There are a lot of trade-in tools for dealers, and their websites all promise more trades and happier customers. Most of them sort into a few kinds once you ask two questions:
- Does the customer see a number before anyone at your store sees the car?
- Who sets the number: a data model, a cash-offer program, or your desk?
Answer those and you'll know which kind of tool fits your store. Here's how the better-known options line up.
Side by side
| Tool | What the customer sees | Photos before the number? | Who sets the number | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protomiq SNAP formerly TradePending |
An instant trade value on your website | No | Local market data | Website leads |
| KBB Instant Cash Offer | A cash offer, good for 7 days, pending inspection | No | The KBB program | Buying cars from the public |
| Accu‑Trade | A price, guaranteed pending inspection, with a breakdown | Optional, customer can add them | Accu‑Trade | Website leads and acquisition |
| CDK Roadster Express Trade | A firm offer from the dealer, usually within minutes | Yes | Your store | Stores on Roadster's online storefront |
| VentaVid Capture | Nothing yet; they record the views you ask for | Yes, video and photos | Your store | Stores that want video walkarounds |
| TradeUpload | Nothing; the desk follows up with a number | Yes, a guided photo set | Your store | Trades your salespeople are already working |
Instant value tools
Protomiq SNAP (formerly TradePending)
TradePending renamed itself Protomiq in April 2026. SNAP is its trade value tool, and it's one of the most common ones on dealer websites. A shopper enters year, make, model, and trim, gives contact info, and gets a trade value based on local retail listing data. Protomiq also sells payment, offer, and shopper-tracking tools that work alongside it.
Good at: turning anonymous website visitors into leads, any time of day.
Watch for: the shopper now has a number in mind before anyone has seen the car's condition.
Cash offer tools
KBB Instant Cash Offer
The customer describes the car and gets an offer that's good for 7 days at participating dealers, pending an inspection. If the inspection finds something the customer didn't mention, the offer can go down. Consumers know the Kelley Blue Book name, which helps it pull in sellers.
Good at: sourcing cars from people who aren't buying from you.
Watch for: when the inspection lowers the offer, the customer often feels like the store moved the number, even though the number came from KBB.
Accu‑Trade
Accu‑Trade, part of Cars Commerce, gives the customer a price that's guaranteed pending inspection, along with a breakdown of how it got there. Unlike most instant tools, it lets the customer add photos along the way.
Good at: a fast offer that's more detailed than most.
Watch for: it's still a number the customer sees before your desk weighs in.
Photo and video tools
CDK Roadster Express Trade
The customer scans or types the VIN, answers condition questions, and sends photos from their phone. Your store reviews it and sends a firm offer. It runs inside Roadster's online storefront, which you need to have first.
Good at: keeping your desk in control inside a full online buying process.
Watch for: it's a fit mainly if you already use, or want, Roadster for online sales.
VentaVid Capture
VentaVid is mostly a video messaging company for sales and service. Its Capture product sends the customer a link to record the exact photos and video views you ask for, right in the browser.
Good at: video, including engine sound and a walkaround.
Watch for: video takes longer to review than a set of photos, and trade-ins are one use among many in its product line.
TradeUpload
That's us. A salesperson texts the customer one link, branded to your store. It walks them through your photo list one shot at a time, collects the VIN, mileage, and details, and drops everything into one dashboard with an email alert to your desk. The customer never sees a number. Your appraiser sets it, and your salesperson delivers it.
Good at: trades your team is already working, and the service drive.
Watch for: it doesn't generate website leads on its own, and someone has to follow up. If you need traffic, pair it with one of the tools above.
How to pick
- You want more leads from your website. Look at instant value or cash offer tools.
- You want to buy more cars from the public. A cash offer program is built for that.
- Your numbers keep changing between the first quote and the deal. Look at a photo-first tool, so the desk sees the car before anyone says a number.
- You do both. Plenty of stores run an instant tool on the website and send a photo link to customers they're already talking to. They don't compete.
Based on each company's public website and announcements as of October 2026. Products change often, so confirm details with each vendor before you sign anything. Product names belong to their owners. TradeUpload isn't affiliated with any company listed here.
Common questions
What's the difference between an instant offer and a photo appraisal?
An instant offer gives the customer a number from the details they enter, before anyone sees the car. A photo appraisal collects photos first, and your desk sets the number after reviewing them.
Is TradePending the same as Protomiq?
Yes. TradePending changed its name to Protomiq in April 2026. SNAP, its trade value tool, is still part of the lineup.
Can a store use more than one trade-in tool?
Yes, and many do. A common setup is an instant tool on the website for new shoppers and a photo link for customers your salespeople are already working.
If your numbers keep changing between the first quote and the deal, try photo-first. TradeUpload starts at $399 a month billed annually, and you can try it free for 15 days.
Try it free for 15 days