CarMax vs CARFAX for Police
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CarMax
Discover and purchase used cars, SUVs, and trucks from a nationwide inventory. Schedule test drives, view detailed car information, and manage financing all within the app. Get upfront pricing and vehicle history reports for a convenient car buying experience.
- Nationwide used car inventory
- Detailed car photos and information
- Schedule test drives
- Save favorite cars and searches
- Vehicle history reports
- Pre-qualification for financing
- Make financing payments
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Welcome to the CarMax app. Designed to make your next car journey more convenient, whether you’re buying with us, scheduling a test drive or paying off your loan. Download and get started today! CARMAX APP FEATURES: Find the right car for you: • Save time searching with a nationwide inventory of 40,000+ used cars, SUVs, and trucks. • See car details and interior and exterior photos. • Ship vehicles to your closest store and schedule a test drive at your convenience. Customize your search: • Favorite cars and save searches. • Get alerts for changes to your saved cars and favorites. On My Way: · Alert us when you are leaving for your appointment, and our associates will be ready for your arrival. Shop around from one place: · Shop cars in our nationwide inventory · Get free vehicle history reports · Get pre-qualified · Make financing payments At CarMax, we’ve got your back. That’s why we offer: 1. Discounts directly from the app for customers who buy with us. 2. Upfront prices, clearly marked on every car. Download the CarMax app now and find your next used car, whether you’re on the lot or on the go.
CARFAX for Police
This app provides law enforcement officers with instant access to critical vehicle and driver data to help solve crimes faster. It enables quick searches of license plates, VINs, and crash reports, along with tools for accident reporting.
- Access Vehicle History Reports
- Partial License Plate Search
- VIN Alerts and High Mileage Search
- Crash Report Database Search
- VIN Scanning for Driver Information
- Driver Exchange for Accident Reporting
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CARFAX for Police powers your agency’s mission to protect and serve by providing officers with instant access to data they can’t find anywhere else. This mobile app and our web portal will help you solve crimes faster. • Access Vehicle History Reports. • Run Partial License Plate Search with 3 characters or more. • Activate VIN Alerts and High Mileage Search. • Search a database of crash reports to locate vehicles-of-interest. • Scan or enter Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) instantly to collect driver information at the scene. • Use Driver Exchange to complete reportable or non-reportable accidents in minutes. LOGIN Use your agency email address along with your CARFAX for Police password to sign into the app. Note: CARFAX for Police is only available to active law enforcement agencies. Resources are free. Contact cfpmarketing@carfax.com to activate today.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: CarMax at 4.8 against CARFAX for Police's 3.1. CarMax also leads on review sentiment (40% vs 0%) and ratings volume (408K vs 21). CARFAX for Police's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
CarMax holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CarMax has 408K ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of CarMax's written reviews are positive against 0% of CARFAX for Police's.
CarMax ships an update fortnightly, CARFAX for Police monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CarMax | CARFAX for Police |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (408K ratings) — better | 3.1 (21 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 39.9% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 408K — better | 21 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #61 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 119 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CarMax | CARFAX, Inc. |
Customer experience
CarMax
CARFAX for Police
Bugs and requests
CarMax
Reported bugs
4 issues- Incorrect vehicle information displayed
- Inability to complete appointment booking
- Inconsistent behavior when saving searches
- Payment processing issues and incorrect charges
Requested features
5 requests- Enhanced trust-building content in the app
- Ability to filter out vehicles with accident history
- Improved search functionality and saved preferences
- Seamless in-app payment processing
- Consistent and reliable app performance
CARFAX for Police
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
CarMax
No in-app purchases
CARFAX for Police
No in-app purchases
