MAX Digital vs vAuto
Compare documented scope, then run both against the same demo, integration and contract questions. This is an evidence table—not a winner declaration.
What this comparison establishes
MAX Digital and vAuto meet on 3 shared workflow categories — inventory management, inventory merchandising and trade appraisal & valuation. Outside that overlap they are not the same purchase: vAuto additionally covers wholesale & auctions. Decide whether the wider record is scope you actually need or scope you will pay for and not use.
vAuto carries a dated evidence packet naming the source that was checked. MAX Digital is at Reviewed status: its scope is mapped from current provider and market sources, but individual claims may still be one-sided. This is a statement about our research, not about the two products. Treat it as a signal to demand the same written evidence from MAX Digital that the packet already records for vAuto — not as a reason to prefer either.
Research statusReviewedVerified
Corporate parentACVCox Automotive
Primary marketUSUS & Canada
Typical segmentFranchise and groupsFranchise and independents
Product records47
Mapped categories34
Integration records16
Public pricingNot published — quote per configurationNot published — quote per configuration
Contract termNot established in this recordNot established in this record
Coverage split
Where they overlap, and where they do not
Mapped workflow categories only. Coverage is not capability—confirm the exact modules on the order form.
0 additional categories
Nothing outside the shared overlap.
1 additional category
What you are actually buying
Named product lines on each side
Packaging changes. Confirm which of these are separate line items on the order form.
Inside the shared categories, MAX Digital fields 4 named lines against it (Inventory Management, FirstLook, Appraisal, Merchandising); vAuto fields 7 named lines against it (Provision, Conquest, Stockwave, iRecon, and others). Product names are packaging, and packaging changes — ask each provider which of these appear on the order form as separate line items, which are bundled, and which are add-ons priced later.
A
MAX Digital
- MAX Digital Inventory Management — Inventory management, Trade appraisal & valuation
- MAX Digital FirstLook — Inventory management
- MAX Digital Appraisal — Inventory management, Trade appraisal & valuation
- MAX Digital Merchandising — Inventory merchandising
B
vAuto
- vAuto Provision — Inventory management, Trade appraisal & valuation
- vAuto Conquest — Inventory management
- vAuto Stockwave — Inventory management
- vAuto iRecon — Inventory management
- vAuto VINCUE integration tools — Inventory management
- vAuto Appraisal — Inventory management, Trade appraisal & valuation
- vAuto Syndication — Inventory merchandising
Eligibility first
Settle these before comparing features
The two records describe different primary markets — MAX Digital is recorded as US and vAuto as US & Canada. Confirm both are actually sold, supported and contracted in your country and state before anything else, because a market mismatch settles the comparison on its own.
Typical segment differs: MAX Digital is recorded against franchise and groups and vAuto against franchise and independents. Segment is a description of who a provider usually serves, not a restriction. Ask each for a reference at your rooftop count and franchise mix rather than assuming the record excludes you.
Both companies sit inside larger groups
MAX Digital is owned by ACV and vAuto by Cox Automotive. In both cases you are choosing a position inside a portfolio, not only a product. Ask each side which sibling products are prerequisites, which integrations are free because they are internal, what happens commercially if you later drop one product in the group, and whether renewal pricing is quoted per product or per bundle.
Ask both the same questions
Evaluation criteria for the shared categories
Drawn from the buying guide for each category both records cover.
Inventory management
- 1
What is native versus an add-on?
- 2
Which systems are the source of truth?
- 3
Can the dealer export all records in a usable format?
Inventory merchandising
- 1
Who owns audiences, accounts and creative?
- 2
How is incrementality measured?
- 3
Can spend and fees be separated cleanly?
Trade appraisal & valuation
- 1
Is the connection read-only or bi-directional?
- 2
Who pays each integration fee?
- 3
What breaks when either product changes?
Integration exposure
Connection records touching either company
Scoped records only. Absence here is a research gap, not evidence that a connection does not exist.
Reviewed
vAuto + Dealertrack
Portfolio relationship
Reviewed
vAuto + VinSolutions
Portfolio relationship
Reviewed
vAuto + HomeNet Automotive
Inventory data workflow
Verified
vAuto + UVEye
Published integration
Reviewed
vAuto + Impel
Vendor-reported integration
Reviewed
MAX Digital + Impel
Vendor-reported integration
Reviewed
vAuto + ProMax
Vendor-reported integration
Run the same proof
Five decisive tests
- 1
Complete one real workflow end to end, including an exception.
- 2
Trace one record through every integration in both directions.
- 3
Export a usable sample dataset and open it without the vendor.
- 4
Force a support escalation and time the response.
- 5
Price implementation through termination, including renewal increases.
What this comparison cannot establish
Pricing, negotiated terms, OEM program eligibility, configured integrations, support quality and implementation outcomes vary by dealer and are not published here. This page compares documented scope and supplies the questions. The answers have to come from a written proposal, a scoped demo and a reference running your DMS and OEM.
MAX Digital vs vAuto FAQ
What is the difference between MAX Digital and vAuto?
MAX Digital and vAuto meet on 3 shared workflow categories — inventory management, inventory merchandising and trade appraisal & valuation. Outside that overlap they are not the same purchase: vAuto additionally covers wholesale & auctions. Decide whether the wider record is scope you actually need or scope you will pay for and not use. Beyond mapped scope, the difference that matters to a dealer is configuration: which modules are on the order form, which integrations are live for your DMS, who performs the implementation, and what the three-year cost is including renewal increases.
Is MAX Digital or vAuto better for a dealership?
Neither is named better here, and any source that names a universal winner in this category is not describing your store. Fit depends on rooftop count, OEM programs, the systems already in place, the department that has to adopt it, and the contract. Run both against the same workflow and the same questions, then compare what each proved.
Do MAX Digital and vAuto do the same thing?
They overlap on inventory management, inventory merchandising, trade appraisal & valuation. They are not equivalent outside that overlap — see the coverage split above.
How much do MAX Digital and vAuto cost?
This directory does not publish a universal price for either, because dealership software is quoted per configuration and the same product can differ several-fold between two stores. Ask both for the same thing in writing: modules and quantities, implementation, integration and usage fees, the initial term, the renewal mechanic, the annual increase, and the cost to leave.
Which integrates better with my DMS?
That cannot be answered from a directory record, and any page that claims to is guessing. Ask each provider to state, in writing and for your DMS version: the direction of the connection, the data objects, the refresh interval, who owns and supports the connection, and the fee. Then ask your DMS provider the same questions and compare the two answers.
Can I run both MAX Digital and vAuto?
Sometimes, but overlapping systems in inventory management, inventory merchandising, trade appraisal & valuation usually create duplicate data entry and an unclear source of truth. If you are considering both, define which system owns each record before you sign either contract.
What should I ask in the demo?
Use the same script for both, drawn from the shared categories above, and require the exception cases rather than the happy path. Record what is native, what is configured, what is delivered by a partner, and what is on a roadmap.
Where does this comparison stop being useful?
At the order form. This page compares documented scope and gives you the questions to ask. It cannot tell you what either company will quote you, what its support will feel like at 5pm on the last day of the month, or whether the integration you need is live for your configuration. Those come from references and a written proposal.