What Cars & Bids charges
Selling is free: “Listing a car on Cars & Bids is completely free.” Buyers pay a 5% buyer’s fee on top of the final price, at least $250 and at most $7,500 (Cars & Bids FAQ). When you bid, Cars & Bids holds 5% of your bid on your card, with the same minimum and maximum.
| Winning bid | Total fees | Fee rate | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3,000.00 | $0.00 | 0.00% | $3,000.00 |
| $10,000.00 | $0.00 | 0.00% | $10,000.00 |
| $30,000.00 | $0.00 | 0.00% | $30,000.00 |
| $75,000.00 | $0.00 | 0.00% | $75,000.00 |
| $200,000.00 | $0.00 | 0.00% | $200,000.00 |
Cars & Bids vs Bring a Trailer for sellers
For the seller, Cars & Bids saves the $99 listing fee. For buyers, both charge 5% with a $250 minimum and $7,500 cap on standard auctions, so bidders’ all-in costs are the same. The choice comes down to audience: Cars & Bids leans toward modern enthusiast cars, BaT covers more classics and has a 10% category.
An $18,000 example
A winning bid of $18,000 means a $900 buyer’s fee (5%), so the buyer pays $18,900 and you receive the full $18,000. On Bring a Trailer the buyer pays the same $900 but you’d pay a $99 listing fee (How BaT Works).
Below $5,000 the $250 minimum is more than 5%, which is why cheaper cars carry a proportionally bigger buyer fee. A $3,000 car still costs the winner $250, 8.3% on top. If your car is likely to sell under $5,000, that’s worth knowing: bidders factor the fee into what they offer.
What sellers still pay for
Listing is free, but getting the car sold isn’t. You cover the photos, an inspection report if you choose one, and any transport to the buyer if you agree to it. Add those under costs to see what the sale really leaves you.
See the full Bring a Trailer fee calculator, or compare a private sale on Facebook Marketplace.