Auto.dev vs Kelley Blue Book for AI agents
Auto.dev is a REST API for active vehicle listings from US dealers, part of a wider set of automotive APIs (VIN decode, photos, specs, recalls, payments). Kelley Blue Book is a licensed REST service for Kelley Blue Book vehicle values and VIN decoding; it does not list cars for sale.
The short answer
- Auto.dev: Getting a small project or AI agent searching US dealer listings quickly, with a free tier and a ready-made MCP server.
- Kelley Blue Book: Businesses that need licensed Kelley Blue Book values inside their own systems, not listing search.
Side by side
| Auto.dev | Kelley Blue Book | |
|---|---|---|
| Searches | Active listings from US physical and online dealers, filtered by make, model, year, price, mileage, state, CPO status and ZIP plus distance. | Vehicle values by VIN or configuration (year, make, model, trim, options, mileage) and ZIP code. |
| Returns | Listing records with VIN, year, make, price, location and created/updated dates; the full field schema was collapsed in the public docs, so dealer contact fields could not be confirmed. | New and used values such as fair purchase price, private party, trade-in, auction and lending values, plus ratings and reviews. |
| Before the first call | An Auto.dev account and API key from the dashboard; the free plan needs only email verification, no card. | A signed data license with Cox Automotive (Master Data License plus product terms), arranged through a contact form. |
| Free | Free plan with 1,000 API calls a month at 5 requests a second, no card required (listings capped at 20 per page). | – |
| Paid | Growth plan $299 a month; Scale plan $599 a month. | – |
| Limits on keeping or showing results | Data is licensed solely for internal business purposes; no reselling or redistributing to third parties and no derivative databases or competing data products. No clause specifically on caching. | Industry internal-use terms allow internal use only: no sharing with third parties, no posting on public websites, no modifying the data, and a KBB copyright notice must accompany it. |
| Coverage | United States dealers. | United States. |
| MCP server | Official MCP server at https://mcp.auto.dev/mcp (OAuth sign-in or API key); listing search tool available on the free plan. | – |
Where Openpath fits
Openpath has no car listings yet. Cars are on its roadmap, from sellers and dealers who list them themselves. Get listed.
Questions people ask
What do I need before I can use Auto.dev?
An Auto.dev account and API key from the dashboard; the free plan needs only email verification, no card.
Is Auto.dev free?
Free plan with 1,000 API calls a month at 5 requests a second, no card required (listings capped at 20 per page).
Sources
Every line about another company comes from its own pages. Prices and terms change, so check the source before you rely on one.
Auto.dev, read on October 15, 2026:
- docs.auto.dev/v2/getting-started: “1,000 API calls per month, no card required”
- docs.auto.dev/v2/getting-started: “$299/month with unlimited calls”
- docs.auto.dev/v2/getting-started: “$599/month with enterprise features”
- docs.auto.dev/v2/getting-started: “Free needs no checkout — verify your email address and your API key is ready.”
- docs.auto.dev/v2/products/vehicle-listings: “Get comprehensive vehicle listings from U.S. physical & online dealers in seconds.”
- docs.auto.dev/v2/products/vehicle-listings: “filter by make, model, year, price, mileage, and more”
- docs.auto.dev/v2/mcp-quickstart: “claude mcp add --transport http auto-dev https://mcp.auto.dev/mcp”
- auto.dev/terms: “You receive a limited, non-exclusive license to use Automotive Data solely for your internal business purposes”
- auto.dev/terms: “You may not create derivative databases or competing data products”
- auto.dev/terms: “Resell, redistribute, or sublicense our Automotive Data to third parties”
- auto.dev/pricing: “Free $0 per month Get 1,000 API calls per month for evaluation and small projects”
Kelley Blue Book, read on October 15, 2026:
- b2b.kbb.com/industry-solutions/info-driver-web-service-idws: “Provide your clients access to the industry relevant valuations they require with InfoDriver℠ Web Service (IDWS).”
- b2b.kbb.com/industry-solutions/info-driver-web-service-idws: “Integrate Kelley Blue Book Values into your system or application”
- coxautoinc.com/terms/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/Kelley-Blue-Book-InfoDriver%E2%80%93Industry-Internal-Use-Additional-Terms.pdf: “Licensee may use InfoDriver and the Licensed Data only for internal use”
- coxautoinc.com/terms/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/Kelley-Blue-Book-InfoDriver%E2%80%93Industry-Internal-Use-Additional-Terms.pdf: “post or otherwise make accessible any Licensed Data on any website”
- coxautoinc.com/terms/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/Kelley-Blue-Book-InfoDriver%E2%80%93Industry-Internal-Use-Additional-Terms.pdf: “for a specific vehicle identified by a VIN or configuration (i.e.: year, make, model, trim, optional equipment, and mileage)”