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SaneLot vs vAuto
One is the enterprise standard for inventory pricing. The other is the whole lot in one app, built for the dealers the enterprise standard has no tier for. Here's the honest breakdown.
The short version
vAuto (Cox Automotive) is genuinely excellent at what it does: deep market data, appraisal science, and inventory strategy for franchise and high-volume stores. But it's quote-only — industry estimates run $1,000–5,000/mo — there's no small-dealer tier, and it's pricing software: photos, listings, your website, and leads are still someone else's bill. SaneLot is the whole loop for the independent lot — appraisal comps, guided photos, fact-checked listings, your website, leads — at $99.99/mo, published, cancel anytime, 14-day free trial.
At a glance
| SaneLot | vAuto | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Independent lots running 15–80 cars | Franchise & high-volume stores |
| Pricing | $99.99/mo — published, flat | Quote-only; est. $1,000–5,000/mo |
| Commitment | Cancel anytime, no gag clauses | Typically annual contracts |
| Appraisal | Live comps + max bid + recall/odometer screens | Deep wholesale analytics (ProfitTime) |
| Photos & listings | Included — guided shoot, AI checks, honesty-gated copy | Not included — separate vendors |
| Website & leads | Included — leads land in your app, free | Not included — separate vendors |
| Get started | App Store, 14-day free trial, no sales call | Demo-led sales process |
vAuto details from Cox Automotive's public pages and industry-reported pricing, June 2026. vAuto doesn't publish prices, so treat estimates as estimates — and confirm current terms with the vendor.
What vAuto is genuinely great at
No fear-mongering here: vAuto more or less invented modern used-car inventory strategy. If you run hundreds of units with a buying team and a marketing department, ProfitTime's investment-score approach and Cox's market data are the industry standard for a reason, and the price pays for itself at that scale.
The small-dealer gap
The catch: none of it is built or priced for a 30-car lot. There's no published small-dealer tier, the sales process assumes a management structure, and the tool assumes photos, listings, website, and syndication are already handled by other vendors. That's the gap SaneLot lives in — the appraisal decision you actually face at auction (what's it worth, what's my max bid, is the odometer lying), then everything after you win the car: six guided photos, a fact-checked listing, live on your website with a QR sticker before lunch.
The honesty gate
One thing SaneLot does that no pricing suite attempts: every AI-written listing passes a gate that kills any number not in your entered facts and locks claims like "one owner" or "clean title" until independent records confirm them. If a fully fact-checked draft can't be produced, it refuses and tells you to write it by hand. Your listings carry evidence, not adjectives.
Who each is for
Run a franchise store or 300+ units with staff? vAuto is the grown-up choice — buy it. Run an independent lot where you're the appraiser, photographer, and closer? SaneLot was built at a lot like yours, priced so the math works at 20 cars, and it's one app instead of five vendors.
FAQ
- Is SaneLot a good vAuto alternative for a small dealer?
- Yes — that's exactly the lot it was built for. Appraisal comps, guided photos, fact-checked listings, website, and leads for $99.99/mo published, 14-day free trial.
- How much does vAuto cost?
- It's quote-only. Industry estimates put Provision at roughly $1,000–5,000/mo depending on size and modules, typically on annual contracts.
- Does SaneLot do appraisals like vAuto?
- It covers the independent's appraisal decision: live market comps, a suggested max bid, and recall/odometer-fraud screens on every VIN. It doesn't replicate vAuto's wholesale analytics suite — at 300+ units, use vAuto.
- Does SaneLot require a contract?
- No. Monthly, cancel anytime, no gag clauses, and your inventory exports whenever you want.
See it run a real lot
The demo is a live dealership website running on SaneLot — real inventory, verified listings, working lead forms.