That is where car rental apps help. They can allow you to make a reservation, check in early, and even choose your own rental vehicle. But not all apps are created the same, and you may quickly find that features can vary significantly from one service to the next. Before you book your next rental car, consider these best car rental services for your trip. Before you hit the road, be sure to check out our picks for the best travel tech gadgets, the best mobile tech, and the best travel credit cards to get you where you need to go!
Developer: Enterprise Holdings, Inc.Compatibility: Android, iPhone, iPod touch, MacApp Store rating: 4.9Google Play rating: 4.6
Enterprise is one of the best-known names in car rental services, and its app is no different. It works with more than 9,500 Enterprise locations worldwide to help you rent cars not just in the U.S. but also in Canada, Latin America, and Europe. You have a choice of cars ranging from economy to luxury so that you can set the right tone for your trip. Use the Enterprise car rental app to find a car, update reservations, find an Enterprise location, and even contact roadside assistance if you hit a snag on the road. The app will also help you earn special rewards that you can redeem. If you opt for the Enterprise ReadyPass, you can benefit from early check-in and expedited service when you are at the airport. Plus, Enterprise’s Complete Clean Pledge ensures that your car arrives clean and sanitized, a pro especially appreciated these days. Pros:
High customer ratingsBuilt-in roadside assistance within the appExotic vehicles available
Cons:
Must pay for second driversLimited rewards
Developer: Enterprise Holdings, Inc.Compatibility: Android, iPhone, iPod touch, MacApp Store rating: 4.9Google Play rating: 4.6
Alamo is the best car rental service and app for unlimited mileage because this special feature comes with its car rentals. To manage your reservation, there is Drive Happy® with Alamo Rent A Car, its own car rental app that helps you make and modify reservations. You can also find directions to your rental location and filter your search by available vehicles so you can be sure to find the one that you want. The app also helps you use the Accelerated Check-in feature to speed up the whole process, and if you sign up for an Alamo Insiders® account, you can benefit from even faster reservations with an extra 5% off base rates. If you need help, there is 24/7 customer service available. Pros:
Competitive pricingUnlimited mileageEasy return process
Cons:
Fees for young driversLimited locations
Developer: Avis Budget GroupCompatibility: Android, iPhone, iPod touch App Store rating: 3.5Google Play rating: 4.0
Budget is another well-known name in the industry and our pick for the best cheap car rental service and app. Recently revamped, the app offers Fastbreak to both expedite and simplify the entire car rental process. Perks mean that you can skip the line, enjoy fast returns, and update your account. As a Fastbreak member, you can not only view upcoming reservations, but you can also view and rebook previous rentals for even faster booking. You can change your rental with the option to make, modify, and cancel your reservation around the clock. If you get lost, the app will help you navigate to your nearest Budget location, also providing hours of operation and phone numbers to get you on your way that much faster. Pros:
Affordable ratesMultiple locationsPrepay discounts
Cons:
Low app ratingsAdditional fees apply
Developer: The Hertz CorporationCompatibility: Android, iPhone, iPod touch App Store rating: 4.8Google Play rating: 4.2
Hertz is the best car rental service and app for airports. When we recently traveled to Boston, we found the Hertz app to be incredibly helpful. Even better, it made picking up a car a simple matter by eliminating the need for airport counters or tedious check-ins. The app allows you to make reservations, as well as modify them, without any need to visit a full website. In fact, the entire app is streamlined for faster mobile navigation so you can get what you need and keep going. There is information for all Hertz locations worldwide, plus Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® members can check their status and enjoy exclusive content. The one-touch log-in is an extra perk, allowing you to log in and get going that much faster. Pros:
Fantastic rewardsAAA discountsFree pick up and drop off
Cons:
Additional driver feesCustomer reviews complain of overcharges
Developer: Turo Inc.Compatibility: Android, iPhone, iPod touch, Apple TV App Store rating: 4.8Google Play rating: 4.9
Turo is a new addition to the best car rental services, offering an untraditional take on car rentals. It is more officially known as a peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace and is an app where vetted car owners can offer their own vehicles for rental. This allows you to choose from a variety of vehicles right in your surrounding area. This often means a far cheaper rate than you would find with traditional car rental services, with pricing starting at just $25 per day. The service is available in the U.S., as well as Canada and the UK, offering access to more than 600,000 vehicles and growing. As a final bonus, Turo offsets 100% of its estimated global carbon emissions so that you can feel good about your rental. Pros:
Can be more affordableNo fuss Large selection
Cons:
Restricted availabilityMust meet requirements
To understand how Enterprise stacks up against the competition, this is an overview of the best car rental services.
Vehicles: A car rental service is all about the cars, after all, so it is important to ensure that your chosen service will provide the type of vehicle you need, whether it is an economy or luxury pick.Compatibility: An app is of little use if you cannot access it, so we consider what kinds of systems will work with each app.Fees: There are many fees that can apply to a car rental, such as fees for young or second drivers and drop-off or return fees. Be sure to check what fees may apply so that there are no surprises when you go to check out.Convenience: Extra features like online check-ins, reservation changes, and even skipping the line when it comes time to manage your vehicle.
Price is always a concern, as well, so be sure to carefully review the agreement to ensure that you understand all stipulations for rental. If you cannot find a location near you, an app can often help with directions, as well as providing other detailed information like rental history and fee receipts with customer service available to help.
