Key Takeaways
- Consider location, trip purpose, vehicle needs, and budget when choosing a rental service.
- Traditional car rentals offer convenience with worldwide locations and a variety of vehicles.
- Peer-to-peer services provide cost savings and direct connections between car owners and renters.
- Luxury rentals cater to special occasions with high-end vehicles like Ferraris and Bentleys.
- Eco-friendly rentals offer electric vehicles for environmental consciousness and cost savings.
- Factors to Consider When Choosing a Daily Rental Service
- My Favorite Daily Car Rental Services Of 2024 (Overview)
- Traditional Car Rental Services
- Peer-to-Peer Car Rental Services
- Luxury and Specialty Car Rentals
- Tips for a Smooth Car Rental Experience
- Navigating Insurance and Safety Policies
- Comparison of Features and Pricing
- Eco-Friendly and Electric Vehicle Rentals
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Wrapping Up
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Daily Rental Service
When selecting a suitable car rental service, there are a lot of factors to consider. If you find it difficult to decide which daily rental service to use, here are some essential factors to consider:
1. Location
Most reputable car rental services have locations all over the world, especially in airports and city centers. But before you book your car, it’s crucial to ensure the availability of pickup spots near your location.
Note that airport-based rental services cost more, while city center and urban locations offer more competitive rates.
2. Trip Purpose
Consider the type of your trip before hiring a car. For example, if you’re going on an important business trip, you should prioritize comfortable and high-end rides. In case you’re going for a family trip, consider an SUV or a full-sized car.
3. Vehicle Needs
Choose a rental service that offers suitable cars for your needs.
Let’s say you’re going for a long trip and you’ll be driving on rough terrain. In that case, a 4×4 vehicle would be a decent option.
If you prioritize eco-friendliness and advanced features like emergency braking and lane-keeping assist, opt for an electric vehicle.
4. Budget
When comparing car rental companies’ prices, look beyond the base rental rates. Consider additional fees such as fuel, insurance, cancellation fees, and mileage charges.
Check other plans even if you’re renting for a short day trip, as many companies offer discounts and loyalty programs on long-term rentals.
If you want to rent a car for a brief period, you’ll like Zipcar’s hourly rental model.
My Favorite Daily Car Rental Services Of 2024 (Overview)
We’ve included an overview of our top picks below. For detailed information on each pick, scroll down.
Traditional Car Rental Services
Luxury and Specialty Car Rentals
Traditional Car Rental Services
Traditional car rental services are companies that rent vehicles to the public for short or long periods ranging from a few hours up to a few months.
These companies often have multiple branches worldwide, allowing customers to return the rented vehicles to a different location.
If you want to travel around conveniently without the long-term commitment and responsibilities that come with owning a car, you can opt for traditional car rental services such as Avis, Hertz, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and more.
These services are also helpful if you’re an Uber driver looking for an Uber car rental.
Here’s a closer look at some of the best car rental companies:
Brett’s Take: Thoughts From an Expert
My favorite daily car rental services are Sixt, Uber, and Lyft.
I have found that you can get really nice luxury rental cars on Sixt during non-peak travel times during the year. For example, when I travel to Phoenix during the summer, I can rent a BMW X5 for around $30 per day.
However, in times of peak travel demand, I usually turn to Uber Rent and Lyft Rent. The process of renting from these companies is affordable, and nearly as simple as using the apps themselves.
Peer-to-Peer Car Rental Services
Peer-to-peer car sharing is a new business model that renovated the traditional car rental industry by allowing car owners to connect directly with people who need cars for temporary periods. In other words, you’re renting somebody’s personal vehicle.
It’s a convenient and cost-effective approach for those who are less attracted to car ownership. Here are some of the most popular peer-to-peer rental platforms:
Brett’s Take: Thoughts From an Expert
ALWAYS call your insurance agent before renting from peer-to-peer car rental platforms!
Oftentimes, these policies exclude coverage for these types of rentals, leaving you with only state-minimum insurance. As a result, if you get into an accident, you could end up liable for damages that far exceed the minimum coverage amounts – a VERY vulnerable position to be in.
DON’T risk it – call ahead and sleep at night knowing you are covered.
I suggest you read our guide to Turo insurance to get a better understanding of the risks you’re opening youself up to if you decline the coverage.
Luxury and Specialty Car Rentals
If you want to hire a luxurious vehicle for an important business event or a special occasion, you should consider luxury and specialty car rentals.
Unlike traditional car rental services, luxury car rental companies specialize in high-end cars that come with advanced features and high levels of comfort. Think of BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Rolls-Royce, for example.
Silvercar by Audi and Gotham Dream Cars are examples of popular specialty car rental companies.
Tips for a Smooth Car Rental Experience
Renting a car can be more convenient than owning one. But still, renting comes with some potential problems that can ruin your travel experience. Here are a few helpful tips for a smooth car rental experience:
- Booking in advance is always recommended as you’ll have access to more cars. The cost is also cheaper than booking on the same day.
- Carefully read and understand rental agreements such as fuel policy, mileage limits, and insurance coverage to avoid conflict with the rental company.
- Look beyond the base rental rate stated on the website. There are always hidden additional fees and taxes that add up to the total cost of your rental.
- Consider the different insurance options. If you have car insurance for your personal vehicle or credit car insurance, you probably won’t need the insurance offered by the rental company.
When renting a car, it’s essential to understand the insurance coverage and safety policies of the company. Most customer service reps will try to sell you rental car insurance that covers any potential vehicle damage during the trip.
However, this insurance is overpriced in most companies, and it’s not always essential. If you have car insurance for your own vehicle, you won’t need additional coverage. If you don’t, consider buying liability coverage or a damage waiver from the rental company to protect your rental.
Safety policies are another important factor to consider before renting a vehicle. Make sure you adhere to all the mentioned safety terms to ensure an overall safe trip and avoid legal complications.
Comparison of Features and Pricing
Now that you know about different types of daily car rentals, it’s time to decide which service to use.
Regarding key features, traditional car rental services have the largest selection of vehicles, including economy, premium, SUVs, and more. Car rental companies such as Hertz, Sixt, and Enterprise have locations all over the world near airports, city centers, and convenient locations.
So, no matter where you are, you can book a vehicle and start your trip immediately.
Peer-to-peer car rental services can be a cost-effective and convenient alternative to traditional car-sharing companies as they connect car owners with renters directly.
Prices vary on these apps since car owners set their own rates, but the average is usually lower than traditional car-sharing services.
Luxury car rentals are suited to customers who look far beyond a standard rental. Services like Silvercar by Audi and Gotham Dream Cars are ideal for people who want luxurious rides such as Ferraris, Bentleys, and Lamborghini.
These services typically cost much more than regular rental services.
Electric vehicle rentals are the ideal choice for those looking for an environmentally-friendly transportation method. While hiring an EV costs more upfront, you end up saving more money as the vehicle doesn’t rely on gas.
You also won’t sacrifice performance or advanced features since electric cars are superior to traditional rides in these aspects.
Eco-Friendly and Electric Vehicle Rentals
For environmentally-conscious customers, eco-friendly and electric vehicle rentals are an excellent choice.
Luckily, several car rental services introduced electric and hybrid vehicles to their fleets. But why rent an electric vehicle in the first place?
- Cost savings: Renting an EV can cost more upfront, but these vehicles offer major cost savings compared to gas-powered cars as they’re cheaper to fuel.
- Eco-friendliness: EV vehicles produce zero emissions, reducing air pollution and your carbon footprint.
- Improved safety: Electric cars come with advanced safety features such as blind spot monitoring, emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist.
- High performance: You don’t have to sacrifice performance when choosing an electric vehicle. Most EVs can go from zero to 60 miles in less than six seconds.
- Smooth driving experience: EVs are much quieter than traditional cars, which is a huge plus when traveling for long distances.
Most traditional car rental services now feature eco-friendly and electric vehicles. Here are a few examples:
- Sixt: The company has a wide range of electric cars to rent, such as the BMW iX, BMW i4, and Tesla. Sixt also has an EV trip planner service that lets you know where to stop to recharge during your trip.
- Europcar: EVs such as Renault Zoe, BMW i3, Kia E-Niro, and Hyundai IONIQ are available to rent from Europcar.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much is an Average Car Rental Per Day?
The average price of a car rental per day varies depending on location, company, type of car, and more. You can expect to pay around $50-$80 per day for an economy-class car.
What Car Rental Has the Cheapest Rates?
Momondo has one of the lowest rental rates out there, with an average daily cost of only $39. Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, Advantage, and Budget also offer competitive rates.
Wrapping Up
While renting a car can be a convenient way to travel around, choosing the best daily car rental company can be challenging, especially when you’re renting for the first time. Options vary from traditional car rental companies to luxurious rentals and electric vehicles.
Before you book your car, consider your budget, vehicle needs, trip purpose, and location. Traditional car rental services offer convenience and a wide range of cars to choose from.
Meanwhile, peer-to-peer car sharing provides cost savings. EV rentals are suitable for eco-conscious drivers, and luxurious rentals are more suited to special occasions.
