SALVAGEBID · FEES · ALTERNATIVE

Salvagebid fees and membership explained, with the alternative

Salvagebid is the IAA broker platform. Like the others it charges a yearly membership and a transaction fee per car on top of IAA’s fees. These are the numbers from Salvagebid’s own FAQ, and what the same purchase looks like with your own account.

Direct access to Copart, IAAI and Manheim for $100. Not a broker bidding for you: your own login on the three official auction sites, under our Florida dealer license. You see every lot, you place every bid, you keep full control. No dealer license needed, no membership. The $100 is one-time and is credited toward your deposit and your car.

Get your account · $100

Salvagebid membership levels (from their FAQ)

Level	Price	Limits	Transaction fee per car
Guest	Free	Preliminary bidding only, one purchase up to $1,000	$299
Starter	$35 per year	One purchase up to $2,000	$299
Premium	$199 per year	Unlimited, live bidding, dedicated rep	5%, minimum $250
VIP	$349 per year	Unlimited, 5% shipping discount	3%, minimum $200

Deposit: $600 refundable, or 10% of your maximum bid above $6,000. Membership fees are non-refundable. Salvagebid gives access to IAA; Copart is not included.

What that means for a normal buyer

Below Premium you cannot bid live and you are capped at one cheap car, so a real purchase starts at $199 a year.
The transaction fee on a $5,000 car is $250 (Premium) or $299 (Guest/Starter), on top of IAA’s own buyer fee of $750 at that price.
IAA only. The same car on Copart, or any Manheim car, needs another service.

The alternative: one account for IAAI, Copart and Manheim

BasicMobile opens your own bidder account under our Florida dealer license on all three, with your own login on the official sites and our app.

One-time $100 opens your own bidder account on Copart, IAAI and Manheim under our Florida dealer license; it is credited toward your deposit and your car.
Deposit to bid: 10% of your bid limit, $600 minimum (Copart, IAAI); 50% for Manheim.
Service fee only when you win: $200 up to $5,000, $300 up to $10,000, $400 up to $30,000, 1.5% above (Manheim from $300).
You bid yourself from our app; we pay the auction, handle the title and coordinate transport.

Example: one $5,000 Copart car, first purchase of the year.
Salvagebid Premium: $199 membership + $250 fee = $449 (plus IAA fees; Salvagebid is IAA only).
A Better Bid Standard: $49 membership + $450 fee (9% beats $299) = $499 (plus Copart fees).
AutoBidMaster Basic: $35 membership + their transaction fee (plus Copart fees), and a $2,200 bid cap on Basic means you need Advanced at $189 for a $5,000 car.
BasicMobile: $100 (credited to the car, so $0 net) + $200 fee = $200 (plus Copart fees), and the same account covers IAAI and Manheim.

Full comparison

All three big platforms side by side with us: Copart brokers compared. IAA fees themselves are explained in IAAI fees.

Questions about salvagebid fees

How much does Salvagebid charge per car?

$299 on Guest and Starter, 5% with a $250 minimum on Premium, 3% with a $200 minimum on VIP, plus IAA’s own fees, as published in their FAQ in October 2026.

Does Salvagebid include Copart?

No. Salvagebid is an IAA platform. BasicMobile’s account covers Copart, IAAI and Manheim together.

What is the cheapest way to buy one IAA car a year?

Without a yearly membership: BasicMobile, $100 one-time credited to the car plus a $200 fee on a car up to $5,000.

Get your auction account today

Direct access to Copart, IAAI and Manheim with your own bidder account under our Florida dealer license. One-time $100, credited to your car. Account issued within 12 hours, usually within minutes.

Get your account · $100 24-hour trial · $10

Related guides

Copart and IAA fee and licensing details are taken from copart.com and iaai.com as of October 2026 and can change; the auction’s own page is the final word. BasicMobile fees and deposits are as published on this site.