February 16, 2024
Best car rental apps for your iPhone
From choosing a vehicle that best suits your travel plans and needs to easily managing your reservations and payments, car rental and car sharing apps make renting or borrowing a vehicle fast and easy. If you want to simplify your rental experience so you can focus on the fun parts of your trip, like finding the best vacation apps to help your trip run smoothly, then try out some of our picks for the best car rental apps for your iPhone.
Top 6 car rental apps for your iPhone
Car rental and borrowing apps allow users to reserve on the go and manage their bookings in one place. But, of course, not all apps are created equal. Let’s look at some popular choices, including our own, to help you choose the right iPhone car rental app for your specific needs.
1. Rentalcars.com
The Rentalcars.com app is an excellent choice for those who want to rent a car during an international trip, as it allows you to search for a rental car in thousands of locations worldwide. As a third-party site, your search results will include competitive pricing from major international brands that are available locally, as well as smaller companies operating in your destination. This is a convenient way to start your search when you aren’t sure what companies are available at your destination, but booking through a third party leaves you open to the typical pitfalls, like difficulties making date changes. Make sure to review the fine print on the app before you book, including additional insurance and age requirements for the selected car rental company.
Download the Rentalcars.com app
2. Priceline
If you have multiple travel needs — like booking a flight, hotel and/or car rental — the Priceline app is a solid go-to choice, especially if you think your travel plans are set in stone. You can snag great deals, compare prices, read customer reviews and use advanced filter searches to narrow your choices for a flight, hotel, car rental or all three. There are further discounts on bundle deals, but things can get complicated if you need to cancel one of them. And though you are more than likely to snag a great deal, it’s also likely that most of them are non-changeable and non-refundable — just something to keep in mind.
3. Carla car rental
Like Rentalcars.com, Carla is a third-party car rental app that you can use to search thousands of locations worldwide and make reservations without leaving the platform. The app is intuitive and easy to use, allowing you to book a car and manage your reservation right in the app, including canceling or changing dates. While you can cancel your reservation in the app, you may receive Carla Cash, an in-app credit, for a future car rental instead of a refund to your original payment method.
Download the Carla car rental app
4. Free2Move
Free2Move’s goal is to simplify your driving experience by allowing you to locate car sharing, car rental, parking, rideshares and electric vehicle charging stations worldwide on a single app. You can book, start and end your trip at any time from your iPhone, whether you need a taxi or rental on demand. If your trip has no hiccups, then the app will serve you well. But if issues arise, it might leave you stranded. For example, because rental car systems are connected to the app, you might not be unable to lock or unlock the vehicle if you end up in a cellular dead zone.
5. Avail car sharing
Avail’s mission is to make car sharing convenient and affordable. All Avail cars are owned by locals who earn money each time they share their car, so you’re putting money back into the community by booking with Avail. The app allows for a smooth rental process at a growing number of locations throughout neighborhoods in Chicago and Denver. Each Avail location is self-service, meaning you’ll pick up the keys from a secure on-site key box and then get on your way, without waiting in a single line. All cars are cleaned and inspected for issues. You can cancel or change your trip — before your trip’s scheduled start time — for any reason and without charge right in the app. And there are no additional costs to add a second driver. What’s more, when you borrow a car with Avail, your trip is protected by Allstate insurance and 24/7 roadside assistance. The only limitation is that Avail operates in just two cities — Chicago and Denver — at this time.
Download the Avail car sharing app
6. HyreCar Driver
HyreCar Driver is a unique rental site in that it’s specifically geared toward drivers who do not own a car but want to rent one to participate in the gig economy and earn extra cash with rideshare and delivery services like Uber, Lyft or DoorDash. When you rent through HyreCar, you are using a peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace and actually renting a vehicle from a local car owner. HyreCar Driver isn’t for those who are planning a road trip or need a car for a day to run errands. But if you’re in the market for a vehicle so you can participate in the gig economy, then renting through HyreCar Driver could be a better option than buying a car. The only issue is that you are responsible for arranging vehicle pick-up with the owner and inspecting the car for any problems. You’re also required to buy HyreCar’s insurance even if you have your own policy.
Download the HyreCar Driver app
Borrow & share
Avail makes it simple to borrow a car when you need one, or share your car with others and earn money.
