# Best VIN decoder API in 2026

> [NHTSA](https://datacircle.dev/vin-decoder-apis/nhtsa/free-get-api-vehicles-decodevinvalues-vin), [CarsXE](https://datacircle.dev/vin-decoder-apis/carsxe/49-monthly-starter-get-specs) and [Auto.dev](https://datacircle.dev/vin-decoder-apis/auto-dev/299-monthly-growth-get-vin-vin) are the best VIN decoder API providers in our benchmark. We benchmarked 4 providers. We list the three we score highest. For each one, we show its top scoring plan, each part of the plan's score and what 1,000 VINs cost. We rank 47 plans by price. [API Ninjas's $299 monthly plan](https://datacircle.dev/vin-decoder-apis/api-ninjas/299-monthly) is the cheapest paid plan per 1,000 VINs: $0.03. [VINquery's $180 pack](https://datacircle.dev/vin-decoder-apis/vinquery/180-pack) covers any number of VINs. VINquery's $180 pack costs less to start than API Ninjas's $299 monthly plan.

1. [NHTSA, free: VIN decoder API](https://datacircle.dev/vin-decoder-apis/nhtsa/free-get-api-vehicles-decodevinvalues-vin): Overall score 86.5 (Price 100, Data 88, Cost to get started 100, Bundle 0, Performance 100), $0.00 per 1,000 VINs
   - It returns all 8 key fields we check: Type, Engine, Fuel, Drivetrain, Size and weight, Airbags and belts, Driver assists, Plant.
   - On 31 October 2026, we sent this provider all 20 VINs in our benchmark.
   - This plan scored 0.8778 out of 1 on those 20 VINs. That gives this plan a Data score of 88 out of 100.
2. [CarsXE, $49 monthly, Starter: VIN decoder API](https://datacircle.dev/vin-decoder-apis/carsxe/49-monthly-starter-get-specs): Overall score 79.9 (Price 83, Data 90, Cost to get started 78, Bundle 93, Performance 14), $24.50 per 1,000 VINs
   - It returns 6 of the 8 key fields we check: Type, Engine, Fuel, Drivetrain, Size and weight, Plant.
   - On 31 October 2026, we sent this provider all 20 VINs in our benchmark.
   - This plan scored 0.8994 out of 1 on those 20 VINs. That gives this plan a Data score of 90 out of 100.
3. [Auto.dev, $299 monthly, Growth: VIN decoder API](https://datacircle.dev/vin-decoder-apis/auto-dev/299-monthly-growth-get-vin-vin): Overall score 54.2 (Price 74, Data 33, Cost to get started 65, Bundle 0, Performance 100), $2.50 per 1,000 VINs
   - It returns 4 of the 8 key fields we check: Type, Engine, Drivetrain, Plant.
   - On 31 October 2026, we sent this provider all 20 VINs in our benchmark.
   - This plan scored 0.3333 out of 1 on those 20 VINs. That gives this plan a Data score of 33 out of 100.

We don't rank 1 other provider we benchmarked: [CarAPI](https://datacircle.dev/vin-decoder-apis/carapi/299-yearly). Each CarAPI plan is free or billed yearly. We don't score these plans.

The Data score on VIN decoder APIs: This score, out of 100, shows how much of a vehicle's record a provider's call returns for a VIN. We send each VIN to the provider. For each VIN, we count the parts the provider returned, such as the engine and the drive. We divide the number of parts the provider returned by the number of parts we count for the VIN. We count a part on a VIN when at least one live call returned that part for the VIN. We check a copy against the live calls. We never check a live call against a copy. The one exception is a VIN that fewer than two live calls found. For such a VIN, we count a part when any call returned it. We took each VIN from a dealer's listing of a car. The listing gives the car's year, make and model. We count Year, Make and Model on each VIN. If a value differs from the listing, we count it as missing. A year matches when it is the same number as the listing's. A make or a model matches when one name contains the other. We compare only letters and digits. We don't count a value given again in another unit. We don't count parts the VIN itself spells out, such as its check digit. We also don't count the decode status. We average each provider's scores over all VINs. Each VIN counts the same. A provider that finds no record of a VIN scores 0 on that VIN. Some providers ran on fewer VINs. We compare each of those providers with the others on the VINs it ran on. A provider can't score higher by running only on easy VINs. We lower the score when we test the call on fewer VINs than the benchmark has.

Last updated: October 31, 2026. The page: https://datacircle.dev/best-vin-decoder-api. Every plan: https://datacircle.dev/vin-decoder-api-pricing. The benchmark: https://datacircle.dev/vin-decoder-api-pricing/benchmark.csv.