# PrivateAuto vs CarMax Auctions

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PrivateAuto at 75% against CarMax Auctions's 0%. PrivateAuto also leads on rating (3.8 vs 1.8) and ratings volume (29 vs 5). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

PrivateAuto holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PrivateAuto has 29 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of PrivateAuto's written reviews are positive against 0% of CarMax Auctions's.

PrivateAuto ships an update every 3 weeks, CarMax Auctions every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PrivateAuto | CarMax Auctions |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.8 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/privateauto/id1614271597/reviews)** | [1.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carmax-auctions/id6479819758/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **29** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 27 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Private Auto Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1614271599) | [Auction Frontier](https://appshunter.io/developer/1090103662) |

## What reviewers say

### PrivateAuto

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/privateauto/id1614271597)

Facilitate private car sales with enhanced security and convenience. Verify buyer and seller identities, schedule test drives, and securely transfer funds directly through the app. Streamline the entire selling and buying process with digital tools and instant payment options.

**Highlights:** Buyer and seller ID verification, Vehicle history reports, In-app chat and scheduling, Digital Bill of Sale e-signing, Instant and secure fund transfers, Buyer financing options

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### CarMax Auctions

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carmax-auctions/id6479819758)

This app allows licensed dealers to participate in weekly vehicle auctions. Dealers can view inventory, research vehicles, place bids in real-time, and listen to live auctioneer audio.

**Highlights:** Real-time bidding, View vehicle lists, Place notes and watches, Research vehicles, View photos, Live auctioneer audio

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PrivateAuto free?

PrivateAuto is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CarMax Auctions free?

CarMax Auctions is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PrivateAuto or CarMax Auctions?

PrivateAuto is rated higher. PrivateAuto averages 3.8 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while CarMax Auctions averages 1.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do PrivateAuto or CarMax Auctions have ads?

Neither PrivateAuto nor CarMax Auctions shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PrivateAuto or CarMax Auctions?

PrivateAuto ships an update every 3 weeks, and CarMax Auctions every 6 weeks. Most recently, PrivateAuto was updated on October 24, 2026 and CarMax Auctions on October 20, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*