Junk Car Buyers (2026): 10 Best Options, Ranked & Compared

On this page

The best junk car buyers in 2026, ranked
More companies that buy junk cars
Junk car buyers compared: towing, payment and title
Local junk car buyers: scrap yards and pick-and-pull lots
Where to sell a junk car that still runs, or donate it
No title junk car buyers: who says yes
How to get the most cash and spot a bad buyer
What to do next

The best junk car buyers in 2026 are Peddle and CarBrain. Both quote you online, tow the car for free and usually pay by check at pickup. Peddle covers all 50 states and CarBrain 48, so one of them will almost always reach you. Get both offers, keep the higher one, and call a local yard only if you can deliver the car yourself.

Quick answer

Peddle, then CarBrainget both offers, keep the higher one

Peddle is the best place to sell a junk car for most people. CarBrain is the better second quote for damaged cars, and its FAQ says it needs a title in your name.

Top junk car buyers right now

Free online quotes. Free towing. Compare two offers before you say yes.

The best junk car buyers in 2026, ranked

Peddle and CarBrain go first because both quote online, tow for free and take almost any condition. After them the list runs from other buyers that take junk cars, to options that only fit a running car, to one that pays nothing. Four questions decide each spot: does towing cost you anything, when does the money arrive, what happens if the title is missing, and how often do reviewers say the offer changed at pickup.

Company claims are labeled as claims, and ratings and policies are as of September 2026. Peddle and CarBrain both invite customers to review them on Trustpilot and both show Trustpilot’s paid-subscription tag, so read their scores as a starting point. Several of the big buyers of junk cars quote you online and send a local partner to collect the car, so pickup day can differ from the quote.

1. Peddle: the best place to sell a junk car for most people

Peddle shows an offer on screen without making you create an account, then gives you about a week to accept. Its help center says sellers pay no fees, and towing, pickup and title transfer are included. It buys running and non-running cars, damaged cars and cars with missing parts, in all 50 states. It does not buy motorcycles, RVs or boats. The same help center puts offer to payment at 2 to 5 days, sometimes the same day.

Trustpilot shows 4.7 out of 5 across 210,482 reviews, and the BBB gives Peddle an A+ (accredited since 2013) with 174 complaints closed in the last three years. Payment is usually a company check handed over at pickup, and Peddle says cash isn’t guaranteed. It also says it accepts cars without a title, though a missing one can change your offer.

What we like

Offer on screen, no account needed to see it
No seller fees, towing and title transfer included
Cancel any time, even after you accept
All 50 states, running or not

What to watch

Offer can change at pickup if the car doesn’t match your answers
Pickup is done by a local carrier, so drivers vary
Payment is usually a check, cash isn’t guaranteed

The catch is pickup day. Peddle says the accepted amount holds only if your description is accurate and nothing major is missing, and its terms (updated August 2026) let it recalculate the offer or refuse the pickup if the car doesn’t match. Low-star Trustpilot reviews describe drivers cutting quotes on the spot (one reviewer says $865 became $600) and arriving hours late. Peddle says you can cancel with no fees, though a new request may come back at a different price. The full breakdown is in our Peddle review.

2. CarBrain: the best second offer for damaged and wrecked cars

CarBrain scores 4.8 on Trustpilot from 7,789 reviews (89% five-star) and holds an A rating with the BBB, which lists 19 complaints in the last three years. Its site advertises offers from $100 to $20,000+ for cars with accident damage or major mechanical trouble, and the company says the average junk car gets $250–$750. Towing is free, pickup averages 24 to 48 hours after you accept, and it pays by check at pickup or by mail.

What we like

Handles blown engines, wrecks and total losses
Free towing, average pickup in 24 to 48 hours
4.8 on Trustpilot, A from the BBB

What to watch

Requires a title in your name, per its FAQ
48 states, no Alaska or Hawaii
Reviewers report offers cut after acceptance

It sits second because of the paperwork and the map. The FAQ says CarBrain requires a title in your name, and its service area skips Alaska and Hawaii. Offers also come from CarBrain or its network of service providers, so pickup depends on who covers your area.

Reviewers on the BBB and Trustpilot describe offers cut after acceptance. CarBrain’s BBB replies point to condition answers that didn’t match the car, such as a missing catalytic converter. In one February 2026 reply it told the BBB that its own staff had wrongly advised an adjustment because of a system upload issue, and said it would honor the original offer. Read our CarBrain review, or the head-to-head in CarBrain vs Peddle.

You’ll also see DamagedCars.com. It is where CarBrain started, and the BBB lists it as an alternate name for CarBrain, LLC. Treat it as the same company, so a DamagedCars.com quote is not a second opinion.

More companies that buy junk cars

After the top two come the other national companies that buy junk cars. None are our partners. The details below are each company’s published rules as read in September 2026.

3. Wheelzy: wide net, with a pickup-day caveat

Wheelzy buys junk, wrecked and old cars in any condition, with two limits: model year 1981 or newer, and the engine and transmission still in the car. Towing is free, drivers pay by check or cash on arrival, and it covers all 50 states plus DC. Wheelzy says its offers are guaranteed and won’t change. It also says it may be able to buy without a title depending on the location, so call first.

Trustpilot shows 4.7 across roughly 85,800 reviews, but the negative ones repeatedly mention quotes cut when the driver arrived (one cites $55) and late pickups (one cites four hours). Those are customer claims, not Wheelzy policy.

4. Junk Car Medics: seven-day offers, local partners

Junk Car Medics buys cars, trucks, SUVs and vans in any condition, including non-running and totaled ones, but not RVs, ATVs or motorcycles. Towing is free, the offer is good for seven days, and payment is cash or a certified check at pickup, before the car leaves. Its site says typical payouts run $300–$1,500, which is a company claim.

The titled owner needs photo ID at pickup, plus a valid title unless your state allows an alternative. Any loan has to be paid off first. The driver at your door is a local partner carrier, not Junk Car Medics staff, and the company can adjust the price or decline the purchase if the car differs significantly from what you reported.

5. Copart Direct: salvage and wrecked cars

Copart Direct is Copart’s program for buying cars from the public, and it’s worth a quote when the car is wrecked or has a salvage history. It says it buys any condition, tows for free and pays cash in as little as 24 hours, with nearly 200 locations in the US and Canada. You hand over keys and title at pickup.

Don’t confuse it with Copart’s auction consignment agreement. That one charges fees whether or not the car sells and pays out 7 to 21 business days after the buyer pays in full.

Junk car buyers compared: towing, payment and title

Here are all ten routes side by side. The first five are the online junk car buyers, and the rest are covered below.

Buyer	Best for	Towing	Payment	Title needed
1. Peddle	Most junk cars, 50 states	Free	Company check at pickup	Signed title preferred, no-title sales possible
2. CarBrain	Damaged, wrecked, total loss	Free	Check at pickup or by mail	Yes, in your name
3. Wheelzy	Any condition, 1981 or newer	Free	Check or cash at pickup	Call first, may buy without
4. Junk Car Medics	Non-running, no keys	Free	Cash or certified check	Title and ID, no-title possible in many states
5. Copart Direct	Wrecked and salvage cars	Free	Cash at pickup	Keys and title
6. Local scrap yard	Complete cars you can deliver	Varies, ask	Varies	Usually, state rules differ
7. Private sale	Running or valuable cars	You arrange it	From the buyer	You sign it over
8. CarMax	Running cars	Home pickup in some places, fee may apply	On the spot after verification	Ask first, bring ID, registration and keys
9. Carvana	Drivable, newer than 1992	Drop-off free, pickup extra	Check, or ACH in 2–5 business days	Yes, if you own it outright
10. Donation	No cash wanted	Free per the charity	Tax receipt only	Usually not, state forms apply

Free towing is not universal

Carvana charges for home pickup in some locations, WeBuyAnyCar says it does not reimburse towing, and Pick Your Part says it will arrange towing without calling it free. “Guaranteed” offers are conditional too. Junk Car Medics, CarMax, Carvana and WeBuyAnyCar all say they can adjust the price when the car doesn’t match your description.

Local junk car buyers: scrap yards and pick-and-pull lots

Option 6 is the local yard, which prices a car by weight and the metal market. iScrap’s crowd-sourced figure for a complete car was $177.58 per ton in September 2026, down 6.25% over 45 days. Yard reports since June ran from $150 to $250, and most yards pay about $140–$200. A 3,000 lb sedan is 1.5 tons, so about $266 gross at the iScrap figure (our arithmetic, not a quote). iScrap defines a complete car as engine, transmission, catalytic converter, battery, radiator, rims and tires, and wiring harness. Strip parts off and you drop to a lower rate.

A yard makes sense when you can deliver the car yourself. The risk is paperwork. iScrap says most states require a title, though some yards accept registration or insurance proof. Under a rule that took effect January 1, 2026, Texas lets a recycler dismantle a car bought without a title only if it is at least 13 years old and has been unregistered for at least seven.

Pick Your Part, the pick-and-pull chain, buys junk and non-running cars in 17 states and says it will arrange towing. Its page warns of deductions for accident damage and for whatever keeps the car from running. Call two or three yards and ask what they pay per ton, whether they tow, and what paperwork they need. Our guide to what junkyards pay for cars has the current numbers.

Where to sell a junk car that still runs, or donate it

The first question about where to sell a junk car is whether it runs. Branch buyers such as WeBuyAnyCar USA (87 branches in 12 states) buy cars running or not, but the company says it does not pay for towing and is not a junk car removal service. Call the branch first, because some locations can’t take a tow truck. Its online valuation is only an estimate and can be adjusted at any time, including during the inspection.

7. Private sale: Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist

Craigslist charges $5 to post a car by owner. The trade-off is time: you find the buyer, and the buyer has to accept a car that may not run. The gap can be large. One CarBrain reviewer says a Ford E350 van drew offers of $600, then $800, and sold for $7,000 on Facebook Marketplace. That is one reviewer’s claim about one van, but it is the reason to price a private sale first.

Watch for the fake check scam, where a buyer sends a check for too much and asks you to refund the difference. The FTC warns a deposited check can turn out fake weeks later, and you owe the bank the money. CarMax’s selling guide says to verify a cashier’s check with the issuing bank and never refund an overpayment.

8. CarMax: firm offers for cars that drive

CarMax says it will make an offer on almost any car and sends the ones that don’t fit its lot to auction. Offers are firm for seven days and paid on the spot after verification, though some are adjusted at the in-person check. It asks for photo ID from every titleholder, current registration and all keys and fobs. Whether it takes a car that won’t start isn’t stated on its pages, and its selling guide says dealerships generally expect a car that runs and is safe to drive. Ask before you tow anything there.

9. Carvana: only if the car drives

Carvana accepts a car only if it is newer than 1992, the odometer works and the car can be driven safely, so a dead car doesn’t fit its process. Hub drop-off is free, home pickup costs extra in some locations, and you’re paid by printed check at the appointment or by ACH, which normally takes 2 to 5 business days.

10. Donation: no cash, by design

Charities that take junk cars pay you nothing. You get a tax receipt, and the IRS sets the deduction rules. Under IRS Publication 526, a car that sells for $500 or less lets you deduct the smaller of $500 or its fair market value. Above $500 you generally deduct the smaller of the sale price or fair market value. Confirm with a tax pro before you count on it. Kars4Kids, for example, lists Arizona, California, Illinois, Minnesota and Washington as states that require a release of liability.

Vet the charity before you sign. In May 2026 BBB Wise Giving Alliance reported that a California court found Kars4Kids made untrue or misleading statements in its advertising.

No title junk car buyers: who says yes

Some buyers say they can take a car with no title, and every one of them tells you to check first. Peddle is the most open about it: it says it accepts cars without a title, that a missing title can change your offer, and that some states require one no matter what. CarBrain’s FAQ says it requires a title in your name, though a separate CarBrain page says no-title sales are possible in some states for old or low-value cars and tells you to verify with your DMV. Wheelzy says it may be able to buy without one depending on where the car is, and Junk Car Medics says it’s possible in many states with other documents such as registration and ID. Both want a call first.

The legal exceptions are narrow and share a shape: old and cheap. Here are four, read on official state sources in September 2026. Thresholds change, so confirm with your DMV.

State	The car must be	Who can buy it
Arizona	12+ model years old, value $1,200 or less	Registered scrap metal dealer or licensed automotive recycler
Georgia	12+ model years old, worth $850 or less, no lien	Licensed used parts dealer or scrap metal processor
Florida	10+ model years old, value under $1,000 (“derelict”)	Licensed salvage dealer or registered secondary metals recycler
New York	8+ model years old, worth $1,250 or less	Registered dismantler, itinerant vehicle collector or certified scrap processor

A newer car with no title usually needs a duplicate first.

Order the duplicate

If you can wait, a duplicate title from your DMV widens your options. California says a title usually arrives by mail in 15 to 30 days. Other states differ, so confirm with your DMV. Then read selling a junk car without a title for the state-by-state detail.

How to get the most cash and spot a bad buyer

Get at least two offers. One CarBrain reviewer on Trustpilot says an $85 offer for a working car lost to $600 elsewhere. Another says $200 against about $700. Those are reviewers’ claims, but the gap is the point.
Answer the condition questions honestly. Peddle reviewers describe pickup-day cuts over mileage and title problems, and CarBrain’s BBB replies blame a missing catalytic converter.
Leave the parts on. CarBrain says a car missing its engine or transmission doesn’t meet its minimum standards, and Peddle can recalculate the offer when a major component is missing.
Confirm the amount in writing before the tow truck shows up, and ask what the driver will check.
Treat an up-front fee as a red flag. Peddle, CarBrain, Wheelzy and Junk Car Medics all say the tow is free.
Read the one- and two-star reviews first. They show what goes wrong at pickup.
Close out the paperwork. Remove plates if your state requires it, cancel the insurance once the car is gone, and file your DMV release of liability where your state has one.

Want a number to hold the offers against? The junk car value calculator gives you one. And if you’re replacing the car, price coverage for the next one before you cancel this policy.

What to do next

Request the Peddle offer, then the CarBrain one, and put both side by side before you call anyone else. Accept the higher number only after you’ve confirmed what the driver will check at pickup. If the title is missing, ask your DMV what your state allows before anyone tows the car. Our cash for junk cars guide walks through the process from offer to payment.

Get both offers, keep the higher one

Free online quotes. Free towing. Compare two offers before you say yes.

FAQ

Who pays the highest price for a junk car?

No single buyer wins every time. The offer depends on your car, your ZIP code and what buyers are paying that week. CarBrain advertises offers up to $20,000+ for cars with accident damage or major mechanical trouble, while a plain complete car may bring only scrap value, about $177.58 per ton in iScrap's September 2026 average. Request the Peddle and CarBrain offers and keep the higher one.

How much do junk car buyers usually pay?

CarBrain says the average junk car brings $250–$750, and Junk Car Medics says most cars fetch $300–$1,500. Both are company claims. Scrap yards pay by weight: about $140–$200 per ton at most US yards, a national average near $178 (iScrap, September 2026), so a 3,000 lb sedan is roughly $266 gross. CarBrain's site also lists recent purchases of $1,000 to $8,000, well above its own average.

How can I get the most cash for a junk car?

Get two or three instant offers, answer the condition questions accurately (catalytic converter, mileage, whether it starts) and leave the parts on the car. Have the title ready, because a missing one can change the offer. Confirm the amount in writing before the driver arrives. If the car still runs, compare a private sale before you accept a scrap-style price.

Do junk car buyers tow the car for free?

Most national buyers do. Peddle, CarBrain, Wheelzy, Junk Car Medics and Copart Direct all say towing is free. Carvana charges for home pickup in some locations, WeBuyAnyCar says it does not reimburse towing, and Pick Your Part says it arranges towing without calling it free. Storage or impound fees you owe before the sale stay yours to pay.

Can I sell a junk car without a title?

Sometimes. Peddle says it accepts cars without a title, though that can change the offer. Wheelzy and Junk Car Medics say it depends on your state and want a call first. CarBrain's FAQ says it requires a title in your name. State exceptions are narrow, such as Georgia's route for cars at least 12 model years old and worth $850 or less. See selling a junk car without a title.

Are national junk car buyers legit?

The big ones have public track records you can check. Peddle has an A+ from the BBB and 4.7 stars on Trustpilot across 210,482 reviews. CarBrain has an A from the BBB and 4.8 on Trustpilot across 7,789 reviews. Both invite customers to review them, and both have complaints about offers cut at pickup and late tow drivers. Read the recent low-star reviews before you accept.

Sources we checked

Written and fact-checked by the Junk Car Worth team. Prices and buyer policies checked September 2026. How we estimate value.