Autobid (PTY) Ltd

What Autobid (PTY) Ltd does

Autobid (PTY) Ltd is a privately held South African software company, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Durban North, KwaZulu-Natal. It supplies an integrated suite of automotive software solutions to the South African motor industry, primarily serving franchised dealerships and dealer groups. The company's stated value proposition centres on trade-in valuations, vehicle auctions, stolen vehicle tracking, credit scoring, fine management, bank settlement retrieval, and OEM recall campaigns.

The core product, branded "AutoBid," is a web-based platform accessed via login credentials and complemented by a mobile valuation application available on the iOS App Store, Google Play Store, and Huawei App Gallery. Adjacent modules include the AutoBid Auction Platform (scheduled vehicle auctions with lineup listings and real-time bidding), the Stolen Vehicles List (a dealership-facing database capturing VIN, engine numbers, and recovery contact information), and a support ticketing system. The platform integrates with WesBank for automotive financing workflows and TransUnion for credit and vehicle data services. Customer support is delivered through online ticketing, email, phone, and in-platform chat.

The company operates a sales-led, direct distribution model with subscription-based or licensed recurring revenue. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and appears to be negotiated on a per-dealership basis. Named enterprise customers include large multi-brand groups such as Motus (Isuzu, Kia), CFAO Mobility, CMH, McCarthy Dealerships, Williams Hunt, Star Nissan, Oranje Toyota, and various other Toyota, Hyundai, VW, Renault, Nissan, and Lexus franchisees. The firm has been continuously operating for 21 years, is led by a three-person personnel head team (Peter Azzie, Nishen Naidu, Lee Martin) with Leanne Martin as Managing Director and POPIA Information Officer, and employs approximately 39 people.

Name

Autobid (PTY) Ltd

Legal name

Autobid (PTY) Ltd

Website

https://autobid.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Autobid (PTY) Ltd is a South African automotive software vendor, founded in 2005, providing valuation, auction management, and stolen-vehicle tracking software to franchised dealerships and dealer groups across South Africa via a subscription-based platform and mobile app.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Dealer Software

NAICS

Automobile and Other Motor Vehicle Merchant Wholesalers (423110), Used Car Dealers (44112)

SIC

Wholesale-Motor Vehicles & Motor Vehicle Parts & Supplies (5010), Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations (5500)

akta.pro primary industry

Wholesale Vehicle Auctions (Physical & Online) (TLABAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Auto Refinance (FSAKADAB)

Keywords

• Automotive software solutions
• Vehicle valuation software
• Dealership auction platform
• Stolen vehicle tracking
• Dealer management software

Headquarters

HQ city

Durban North

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Subscriptions/Licensing: Automotive software solutions provided to dealerships in the South African motor industry. Revenue likely generated through software licensing or subscription fees for access to valuation tools, auction management, and stolen vehicle tracking.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Autobid (PTY) Ltd provides automotive software solutions to the South African motor industry. Its core product, the AutoBid Platform, delivers online auction management with scheduled auctions and real-time bidding, vehicle valuation tools via a dedicated mobile application, and a stolen vehicles list database for dealerships to report and check stolen vehicles. The platform is sold directly to automotive dealerships and dealer groups across South Africa.

Product overview

AutoBid (PTY) Ltd operates as a dedicated automotive software solutions provider for the South African Motor Industry since 2005. The company's core offering is the AutoBid platform, which serves as an integrated suite comprising auction management, vehicle valuation tools, and stolen vehicle tracking. The platform is complemented by a mobile application available across iOS, Android, and Huawei devices. Key modules include the AutoBid Auction Platform for scheduled vehicle auctions, the Stolen Vehicles List for recovery tracking, and a Support Ticketing System for customer assistance. The company maintains partnerships with WesBank (automotive financing) and TransUnion (vehicle data services).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AutoBid Platform Integrated automotive software platform providing online auction management (scheduled auctions, lineup listings, real-time bidding), a stolen vehicles list database for dealerships, and links to support and information resources. Sold to South African automotive dealerships and dealer groups.
• AutoBid Valuation Software Mobile valuation application for automotive dealerships that allows users to perform vehicle valuations from iOS, Android, and Huawei devices. Targeted at dealership staff needing on-the-lot pricing and valuation capability.
• Stolen Vehicles List Database service for automotive dealerships to report and check stolen vehicles, helping dealers mitigate inventory risk and comply with industry due-diligence practices.

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WesbankcoreTechnology or IntegrationWesbank logo displayed on Autobid website, indicating integration or partnership for vehicle financing and banking services within the automotive software platform.
• TransunioncoreTechnology or IntegrationTransunion logo displayed on Autobid website, indicating integration for credit scoring and vehicle history data services within the automotive software platform.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• AutoTrader South Africa: Leading South African automotive marketplace serving dealers and consumers; comparable to AutoBid in serving SA dealers with digital vehicle listing, valuation, and transaction tools.
• Cars.co.za: Major South African automotive platform providing dealer listings, valuation tools, and vehicle data; overlaps with AutoBid in dealer-facing valuation and trade-in use cases.
• bidX (formerly SA Auto Auction): South African online vehicle auction platform connecting dealers and buyers, directly comparable to AutoBid's auction platform functionality and target customer base.

Broad incumbents

• CDK Global: Major global provider of dealer management systems and automotive retail technology; comparable as a broader incumbent that could bundle or compete with AutoBid's standalone dealer tools.
• Copart: Global online vehicle auction company with extensive salvage and used vehicle operations; comparable to AutoBid's auction platform and vehicle tracking/monitoring capabilities.
• Reynolds and Reynolds: Established dealership software and DMS provider serving franchised dealers; comparable as an incumbent automotive software platform targeting the same dealer workflows as AutoBid.
• Cox Automotive (Manheim / Dealertrack): Global automotive technology and auction services company offering auction platforms, dealer software, and valuations at scale; comparable as a much larger incumbent in the same dealer technology space as AutoBid.

Others

• TransUnion Auto (South Africa): Already a partner of AutoBid; TransUnion supplies credit, vehicle history, and dealer data services that complement auction and valuation workflows, representing both an enabler and adjacent data vendor.
• WesBank (FirstRand): South African vehicle finance provider and AutoBid partner; comparable as an embedded ecosystem participant whose vehicle finance and settlement data flow through dealer platforms like AutoBid.

Regional players

• MFC Automotive (Lightstone Auto): South African automotive data and valuation provider (Lightstone Auto) supplying dealer and industry data; comparable as a regional valuation/data services peer to AutoBid's valuation product.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/autobidza
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/autobid-pty-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Autobid (PTY) Ltd