Comparison

ACV Auctions vs LotLens

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ACV Auctions

This platform connects car dealers for wholesale vehicle sales through live, timed auctions. Sellers can easily list vehicles by scanning VINs and uploading photos, while buyers can place bids and negotiate directly on their mobile devices. All payment and title transfers are managed through the service.

Highlights
  • Live 20-minute auctions
  • VIN scanning for listings
  • Detailed condition reports
  • Live and proxy bidding
  • Real-time negotiation
  • Integrated payment and title transfer
Features
Read full description

ACV Auctions is a dealer-to-dealer marketplace. The app replaces the physical wholesale car auctions that facilitate the sale of approximately 15 million vehicles every year. This platform allows dealers to engage in our live 20 minute auctions. It's easy for sellers to create an auction. Simply scan the VIN, enter vehicle condition information, and snap a few photos. Tap "Send to Auction" and your auction is instantly sent to thousands of potential bidders. Buyers review the condition report and bid to own using live and proxy bids. Auctions are live for 20 minutes. The system prevents last-second bid sniping so you're sure to get a fair chance in every auction. Once an auction ends, sellers can accept or send the high bidder a counter offer to start a live, real-time negotiation session with the buyer. Buyers can accept the counter offer or negotiate further. All of this right from the convenience of your mobile phone. All payments and title transfers are handled through our office. Buyers can pay instantly with an electronic check or floorplan. For sellers, we email prepaid FedEx® labels for sending in titles. Bill of sales get emailed for your records. ACV Auctions is free for dealers to use. There are no monthly fees or contracts. Our buyer and seller fees are considerably lower than physical auctions. Sign up for a completely free account at http://www.acvauctions.com/ (requires proof of valid dealer license). This app collects personal information. To see our Privacy Policy / Notice at Collection, please follow the link in the App Privacy section below.

About

LotLens

Streamline vehicle inspections with VIN scanning, guided photo capture, and cost estimation. Generate professional reports quickly to save time and make informed decisions.

Highlights
  • VIN scanning and decoding
  • Guided photo capture
  • Reconditioning cost calculator
  • Profit scenario analysis
  • Professional PDF report export
Features
Read full description

LotLens makes vehicle inspections fast, accurate, and professional. Stop wasting hours on manual condition reports. With LotLens, you can scan a VIN, capture guided photos, estimate reconditioning costs, and generate a professional report—all in minutes. Features: VIN Scanning & Decoding – Instantly pull year, make, model, and trim by scanning the VIN barcode. Guided Photo Capture – Step-by-step prompts ensure you never miss an angle, from exterior to interior to tires. Recon Cost Calculator – Quickly add paint, tires, brakes, interior, and mechanical costs with auto-totals. Profit Scenarios – See potential margins before you buy or sell. Professional Reports – Export a branded PDF you can share with your team or customers in one tap. Why it matters: LotLens helps dealers save time, avoid costly mistakes, and sell cars with confidence. Whether you’re appraising trade-ins, buying at auction, or prepping for resale, LotLens gives you a clear picture of every vehicle. Made for dealers: Designed for independent dealers, wholesalers, and buyers who want a fast, reliable way to document vehicles and protect their bottom line. Start now: Download LotLens today and start creating smarter, faster, more accurate vehicle reports.

Screenshots

ACV Auctions4 screens
LotLens4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: LotLens at 5.0 against ACV Auctions's 4.4. LotLens also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.4.1). ACV Auctions's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (1.3K vs 1). On price, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. LotLens sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. ACV Auctions asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LotLens holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ACV Auctions has 1.3K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ACV Auctions ships an update every 2 weeks, LotLens every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ACV Auctions versus LotLens: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterACV AuctionsLotLens
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (1.3K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.3K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.4.115.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size168 MB48 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperACV Auctions IncJustin Kwon

Customer experience

ACV Auctions

All ratings1,250 ratings
Positive85.1%
Neutral2.1%
Negative12.8%
Written reviews176 reviews
Positive55.1%
Neutral6.8%
Negative38.1%

LotLens

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

ACV Auctions

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes when navigating between vehicles
  • Notifications not working consistently
  • Inability to view ended auctions and sold vehicles
  • Lack of landscape mode support on tablets

Requested features

5 requests
  • Watchlist feature to track interested vehicles
  • Faster bidding times
  • Improved notification system
  • Easier access to account and payment information
  • Better integration between mobile app and website

LotLens

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ACV Auctions

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

LotLens

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly14 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • Basic annual14 Days trial$179.991 Year

Questions

Is ACV Auctions free?
ACV Auctions is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LotLens free?
LotLens is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ACV Auctions or LotLens?
LotLens is rated higher. ACV Auctions averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while LotLens averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do ACV Auctions or LotLens have ads?
Neither ACV Auctions nor LotLens shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ACV Auctions or LotLens?
ACV Auctions ships an update every 2 weeks, and LotLens every 6 days. Most recently, ACV Auctions was updated on November 6, 2026 and LotLens on October 30, 2026.

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