LetYouKnow vs. TrueCar: What's the Difference?

How are LetYouKnow and TrueCar different?

The difference is the direction the price comes from. TrueCar is an automotive marketplace that connects you with a network of Certified Dealers and shows upfront, dealer-provided price offers on eligible vehicles, along with what others paid, so you can shop with more confidence. You review a dealer's upfront price and continue the purchase with that dealer, who remains the seller.

LetYouKnow starts with your price on a brand new car. Instead of reviewing a dealer's offer, you set your own price as a single Bid and get an instant result. If your Bid is accepted, the new car is reserved at your accepted Bid price with a participating dealership within the search radius you selected. If your Bid is not accepted, you are not charged and can adjust your Bid and try again.

When your Bid is accepted, the price you set already includes all dealer and platform fees. Only applicable government charges such as sales tax, title, registration and licensing are added separately to reach your out-the-door total.

How does TrueCar help you buy a car?

TrueCar helps shoppers by surfacing pricing information and connecting them with Certified Dealers. It shows dealer-provided upfront pricing on eligible vehicles and information about what others paid, which is meant to give you a clearer starting point than walking in with no reference. From there, you can move forward with a Certified Dealer to continue the purchase.

For a shopper who wants an upfront number and a dealer connection in one place, that is a real convenience. The pricing is provided by the dealer and is intended as a confident starting point rather than a final, all-in figure.

The point to keep in mind is where the transaction lands: the offer comes from a Certified Dealer and the purchase is completed with that dealership. Applicable taxes, government fees, financing and any add-ons are handled in that transaction, so it is worth confirming the full itemized out-the-door figure with the dealer.

How does LetYouKnow approach the same purchase?

LetYouKnow empowers you to bid your own price on a brand new car. You build the new car you want, set your own price and get an instant result. If your Bid is accepted, the new car is reserved at your accepted Bid price with a participating dealership within the search radius you selected.

LetYouKnow is designed for price transparency on a new car. All dealer and platform fees are already inside your Bid. Government fees such as sales tax, title, registration and licensing are not included in your Bid and are typically paid as part of the final purchase with the dealership.

You enter payment information when you submit your Bid. If your Bid is accepted, the $799 service and reservation fee serves as a prepayment. It is included in your accepted Bid price and is not added on top. If your Bid is not accepted, you are not charged and can adjust your Bid and/or change options and bid again. Participating dealerships do not see your identity or contact information until your Bid is accepted.

Can I use TrueCar and LetYouKnow together?

Yes, and they complement each other. TrueCar can show you dealer-provided upfront pricing and what others paid, which is useful context for understanding where prices sit on the brand new car you want. Use it to get a sense of the market and a starting number.

Then, on LetYouKnow, take that context and bid your own price on the new car. Rather than review a price offered to you, you propose the amount, and a participating dealer's threshold decides whether it matches. After more than fourteen years in dealerships, I see the difference clearly: TrueCar shows you an upfront price from a dealer; LetYouKnow lets you name your own price and find out instantly whether it is accepted.