Most big car sites will email you when a matching car is listed, and it costs nothing. The catch is that each site only watches its own listings, and they don't all cover price drops or private sellers.
Disclosure: we make CarScout, a paid alert tool. The free options below are where most buyers should start.
The bottom line
To get notified when a used car is listed, save a search on each site that carries it and turn on alerts. CarGurus and Autotrader alert you to new listings and price drops for free. AutoTempest sends one daily email across several sites. Facebook Marketplace and craigslist need their own saved searches for private sellers. A paid monitor is worth it only if free alerts keep missing or burying your exact spec.
Which sites send used car alerts
Features come from each provider's own help and app store pages, checked October 25, 2026.
| Site | New-listing alerts | Price-drop alerts | How they arrive |
|---|---|---|---|
| CarGurus | Yes, on saved searches | Yes, on saved searches and saved cars | Not stated; the app advertises real-time alerts |
| Autotrader | Yes, on saved searches | Yes, per its app listing | Email or text, daily or weekly |
| Cars.com | Not documented today | Yes, on favorite cars | App notifications |
| AutoTempest | Yes, from its direct sources | Not stated | One daily email |
| Facebook Marketplace | Yes, on saved searches | Not stated | Facebook notifications; timing not published |
| craigslist | Yes, search alerts | Not stated | Email; timing not stated |
| CarScout (ours) | Yes, US dealer listings | Yes, on matched cars | One daily digest email |
How to set up alerts on each site
Autotrader
Autotrader's help page spells out the steps. Run a search, then click "Save Search Criteria" at the top of the results and name the search. Check "Receive email alerts" or "Receive text alerts," choose daily or weekly, and click "Update." Text alerts ask you to confirm by replying YES.
The alert setting applies to all your saved searches, so you only set it once. You can save up to 50 searches and 50 cars. For price drops, Autotrader's app listing says you can "sign up for alerts on price drops," and you manage them under Notification Preferences in the app.
CarGurus
Sign in and save your search. CarGurus' saved searches page says saving one gets you alerts on price drops and new listings. Saving an individual car adds price-drop alerts for that car. The app advertises real-time alerts; we haven't measured how fast they arrive.
Cars.com
Cars.com's app lets you save favorite cars and searches. It says you can set up price-drop notifications on favorite cars. We couldn't find current documentation that it emails you new matches for a saved search, so check your account settings before you rely on that.
AutoTempest
AutoTempest's email alerts are set up from the search results page, for as many vehicles as you want, and arrive as one daily email. They cover the sites AutoTempest shows directly, such as Cars.com, TrueCar, eBay Motors, and Carvana. Autotrader, CarGurus, Facebook Marketplace, and craigslist appear only as links in AutoTempest, so set alerts on those sites separately.
Facebook Marketplace and craigslist
Both are where private sellers list, and AutoTempest only links to them. Save a search on each and turn on notifications. Our guide to Facebook Marketplace and craigslist car alerts has the steps and covers paid monitors that check Marketplace on a stated schedule.
Saved search or saved car?
A saved search watches for new cars that match your criteria. A saved car follows one listing you've already found. Most buyers need both.
| Your question | Alert to use | Still check yourself |
|---|---|---|
| Has a new car matching my spec been listed? | Saved search | Equipment and availability |
| Has this car's price dropped? | Saved car, or a VIN-level monitor | Current price and purchase terms |
| Has the seller replied? | Message notification | The substance of the reply |
Following one car doesn't keep your wider search running. If that car sells, you want other candidates already coming in.
What alerts miss
Every alert only covers the listings that reach it. A site that links to another site's results won't put those cars in your email. No single service has every car for sale, so for a rare spec, keep alerts on two or three sources that carry different inventory.
There's also a delay between a listing going up and the email reaching you. A daily email can't promise you'll be first. When an alert arrives, confirm the price and availability with the seller before you plan a trip.
CarScout, our tool, takes a different approach: you set one spec, it checks US dealer listings about every 24 hours, and it emails one digest of new matches and price drops. It includes and excludes fields such as color, drivetrain, and transmission. It doesn't cover private sellers. Plans start at $5 a week with three scouts.
Check the setup once
After you save an alert:
- Reopen the saved search and confirm the location, year range, and price limit.
- Check the email address and notification settings.
- Open a few results and compare them with your must-haves.
If alerts send cars you'd never buy, use the saved-search mismatch checklist. If they stop arriving, use the missing-alert checks.
FAQ
How do I get notified when a specific used car is listed?
Save a search with your exact model, years, trim, and price limit on each site that lists that car, then turn on alerts. CarGurus, Autotrader, and AutoTempest do this for free. Add Facebook Marketplace and craigslist saved searches if you'd buy from a private seller.
Can I set up price drop alerts on Autotrader?
Yes. Autotrader's app listing says you can sign up for alerts on price drops and manage them under Notification Preferences. Saved-search alerts on the website go out by email or text, daily or weekly.
Does Cars.com have saved search alerts?
Cars.com lets you save searches and favorite cars, and its app documents price-drop notifications on favorite cars. We couldn't find current documentation for new-listing emails on saved searches, so check the settings in your account.
Which sites send alerts when car prices drop?
CarGurus covers price drops on saved searches and saved cars. Autotrader's app has price-drop alerts, and Cars.com covers favorite cars.
Do I need to pay for used car alerts?
No. CarGurus, Autotrader, AutoTempest, Facebook Marketplace, and craigslist all offer free alerts. Paying makes sense only when free alerts keep missing your spec or bury it in noise.
If you're running the same search on three sites and still digging through the results, set up a scout for your exact spec. It's $5 a week and emails you once a day.
Related: how to find a used car with a specific trim and color, Facebook Marketplace and craigslist car alerts, AutoTempest vs CarGurus, and whether a car finding service is worth it.
Sources: My Autotrader help, Autotrader on the App Store, CarGurus saved searches, CarGurus saved cars, CarGurus on the App Store, Cars.com on the App Store, AutoTempest email alerts, AutoTempest on the App Store, craigslist saved searches help, craigslist fees, and Facebook on cost. Checked October 25, 2026. Features change, so confirm in your account.