Does it matter which site I go to first?

Not significantly for the end result — what matters is running both, not the order.

Will I get different prices even if I enter the same information on both sites?

Yes, often — exclusive deals, different insurer panels, and site-specific algorithms mean the same driver profile can produce meaningfully different results on each site.

Do comparison sites charge for using them?

No — they're free to use. The comparison site earns a referral commission from the insurer if you purchase through them, which is why they're free for consumers.

Which site has the bigger car insurance panel?

Compare the Market, at around 169 providers versus MoneySuperMarket's roughly 163 — a modest difference, but the two panels aren't identical, which is exactly why running both catches deals the other would miss.

Compare the Market vs MoneySuperMarket: Which Insurance Comparison Site Wins?

Product
MoneySuperMarket	4.6	GBP 0.00	Check price
Compare the Market	4.4	GBP 0.00	Check price

This article is for information only and does not constitute financial advice. Always read full policy terms before purchasing any insurance product.

At a Glance

	Compare the Market	MoneySuperMarket
Insurer panel (car)	~169–187 providers	~163 providers
Trustpilot rating	High	4.6/5
Exclusive deals	Yes	Yes
Price Optimiser tool	No	Yes
Policy detail transparency	Standard	Standard
Products covered	Car, home, travel, pet, life, energy	Car, home, travel, pet, life, energy, credit cards

The honest answer: use both, not one. Running both typically takes under 10 minutes and consistently produces a lower quote than using one site alone.

Why This Is the Wrong Question

Every comparison of these two sites implicitly suggests you should pick one and use only that. That's not how the market works. No single comparison site shows all insurers. Compare the Market and MoneySuperMarket together cover the vast majority of the market, but they show different exclusive deals.

The right framing isn't "which is better" but "which should I run first, and which second." The answer: Compare the Market first (widest panel), MoneySuperMarket second (fastest, Price Optimiser), GoCompare third if time allows (best policy transparency). This is the strategy that produces the best outcome for most insurance purchases.

Panel Size: Compare the Market Leads

Compare the Market works with the most car insurance providers at 169, compared to MoneySuperMarket's 163. In absolute terms, that's a modest difference — but the composition of those panels matters as much as the size. Exclusive deals between a comparison site and specific insurers mean the same insurer might appear at a lower price on one site than another. That's why running both catches deals each site's exclusive arrangements would otherwise leave you missing.

Speed and Tools: MoneySuperMarket Wins

MoneySuperMarket is pretty flawless, with its Price Optimiser tool providing in-depth guidance on the questions that could have an impact on your premium and how to drive down costs while still giving you the cover you need. It even tells you if insurers not on comparison sites are likely to beat the deal offered. That last feature is particularly valuable — a prompt to check direct pricing from insurers like Direct Line, who don't appear on any comparison site, is a genuinely useful piece of guidance that most users wouldn't think to act on unprompted.

MoneySuperMarket is faster, cheaper on average, and rated higher by users at 4.6 Trustpilot versus Compare the Market's score.

What Exclusively Appears on Each

This is the factor that makes the dual-site strategy non-optional. Both platforms negotiate exclusive pricing arrangements with specific insurers — deals that appear on one platform but not the other. The specific insurers with exclusive arrangements change over time and aren't publicly disclosed, which means there's no reliable shortcut to knowing which site will have the better price for your specific profile on any given day. Running both is the only reliable way to find out.

Products Beyond Insurance

Both platforms have expanded significantly beyond insurance into broader financial product comparison — energy switching, credit cards, mortgages, and savings accounts. MoneySuperMarket's credit card comparison is widely cited as one of the stronger product categories on the platform. Neither site's non-insurance product comparisons are covered in depth here — see our Best Budgeting Apps UK 2026 and Best Digital Banks UK 2026 guides for those specific product categories.

Which Order Fits Your Situation

If you're short on time and only have a few minutes, start with Compare the Market — the wider panel gives you the best odds of catching a competitive quote from a single search. If you have closer to ten minutes, run MoneySuperMarket second; its Price Optimiser will often flag a specific answer change that lowers your quote further, plus a nudge to check a non-comparison insurer like Direct Line directly. Add GoCompare as a third check specifically if you're insuring a modified or classic vehicle, or if understanding exactly what's excluded from a policy matters more to you than shaving off the last few pounds.

Our Verdict

There is no single winner — use both. If forced to recommend one to run first, start with Compare the Market for the slightly wider insurer panel, then run MoneySuperMarket for its Price Optimiser tool and faster interface. Add GoCompare if you want a third view, particularly for policy detail clarity or specialist vehicle insurance.

For the full insurance comparison site guide, see our Best Car Insurance Comparison Sites UK 2026 and Best Home Insurance Comparison Sites UK 2026 guides.