve Digest, Make/Model subscriptions). The platform covers categories beyond cars — motorcycles, aircraft, boats, ATVs, race cars, RVs, parts — and supports listings from 30+ countries.

Revenue is generated primarily through marketplace transaction fees on each successful auction, with UK pricing disclosed at seller fees starting at £379 and buyer fees capped at £5,000 plus VAT. Additional revenue streams include a premium White Glove concierge service for high-value listings, BaT Premium Listings (featured placement), and a branded merchandise store at store.bringatrailer.com. In March 2026, BaT officially launched its UK market expansion in partnership with Sports Purpose and Chase Classics, marking its first major geographic extension beyond the United States. Despite facilitating $1.7B in 2025 GMV, the firm operates with a lean 1–10 person team, indicating an unusually capital-light, high-margin marketplace structure.

Name

Bring a Trailer

Legal name

Bring a Trailer Media, LLC

Website

https://bringatrailer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bring a Trailer is an online collector car auction marketplace connecting private sellers and dealers with a global community of 1.65 million registered users, facilitating $1.7B in 2025 GMV across 49,486 auctions with an 81% sell-through rate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Collector Car Auctions

NAICS

Used Car Dealers (44112), Used Car Dealers (441120)

SIC

Wholesale-Motor Vehicles & Motor Vehicle Parts & Supplies (5010)

akta.pro primary industry

Wholesale Vehicle Auctions (Physical & Online) (TLABAKAA)

Keywords

• Online car auctions
• Collector car marketplace
• Classic vehicle sales
• Enthusiast car listings
• Automotive auction platform

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Seller and Buyer Auction Fees: Marketplace transaction fees charged on each successful auction; UK seller fees start at £79 and buyer fees are capped at £5,000 plus VAT. Applied per transaction with no subscription requirement.
2. White Glove Service: Premium concierge service offering end-to-end auction support for high-value listings, complementing core transaction fees.
3. BaT Gear Store (Branded Merchandise): Direct-to-consumer branded merchandise sales via store.bringatrailer.com.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Bring a Trailer is an online collector car auction marketplace where private sellers, dealers, and vetted local partners list vintage, classic, exotic, and enthusiast vehicles across categories including cars, motorcycles, trucks, parts, aircraft, and RVs. Buyers bid in time-boxed auctions, with successful transactions settled through the platform's Verified Checkout service that secures payment and title transfer, supported by editorial-quality listings, Watchlist alerts, and a global community of 1.65 million registered users.

Product overview

Bring a Trailer (BaT) operates a single online collector-car auction platform with a unified architecture extended by a number of named modules and services. The Bring a Trailer Auctions Platform is the core product, surfacing Live Auctions, Premium Listings, No Reserve Auctions, and a Sell-a-Vehicle flow via Submit a Vehicle. Around that core, BaT offers transaction-layer services (Verified Checkout and White Glove Service), a regional partner network (BaT Local Partners, expanded to BaT UK Marketplace with Sports Purpose and Chase Classics in March 2026), a Charity Auctions program, a BaT Gear Store sub-brand, and content/media properties (BaT Stories, BaT Podcast, and the BaT Event Calendar). User-engagement modules include Watchlist and the Email Subscriptions suite (BaT Daily Mail, Results Digest, No Reserve Digest, Premium Listings alerts, Make/Model subscriptions, and Category notifications), supported by International Shipping Resources to facilitate cross-border delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bring a Trailer Auctions Platform Core online collector car auction marketplace where private sellers, dealers, and vetted local partners list enthusiast vehicles across categories (cars, trucks, motorcycles, aircraft, RVs, parts) and buyers bid in time-boxed auctions. Available to individual sellers and buyers globally.
• Verified Checkout BaT-managed transaction facilitation service that secures payment and title transfer for winning auction bidders. Available to buyers and sellers completing transactions on the platform.
• White Glove Service Premium concierge service offering end-to-end auction support for high-value listings, including professional photography, listing preparation, and presentation. Sold to sellers of higher-value vehicles.
• BaT Premium Listings Enhanced seller listing tier offering prominent placement on the platform and immediate email distribution to subscribed Premium users when auctions go live. Purchased by sellers seeking greater auction visibility.
• BaT UK Marketplace United Kingdom-specific auction marketplace with localized currency (GBP/EUR), UK-specific seller and buyer fee structures, and partner-supported inspection and listing services from Sports Purpose and Chase Classics. Available to UK buyers and sellers.
• BaT Gear Store Direct-to-consumer branded merchandise storefront operated separately at store.bringatrailer.com, selling Bring a Trailer apparel and accessories to consumers and enthusiasts.
• Charity Auctions Dedicated auction program supporting non-profit and charitable causes by listing donated vehicles on the platform, with proceeds going to selected charities.
• BaT Local Partners Network Network of vetted regional dealerships and specialty shops (e.g., City of Cars) that list and handle vehicles through BaT auctions, offering in-person services such as inspections, photography, and listing preparation for sellers.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.7 billion in sales (GMV) in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ImageStreetClassicsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2026ImageStreetClassics partnered with Bring a Trailer on event coverage of the Historic Grand Prix at Zandvoort on June 19-21, 2026. The collaboration supports co-marketing, event-driven brand engagement, and editorial content around the historic motorsport event.
• Sports PurposecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 March 2026Sports Purpose is a UK-based local partner supporting Bring a Trailer's official launch into the United Kingdom market in March 2026. The partnership provides hands-on seller and buyer services in the UK including vehicle inspections, professional photography, and listing preparation, complementing BaT's online auction platform with localized support.
• Chase ClassicscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 March 2026Chase Classics is a UK-based local partner that joined Bring a Trailer's official UK market launch in March 2026. The partner delivers localized hands-on services for UK-based sellers and buyers, including vehicle inspections, photography, and listing preparation.
• BaT Local Partners Dealer NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024BaT Local Partners is Bring a Trailer's network of vetted dealerships (e.g., City of Cars, Garage Kept Motors context) that list and sell collector and enthusiast vehicles on the platform. Partners receive featured dealer support and access to BaT's global buyer base, supplementing BaT's private-seller marketplace with professional consignment inventory.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Cars & Bids: Cars & Bids is an online auction marketplace for modern enthusiast vehicles (typically 1980s+), directly competing with Bring a Trailer in the online collector-car auction space with a similar self-serve, no-reserve, community-driven model. It targets a slightly narrower band of enthusiast cars but uses a nearly identical auction mechanics and audience model.
• Collecting Cars: Collecting Cars is a UK-based online collector-car auction platform operating in the UK, Europe, and other international markets with a similar time-boxed, online-only auction format. It is a direct competitor in the online enthusiast-car auction space and a particularly relevant peer as Bring a Trailer enters the UK.
• The Market by Bonhams | Collectors' Car Auctions: The Market is a UK-based online auction platform for enthusiast and collector vehicles, originally independent and now part of Bonhams. Comparable to Bring a Trailer because it operates an online-only, timed-auction model for enthusiast cars in the UK, directly competing with BaT's newly launched UK marketplace.

Broad incumbents

• Hagerty: Hagerty is a broad automotive enthusiast platform offering insurance, media, driver club, and valuation services, and has invested in the collector-car marketplace space (Hagerty Marketplace). Comparable to Bring a Trailer because it touches the same buyer/seller audience and competes indirectly via its own auction-style listings and valuation data.
• RM Sotheby's: RM Sotheby's is one of the world's largest collector-car auction houses, offering high-end vintage and exotic vehicle auctions globally. Comparable to Bring a Trailer because it competes for the same collector-car seller and buyer audience, particularly at the high end of the market, although it operates a traditional live-auction model rather than online-only.
• Bonhams: Bonhams is a global auction house with a significant motoring department, offering collector-car auctions across the US, UK, and Europe. Comparable to Bring a Trailer in the high-end collector-car transaction space, especially relevant for UK/European expansion since Bonhams already has strong UK auction infrastructure.
• Hemmings: Hemmings is a long-running classic car marketplace and media brand with classified listings and editorial content. Comparable to Bring a Trailer because it serves the same collector-car buyer/seller audience, although its listings model is classifieds-based rather than auction-based.

Emerging players

• AutoHunter: AutoHunter is an online collector-car auction platform operated by Crain Communications' Autoweek media brand. Comparable to Bring a Trailer because it offers online auctions of enthusiast and collector cars with editorial backing, although at significantly lower volume than BaT.
• Broad Arrow Group: Broad Arrow Group is an automotive auction house (part of Hagerty) running online and live collector-car auctions. Comparable to Bring a Trailer because it operates in the same online auction channel for collector vehicles, particularly at higher price tiers.
• PCarMarket: PCarMarket is a Porsche-focused online enthusiast car auction platform. Comparable to Bring a Trailer because it operates a similar time-boxed, online-only auction model for collector cars, but with a narrower (Porsche-only) focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bringatrailer
• Facebookfacebook.com/bringatrailer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bring-a-trailer-llc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bring a Trailer