Most trade-in tools don't publish their prices. You fill out a form, sit through a demo, and get a quote that depends on how many rooftops you have and how the salesperson read you. That makes it hard to compare anything.
This guide covers how trade-in software is usually priced, what to ask before you sign, and exactly what TradeUpload costs and what you can customize on each plan.
How trade-in tools are usually priced
- Monthly subscription per rooftop. The most common setup. Watch for different prices for the same product depending on the store.
- Per lead or per transaction. Some cash offer programs charge when a lead comes in or a car is bought. That can look cheap until volume picks up.
- Setup or onboarding fees. Sometimes waived, sometimes not. Ask.
- Contract length. Annual contracts usually cost less per month. Multi-year contracts with auto-renewal are where stores get stuck.
- Add-ons. CRM integration, extra logins, branding, and analytics are often extra.
What to ask any vendor
- What's the total cost for the first year, including setup?
- Is there a per-lead, per-car, or per-user fee on top of the monthly price?
- How long is the contract, and how does renewal work? Will you remind me before it renews?
- Can I cancel if it stops working, and do I get anything back?
- What does the customer see? Does it show them a number?
- If we leave, can we export our trades and photos?
What TradeUpload costs
Our prices are public, and every plan starts with a free 15-day trial with no credit card. Month to month has no long-term commitment. Annual plans are paid upfront for the year and cost less per month.
| Plan | Month to month | Billed annually | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $449 a month | $399 a month $4,788 a year | One store, one person working trades |
| Growth | $899 a month | $799 a month $9,588 a year | One store with a team and steady volume |
| Group | $1,699 a month | $1,499 a month $17,988 a year | Dealer groups with several rooftops |
What's included on every plan
- A customer upload link for your store. Customers open it on their phone, no app to download.
- Your logo and colors on the customer pages, so the link looks like it came from your store.
- Your photo list, in the order you want, walked through one shot at a time.
- Your questions, plus VIN and mileage.
- A dashboard where every trade lands with its photos.
- An email alert to your desk for each new trade.
- A printable service lane sign with your store's QR code.
- Secure cloud storage for your trades and photos.
- The customer never sees a number. Your desk sets it.
Starter includes 1 dashboard login and up to 99 submissions a month, which covers most single stores getting started.
What you can customize
Every plan, Starter included, is set up around your store. Here's what you control.
Your branding
Your logo and colors go on the pages the customer sees, so the link looks like it came from your store. On Group, it's fully white-labeled, with no mention of TradeUpload anywhere the customer sees.
Your photo list
Pick the photos your desk wants and the order they come in. A truck store might want the bed and the hitch. A luxury store might want every wheel. The customer is walked through your list one shot at a time.
Your questions
Choose what you ask: payoff, accident history, number of keys, aftermarket parts, or anything else your appraiser wants to know before setting a number.
Who gets alerted, and how
Every plan sends an email alert for each new trade. Growth and Group add real-time text alerts and more recipients, so the used car manager and a sales manager both hear about it right away.
What happens after the customer submits
On Growth and up, you can send customers to a page of your choice after they finish, like your inventory, a financing app, or a current promotion.
Logins and teams
Starter has 1 dashboard login. Growth has up to 10. Group has unlimited logins with roles, so a salesperson sees what they need and managers see everything.
Multiple stores
Group adds one dashboard across all your locations, performance and lead tracking, a dedicated account rep, staff training, and an API connection to your CRM or appraisal software.
Which plan fits
- Starter if one person handles trades and you're testing photo-first appraisals.
- Growth if several people need access, you want text alerts, or you're past 99 trades a month.
- Group if you have more than one rooftop or need it connected to your CRM. Talk to us and we'll set it up across your stores.
Is it worth it?
Do the math with your own numbers. Take what an average used car deal grosses at your store, front and back. If photo-first appraisals save one deal a month that would have fallen apart over a trade number, or bring in one extra trade from the service drive, compare that to $399. For most stores, one deal covers it.
Common questions
Is there a contract?
Not on month to month. You can stop anytime. Annual plans are paid upfront for the year in exchange for a lower monthly price.
Do I need a credit card for the trial?
No. Every plan starts with a free 15-day trial, and you don't need a card to start.
Can we use our own logo and pick the photos we ask for?
Yes, on every plan, including Starter. You choose the logo, colors, questions, and photo list in the order you want. Group can also remove TradeUpload's name from everything the customer sees.
Does the customer ever see a price or trade value?
No. TradeUpload collects photos and details. Your desk decides the number and your salesperson delivers it.
Try photo-first appraisals at your store for 15 days, free, with no credit card. If it doesn't bring you better trade numbers, you're out nothing.
Try it free for 15 days