What automart.com does

Autotrader.com operates as America's largest digital automotive marketplace, connecting car buyers with both certified dealers and private vehicle sellers across the United States. Founded in 1997 and operating as a subsidiary of Cox Automotive, the platform spans consumer-facing vehicle listings for used cars, new cars, and private-party sales, supported by financial planning tools (payment, affordability, and lease calculators), trim comparison research, and editorial content covering vehicle reviews and buying guidance. Sell-side services include Instant Cash Offer, powered by Kelley Blue Book, and the Sell My Car flow. Distribution is multi-channel: a primary website at autotrader.com, native iOS and Android apps, a B2B dealer portal at b2b.autotrader.com, and adjacent marketplaces for classics, motorcycles, RVs, and Buy Here Pay Here financing. A dedicated careers page within Cox Enterprises indicates centralized hiring under the parent.

The platform's technology stack is built around integrations with Kelley Blue Book (trusted vehicle valuation, Instant Cash Offer, insurance cross-sell) and Experian AutoCheck (vehicle history reporting via VIN), together with the 2026 launch of AI Mode (Beta) — a natural-language conversational search interface that allows buyers to find vehicles through chat-based dialogue. The technology base is therefore an integration-heavy marketplace architecture rather than a proprietary AI/ML stack, with AI capability currently featured rather than foundational.

The business model monetizes through three primary streams: recurring dealer marketplace subscriptions and listing fees, paid advertising placements and featured listings from dealers and manufacturers, and transaction fees from private seller listings. Pricing for dealer services is not publicly disclosed. The customer base is horizontally segmented across retail consumers, certified and independent dealers, private vehicle sellers, and OEM manufacturers, with cross-sell partnerships extending monetization into insurance (Kelley Blue Book Insurance) and credit/vehicle history (Experian). Hyundai Motor America homepage sponsorship and dealer-level integrations such as John Hiester Chevrolet of Lillington illustrate the breadth of the partner network rather than dependence on any single anchor account.

Name

automart.com

Legal name

Autotrader, Inc.

Website

https://automart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Autotrader.com is America's largest digital automotive marketplace, founded in 1997 as a Cox Automotive subsidiary. It connects buyers with dealers and private sellers, offering vehicle listings, KBB-powered valuations, AutoCheck vehicle history reports, and a beta AI search interface.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Automotive Marketplace

NAICS

Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers (441)

SIC

Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations (5500)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive Vehicles & Parts C2C (CRAFAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

New & Used Auto Purchase Loans (FSAKADAA)

Keywords

• Online car marketplace
• Used car listings
• Automotive dealer advertising
• Vehicle valuation tools
• Car buying research

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dealer Marketplace Subscriptions/Listing Fees: Dealers pay to list vehicles on the Autotrader marketplace platform, providing recurring marketplace commission revenue
2. Dealer Advertising: Paid advertising placements and featured listings for automotive dealers and manufacturers on the platform
3. Private Seller Listings: Revenue from private party vehicle listings, though the platform also supports free private seller options

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Autotrader operates a two-sided online automotive marketplace where individual car buyers, private sellers, and certified or independent dealers list, discover, and transact on new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles. The consumer-facing site is supplemented by a B2B dealer platform for inventory listing, lead generation, and advertising, and the marketplace is enriched with Kelley Blue Book valuation data, Experian AutoCheck vehicle history reports, online purchasing with home delivery, and a beta AI-powered conversational search tool.

Product overview

Autotrader operates a digital automotive marketplace connecting car buyers with dealers and private sellers. The core platform consists of vehicle listing marketplaces for used cars, new cars, and private-party sales, supplemented by sell-side services including Instant Cash Offer and Sell My Car. Buyer tools include Car Payment Calculator, Affordability Calculator, and Car Lease Calculator for financial planning, plus Trim Comparisons for vehicle research. The platform has introduced AI Mode as a beta conversational search feature. Autotrader is a Cox Automotive company, established in 1997.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Used Cars for Sale
• New Cars for Sale
• Private Seller Cars
• Sell My Car
• Instant Cash Offer
• Buy Online
• Car Payment Calculator
• Affordability Calculator
• Car Lease Calculator
• Trim Comparisons
• AI Mode (Beta)
• Research & Information
• Dealer B2B Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.7 Stars from 336k+ ratings

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Kelley Blue Book (KBB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership integrating Kelley Blue Book valuation data throughout the Autotrader platform. KBB provides instant cash offer functionality, car payment calculators, and pricing research tools used to value vehicles on the marketplace. The partnership enables trusted pricing transparency for car buyers and sellers.
• Experian (AutoCheck)coreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership providing Experian AutoCheck vehicle history reports to Autotrader users. Enables buyers to run free vehicle history checks using VIN to verify no reported accidents, frame damage, or title issues before purchase.
• Cox AutomotiveflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company relationship where Autotrader operates as a Cox Automotive company. Cox Automotive provides automotive technology and services across the entire car lifecycle, and Autotrader benefits from this ecosystem of related automotive service companies.
• Hyundai Motor AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAutomotive manufacturer sponsoring featured vehicle placements on Autotrader's homepage, specifically promoting the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe with branded messaging and links to learn more about the vehicle.
• John Hiester Chevrolet of LillingtonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent automotive dealer listing vehicles on the Autotrader platform, featuring trucks like the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT with referrals to the dealer's website.
• Kelley Blue Book InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCross-selling partnership advertising car insurance services from KBB.com on the Autotrader platform, driving additional revenue streams for both companies.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CarGurus: Direct competitor operating a leading US automotive marketplace connecting buyers with dealers. CarGurus differentiates through price transparency analytics and dealer ratings, competing head-to-head with Autotrader for dealer ad spend and buyer traffic.
• Cars.com: Direct competitor operating a national automotive marketplace serving both consumers and dealers. Competes with Autotrader for dealer advertising dollars and shopper leads across new, used, and certified inventory.
• Carvana: Online used car retailer with home delivery and 7-day returns. While vertically integrated rather than a pure marketplace, Carvana competes directly with Autotrader for online car-buying intent and is reshaping consumer expectations of digital purchase experiences.
• TrueCar: Automotive marketplace that connects shoppers with certified dealers and provides upfront pricing. Direct competitor in dealer-facing listings and consumer-facing price discovery, comparable to Autotrader's core marketplace model.
• Edmunds: Automotive research and listings platform offering new/used car content, pricing, and dealer connections. Competes with Autotrader in vehicle research, comparison tools, and consumer lead generation.
• Vroom: Online used car retailer offering home delivery and a digital purchase experience. Competes with Autotrader for online car buying demand and represents the direct-to-consumer model that pressures traditional dealer marketplaces.
• eBay Motors: Major C2C and B2C automotive marketplace built on eBay's broader e-commerce platform. Competes with Autotrader primarily in private seller and used vehicle listings, offering a large alternative inventory pool.

Broad incumbents

• Kelley Blue Book (KBB): Cox Automotive sister property providing vehicle valuation, pricing research, and increasingly direct listings. While also a strategic partner of Autotrader, KBB increasingly competes for consumer car-shopping intent and pricing research — comparable product breadth.
• Cox Automotive (Manheim): Parent organization of Autotrader. Manheim is the wholesale auction arm competing with vehicles in the dealer ecosystem. Sister-property relationship provides integration advantages but also reflects shared strategic priorities within the Cox Automotive portfolio.

Emerging players

• Facebook Marketplace: Free C2C listings platform with massive consumer reach. Competes with Autotrader's private seller segment on price (free) and reach, pressuring private seller fees and engagement in the C2C arm of the marketplace.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cox-auto-mart

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 automart.com