AppFolio, Inc. vs Cars.com Inc.
Side-by-Side SaaS Metrics & Valuation Comparison
analyticsVertical SaaS
Data as of Q2 2026
Summary Verdict
APPF: 4—CARS: 1wins
Rule of 40
40.6APPF
18.0CARS
check_circleAPPF leads
Revenue Growth
29.5%APPF
0.1%CARS
check_circleAPPF leads
Gross Margin
87%APPF
87%CARS
check_circleAPPF leads
FCF Margin
11.2%APPF
17.9%CARS
check_circleCARS leads
Operating Margin
17.4%APPF
7.7%CARS
check_circleAPPF leads
NRR
—APPF
—CARS
Metric
Rule of 40Efficiency score
APPF
40.6check_circle
CARS
18.0
Revenue GrowthYoY
APPF
29.5%check_circle
CARS
0.1%
Gross Margin% of revenue
APPF
87%check_circle
CARS
87%
FCF MarginFree cash flow
APPF
11.2%
CARS
17.9%check_circle
Operating MarginGAAP
APPF
17.4%check_circle
CARS
7.7%
NRRNet retention
APPF
N/A
CARS
N/A
EV / RevenueValuation multiple
APPF
6.3x
CARS
1.5xcheck_circle
Market CapUSD
APPF
$6.4Bcheck_circle
CARS
$662.5M
ARR GrowthYoY
APPF
N/A
CARS
N/A
CAC PaybackMonths to recover
APPF
N/A
CARS
N/A
insights
Analysis
As of Q2 2026, AppFolio, Inc. trades at 6.3x EV/Revenue versus Cars.com Inc. at 1.5x. On the Rule of 40, AppFolio, Inc. scores 40.6 compared to Cars.com Inc.'s 18.0, placing AppFolio, Inc. ahead in operating efficiency. Gross margins stand at AppFolio, Inc. 87% vs Cars.com Inc. 87%.
Sector Context
Both companies operate in the Vertical SaaS sector. The median columns above show where each company stands relative to their peers.