HPI Check Alternative UK: What Actually Exists
HPI is the market leader, but at £19.99 a check it is also the most expensive option. This guide covers every alternative honestly, including what is genuinely free and which paid option gives you the same data for less.
The short answer
There is no completely free alternative to HPI that includes stolen, finance and write-off checks. These checks require access to private industry databases that all providers pay to use. Anyone offering them for free is either showing you incomplete data or using your search for another purpose.
What is genuinely free: MOT history and mileage records from DVSA. The government publishes this data openly. Both MOTCO and the DVSA's own checker provide it at no cost.
What is not free anywhere: stolen vehicle check, outstanding finance check, write-off history, and mileage verification. These require a paid report from any provider. The question is how much you pay.
What does an HPI check actually include?
HPI's standard check covers: outstanding finance (HP and PCP), stolen vehicle status via the Police National Database, write-off history (insurance categories A, B, S and N), mileage discrepancy check, keeper changes, plate changes, and scrapped status.
Of these, the four checks that matter most when buying a used car are: finance, stolen, write-off, and mileage. These are the checks that protect you from losing money. The remaining data points (keeper changes, plate history) are useful but not critical for most buyers.
See the full breakdown in our guide: What does an HPI check actually show?
What is free and what costs money
Free: MOT history and mileage
The DVSA publishes full MOT history going back to 2005. Every test result, advisory, failure reason and odometer reading is public data. MOTCO provides this free. The DVSA has its own checker too, but MOTCO adds analysis and scoring on top.
Free: Basic DVLA data
The DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service shows tax status, MOT expiry, make, model, colour and year of manufacture. This is useful for verifying what the seller tells you, but it does not include finance, stolen or write-off data.
Paid: Finance check
Outstanding HP, PCP and lease agreements are held in private databases maintained by finance companies. No provider can access this data for free. If you buy a car with finance on it, the finance company can legally repossess it regardless of what you paid.
Paid: Stolen check
Stolen vehicle data comes from police records via the Police National Database. Access costs money. A stolen car can be seized at any time, and you have no legal claim to it or your money.
Paid: Write-off history
Insurance write-off data (Cat A, B, S, N) is held by the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register and the Claims and Underwriting Exchange. Checking these registers requires a paid subscription.
HPI alternatives compared
All major providers use the same underlying data sources. The differences are in price, what is included, and how the results are presented.
Includes: Stolen, finance, write-off, mileage verification, free MOT history
Best value. Same core checks as HPI at a fraction of the price.
Includes: Stolen, finance, write-off, keeper history
Mid-range. More expensive than MOTCO, cheaper than HPI.
Includes: VIN-based history, accident reports, odometer check
Good for VIN lookups. More expensive than MOTCO with similar core data.
Includes: Full vehicle history, keeper changes, finance, stolen, write-off
The market leader. Good product. Significantly more expensive.
The case for paying less
HPI built its reputation as the default vehicle history check in the UK over decades. That reputation commands a premium. But the data is not proprietary to HPI. Finance records, stolen status and write-off history come from the same industry databases that all providers pay to access.
MOTCO charges £4.99 + VAT for the same four core checks. That is a £15 saving per report. If you view three or four cars before buying, you save £45 to £60 on checks alone.
The one thing HPI includes that MOTCO does not at this price point is detailed keeper history (how many owners, when they changed). For most buyers, this is a secondary concern. MOT history already tells you a great deal about how many owners a car has had through the testing location patterns.
What to check before buying any used car
- Outstanding finance (most common reason buyers lose cars)
- Stolen status (you have no legal protection if you buy stolen)
- Write-off history (Cat S and N cars may be structurally compromised)
- Mileage consistency (use MOT records to detect clocking)
- MOT advisories (know what repairs are coming)
Run your check for £4.99
Enter any UK registration to get free MOT history instantly. Add the full history report for £4.99 + VAT on the results page.
Run an HPI-style check