Cars.com
Automotive marketplace providing new and used car inventory listings, dealer reviews, and vehicle pricing analysis.
Cars.com at a glance
Cars.com is an automotive website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #545 in the country. It was founded in 1998 by Classified Ventures and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Today Cars.com is owned by CARS Inc.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 38.5 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through automotive dealer subscriptions, targeted advertising, lead generation fees. Its closest rivals include carurus.com, autotrader.com, carvana.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 36.2 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 37.3 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 38.5 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 40.8 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct44%
- Organic search38%
- Paid search10%
- Referral5%
- Social3%
Audience & demographics
- Men68%
- Women32%
- Age 25-3428%
- Age 35-4427%
- Age 45-5421%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 11.5 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| cars.com | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| used cars | Top 10 | High | — |
| car prices | Top 10 | High | — |
| car reviews | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 70% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading automotive apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- cars.com
- Sector
- Automotive
- Owner
- CARS Inc.
- Owner type
- Public company
- Founders
- Classified Ventures
- Founded
- 1998
- Headquarters
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Employees
- 1,700+
- Ownership
- CARS Inc. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $680 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, paid search
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $680 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Cars.com operates an automotive marketplace focused on United States. Automotive marketplace providing new and used car inventory listings, dealer reviews, and vehicle pricing analysis. Revenue comes mainly from automotive dealer subscriptions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Automotive dealer subscriptions
- Targeted advertising
- Lead generation fees
Products & services
Related deals on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate, Global Site Index earns from qualifying purchases.
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #545 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading automotive site in United States
- Global rank
- 1950
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| carurus.com | ≈ 23.1 million / month | #546 class competitor | — |
| autotrader.com | ≈ 17.3 million / month | #547 class competitor | — |
| carvana.com | ≈ 11.5 million / month | #548 class competitor | — |
What is Cars.com?
Cars.com (cars.com) is an automotive marketplace serving users in United States. Automotive marketplace providing new and used car inventory listings, dealer reviews, and vehicle pricing analysis. It ranks #545 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the automotive category.
Who owns Cars.com?
The site is operated by CARS Inc., founded by Classified Ventures. The company was established in 1998 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It employs around 1,700+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Cars.com at roughly 38.5 million visits per month, about 1.3 million per day. Around 70% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 8.1 pages per visit with an average session of 7 min.
How Cars.com makes money
Revenue comes primarily from automotive dealer subscriptions, alongside targeted advertising, lead generation fees.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include carurus.com, autotrader.com, carvana.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1998
Cars.com is founded in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its automotive offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #545 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Deepest local vehicle inventory
- Detailed specification and price comparison tools
- Dealer and private listings side by side
- Financing and insurance partners integrated
Cons
- Dealer listing costs are high
- Price data can lag the real market
- Vehicle history checks are a paid add-on
- Regional coverage uneven outside big cities
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Cars.com?
Cars.com is operated by CARS Inc.. Public company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Cars.com headquartered?
Cars.com is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
When was Cars.com founded?
Cars.com was founded in 1998 by Classified Ventures.
How many employees does Cars.com have?
Cars.com employs approximately 1,700+ people.
What is Cars.com's revenue?
Cars.com's revenue: ≈ $680 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Cars.com's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include carurus.com, autotrader.com, carvana.com.
How does Cars.com make money?
Mainly automotive dealer subscriptions, targeted advertising, lead generation fees.
Is Cars.com publicly traded?
Cars.com's ownership: Public company.
How many visitors does Cars.com get?
Third-party estimates place Cars.com at roughly 38.5 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 70% mobile traffic.
Is Cars.com safe?
Cars.com is an established automotive site founded in 1998 and ranked #545 in United States; use the official domain cars.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementscars.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos