Is the search on ppsr.gov.au the same as yours?

It is the same official search, and both give you the official certificate. Ours starts from the rego instead of the VIN and adds a plain-English verdict, for $5.95 against $2.00.

Why pay $5.95 when the government charges $2.00?

Only if you do not have the VIN, or want the result explained. If you have the VIN and are happy reading the certificate, the $2.00 search is the cheaper way.

Does a search that starts from the rego give the same legal protection?

The protection comes from searching by the vehicle's serial number. Starting from the rego, we find the VIN and search on it, so the certificate records a serial number search. Check that the VIN on it matches the car.

What is the cheapest PPSR check?

The government's search at ppsr.gov.au, at $2.00, if you have the VIN. If you only have the rego, ours is $5.95 with the official certificate.

The $2.00 Government PPSR Search, or $5.95 by Rego?

Both run the same official search and give you the same official certificate. The difference is what you need to start, and what you get alongside it.

What is the same

Both search the national Personal Property Securities Register, run by AFSA, for money owing against the vehicle, and both return the written-off and stolen status the register holds. Both give you the official PPSR certificate, with its search number and the time of the search.

What is different

Four things separate them:

Where you start. The government's search needs the VIN or chassis number. Ours starts from the registration plate and state, and finds the VIN for you.
Matching the car. Before you pay, we show you which vehicle the plate belongs to and part of its VIN, so you can check it against the car in front of you.
The result explained. A plain-English verdict on what the search found and what to do about it, alongside the certificate.
The price: $2.00 against $5.95.

When the $2.00 search is the right one

If you already have the VIN and are comfortable reading the certificate yourself, the government's search at ppsr.gov.au is the cheapest way to the same certificate, and the same protection.

When starting from the rego is easier

When all you have is an ad with a plate in the photos, or you want to know which car the plate belongs to before you drive out to see it. The plate and state are enough, and the first step, seeing which vehicle it is, costs nothing.

What you get for $5.95

Vehicle identity
Money owing check
Written-off status, with the damage detail
Stolen check
Registration details
Official PPSR certificate (PDF)
Plain-English verdict

Common questions

Is the search on ppsr.gov.au the same as yours?: It is the same official search, and both give you the official certificate. Ours starts from the rego instead of the VIN and adds a plain-English verdict, for $5.95 against $2.00.
Why pay $5.95 when the government charges $2.00?: Only if you do not have the VIN, or want the result explained. If you have the VIN and are happy reading the certificate, the $2.00 search is the cheaper way.
Does a search that starts from the rego give the same legal protection?: The protection comes from searching by the vehicle's serial number. Starting from the rego, we find the VIN and search on it, so the certificate records a serial number search. Check that the VIN on it matches the car.
What is the cheapest PPSR check?: The government's search at ppsr.gov.au, at $2.00, if you have the VIN. If you only have the rego, ours is $5.95 with the official certificate.

The longer story: What a PPSR check is, and what it does not cover