Comparison
MrVIN vs HPI: the UK institution against the European check
HPI invented the vehicle check and owns the category name in the UK. MrVIN covers the roads the car was on before it reached the UK. Here is where each one earns its fee.
Updated 23 July 2026
For a UK registered car with a UK life, HPI at GBP 19.99 is the established name, with outstanding finance data and a GBP 30,000 guarantee behind it. Its records largely stop at the border. If the car was imported, or you are buying on the continent, MrVIN checks the car's history across 30+ European countries for EUR 19.90 to 24.90 and previews the findings free before you pay.
Side by side
| MrVIN | HPI | |
|---|---|---|
| Single report price | EUR 19.90 to 24.90 | GBP 19.99 (GBP 29.97 for 3) |
| Price visible before checkout | Yes | Yes |
| Free preview before you pay | Yes | No |
| Mileage and odometer history | Yes | UK mileage records |
| Damage and accident records | Yes | UK write off markers |
| Outstanding finance check | Where available | Yes |
| Theft record check | Yes | Yes |
| History before the car reached the UK | Yes | Import marker only |
| Coverage | 30+ European countries and imports | UK registered vehicles |
| Data guarantee | No | GBP 30,000 guarantee |
| Company | VERIFY SIA, Latvia (EU) | HPI, United Kingdom |
Competitor prices and features checked on 23 July 2026 from their public price lists and product pages. Prices change often and can vary by country.
When MrVIN is the better buy
The car came from the continent
An HPI check will tell you a car is an import. It will not tell you what happened to it in Germany or Poland before it arrived. MrVIN's report is built from European registries, so the pre UK life is the report.
You are buying in Europe, not just the UK
HPI covers UK registered vehicles. MrVIN covers 30+ European countries, so the same service works whether the car is in Manchester, Munich or Vilnius.
You want to see the findings first
MrVIN previews what it found for your VIN free of charge before you pay. HPI charges first and reveals second.
Comparable price, wider search
GBP 19.99 and EUR 19.90 are near enough the same money. For an import, the MrVIN report answers the question the HPI import marker only raises.
An honest word about HPI
HPI has been checking vehicles since 1938 and is the reason British buyers say "HPI check" for any history check. Its outstanding finance data is excellent, and its GBP 30,000 data guarantee is a real, uncommon commitment. For a UK car with a UK only history, it is a trusted default.
The limitation is the same thing that makes it strong: it is a UK service about UK records. Roughly speaking, HPI tells you everything since the car arrived; MrVIN tells you everything before that, which for an imported car is where the risk lives.
Check the car, not the marketing
Enter the VIN and see a free preview of the car's mileage, damage and import history before you pay anything.
Not ready yet? See a full sample report
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an HPI check and a MrVIN report?
An HPI check covers a UK registered vehicle's UK records: outstanding finance, write off markers, theft, plate changes and mileage readings, backed by a GBP 30,000 data guarantee. A MrVIN report covers the car's history across 30+ European countries, which for an imported car means the part of its life an HPI check cannot see.
Do I need both for an imported car?
It is a reasonable combination. HPI answers the UK legal questions, especially outstanding finance. MrVIN answers what happened before the car arrived: real mileage, foreign damage records and past registrations. Together they cost about the price of a tank of fuel.
Is MrVIN cheaper than HPI?
The single report prices are close: GBP 19.99 for HPI and EUR 19.90 to 24.90 for MrVIN. The difference is what the money buys. HPI buys UK records and a guarantee; MrVIN buys the car's European history plus a free preview of the findings before you pay.
Does an HPI check show mileage recorded abroad?
Generally no. UK checks flag the vehicle as an import but have little visibility of readings and records from its previous country. That gap is what a European history check is for, and it is where imported car mileage fraud hides.
More comparisons
MrVIN is operated by VERIFY SIA and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the other services named on this page. All trademarks belong to their owners and are used only to identify the services being compared.