Motorway or Autotrader?
Where's the best place to sell your car online?
Here, we compare online marketplaces Motorway and Autotrader.
*All data is accurate as of 15/05/26
What is Motorway?
Motorway is an online used car marketplace that was founded in 2017. It allows car owners to sell their car through their website to verified car dealers. Once Motorway has received the details about your car, they'll give you a valuation which you can accept or decline. If you accept a bid, all cars valued at £1,000 or over will be charged a service fee depending on the price you were offered, and your car will be sold to their car buying partners.
How is Motorway different to Autotrader?
Autotrader
Autotrader is the UK's largest automotive platform, that puts your car in front of over 10 million people each month.
On Autotrader, you can buy new and used cars. You can also sell your car privately, part-exchange your car or sell directly to a dealer for free. You can also get a free valuation to find out what your car is really worth.
Motorway
On Motorway, car owners can sell their car to a network of dealers.
Motorway allows you to sell your car to a dealer for a fee between £29.99 and £99.99, or for free for cars worth under £1,000. They also offer a free valuations tool.
Choice of stock
On Autotrader, you can buy, sell and lease vehicles. We have over 400,000 new and used cars to choose from.
On Motorway, you can only sell your car so there’s no option to buy a car or any other vehicle.
Autotrader
Autotrader allows you to sell cars, vans, bikes, motorhomes, caravans, trucks, and farm and plant machinery. We also hold new, nearly-new and used vehicles available to buy outright, the option the lease cars and vans, and buy cars on PCP and HP deals.
Motorway
Motorway allows you to sell cars through their website. They don’t hold any stock as the sale is managed directly though their car buying partners.
Valuing your car
Both Motorway and Autotrader provide a free online car valuation to sellers. For your car’s valuation, both Motorway and Autotrader need your number plate and mileage to get you started.
Autotrader
Autotrader’s valuations are 100% data driven. We combine data from over 800,000 adverts from a range of trusted sources, over 3,500 dealer websites, values from major car auctions and ex-fleet and leasing car values to provide you with an accurate valuation.
Motorway
Motorway’s valuations are powered by live data from their marketplace.
Motorway
With Motorway, you can sell your car to their network of verified dealers. You can also sell vans, campervans and some trucks.
Service fee
If you're looking to sell your car privately, Autotrader offer a range of ad packages starting at just £9.95. The price to advertise depends on how much your car is worth, so if you're selling a cheaper vehicle the price of your advert will be lower. If you wish to sell your car directly to a dealer, you can do so for free on Autotrader.
On Motorway, you have to pay a fixed fee when selling cars worth £1000 or over. The fee can be up to £99.99 depending on the price that a dealer offers you for your car.
Autotrader
On Autotrader, you can sell your car fast for free to our trusted network of over 5,000 dealers.
Motorway
Motorway charge a service fee if you sell your car worth £1,000 or over through their auction. You will only be charged this service fee if your car sells.