The 6 best car rental companies based on important factors including pricing, locations, and cancellation policies

The best overall car rental company

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is a trusted name that performs impressively well across all categories, including customer satisfaction, online booking, and price. According to the 2019 survey by trusted market research company JD Power, Enterprise scored highly for their website and app (placing second and third respectively), as well as placing second for overall customer satisfaction, with 855 points out of a possible 1,000 possible points and just one point behind leaders Hertz.

Typical quote: One-week rental comes in at $705 including taxes and fees.

Current COVID-19 cleaning policy: Enterprise Rent-A-Car has a new Complete Clean pledge, which includes, "washing, vacuuming, general wipe down, and sanitizing with a disinfectant that meets leading health authority requirements, with particular attention to more than 20-plus high-touch points." They are also offering curbside pickup options.

Current cancellation policy: If you have not already paid, there is a no-fee cancellation policy. If you have a pre-paid rental, you may cancel up to 24 hours before your pick-up for a fee of $50. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before your reservation will incur a fee of $100. 

Look out for: Enterprise's daily rate can be slightly higher than the average car rental rate, but the company reports that it has reduced other additional charges, such as those for drivers under the age of 25.

The best car rental company for customer satisfaction

Hertz

Hertz has one of the top-regarded, best long-term reputations, with a decades-long presence. The company has more than 1,600 locations at airports in the United States alone, with a varied fleet and an impressive rewards program. Hertz's pick-up and drop-off processes at airports are particularly efficient, which was one of the main factors behind their high score of 856 out of 1,000 by respondents to JD Power's 2019 survey. 

Typical quote: One-week rental comes in at $862 including taxes and fees.

Current COVID-19 cleaning policy: The company's new cleaning policy is quoted as, "A 15-point cleaning checklist, and all cars that have been sanitized are being marked with a "Hertz Gold Standard Clean" sticker, which will only be broken when the car's driver accesses the rental for the first time, meaning that the driver's area is disinfected as a last step when the car is moved to its final location.

Current cancellation and fees policies: Young renter (under 25) fees are being waived and the minimum renter age lowered from 20 to 18 years old to help college students and young drivers return home. The company has also lowered rates for one-way trips. Customers with pre-paid Hertz rentals booked prior to March 13 can cancel their reservation for no fee and transfer their balance for use toward a future booking within 24 months. Otherwise, regular cancellation fees apply: full price for a no-show, $100 if canceled more than 24 hours before pick-up, $200 if canceled less than 24 hours before pick-up. 

Look out for: The quotes for short term rentals with Hertz are slightly higher than some of the company's competitors, especially when renting for just a day or two. Longer-term rentals are more competitive. 

Best car rental company website and app

National Car Rental

National Car Rental is particularly proud of its services and loyalty program for business travelers, and this focus on customer service bleeds over into its leisure customer service as well. This is most apparent in its website and app, both of which are highly regarded, with the company placing first and second place respectively in those categories in the 2019 JD Power survey of travel industry online portals.  

Typical quote: A one-week rental comes in at $796 including taxes and fees.

Current COVID-19 cleaning policy: National shares sister company Enterprise's Complete Clean Pledge, which includes, "washing, vacuuming, general wipe down, and sanitizing with a disinfectant that meets leading health authority requirements, with particular attention to more than 20-plus high-touch points." 

Current cancellation policy: The company is extending its existing no-fee cancellation policy to include customers with pre-paid rentals booked directly through them. Previously, pre-paid rentals that were canceled would incur a fee. Cancellations must be made 24 hours or more before the pick-up, otherwise, a no-show fee of $100 will be assessed.

Look out for: National is somewhat focused on business travelers and does not currently offer drop-off or pick-up services.

The best cheap car rental company

Alamo Rent-A-Car

Alamo Rent-A-Car is a well-established, well-trusted name in the car rental market. Alamo's prices were regularly among the cheapest prices we found when gathering quotes both through the various companies' own websites and third-party comparison sites. Though the company has relatively fewer locations, Alamo's prices are always very competitive.

Typical quote: A one-week rental comes in at $695 including taxes and fees.

Current COVID-19 cleaning policy: Alamo shares the Complete Clean Pledge offered by National and Enterprise, which includes, "washing, vacuuming, general wipe down, and sanitizing with a disinfectant that meets leading health authority requirements, with particular attention to more than 20-plus high-touch points." 

Current cancellation policy: The company is extending its existing no-fee cancellation policy to include customers with pre-paid rentals booked directly through them. Previously, pre-paid rentals that were canceled would incur a fee. Cancellations must be made 24 hours or more before the pick-up, otherwise, a no-show fee of $100 will be assessed.

Look out for: Alamo Rent-A-Car has slightly fewer locations than many of its competitors, and the locations it does have are very concentrated on airports. 

Best peer-to-peer car rental

Turo

Peer-to-peer car rentals are still making inroads into the market, but Turo is a consistently favorite, allowing people to both rent out their private cars and rent from private car owners. Set-up is relatively straightforward and the renting process is nearly identical to that of any traditional rental vehicle. The company also offers well-defined insurance options. Pick-up and drop-off locations depend on individual owners and will change for each booking. Turo also offers their own roadside 24/7 assistance policy and prices are very attractive. 

Typical quote: A one-week rental comes in at about $200 including taxes and fees. However, just like when comparing Airbnb to standard hotel rooms, Turo varies more than typical car rentals and has a wide range of price points available.

Current COVID-19 cleaning policy: The company asks hosts to "clean and disinfect the car after each trip with disinfectant wipes or spray. Wipe down the steering wheel, door handles, trunk latch, keys, and any other surfaces that are touched frequently."  

Current cancellation policy: Guests may cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before their trip starts. Guests who book within 24 hours of their trip have one hour after booking to cancel for free. For canceled trips longer than two days, a guest is charged one day's trip cost. For canceled trips two days or shorter, a guest is charged 50% of one day's trip cost. The trip cost includes the trip price and trip fee.

Look out for: Obviously the variety of cars on offer varies considerably and customer service levels and actual cleanliness practices depend on individual hosts, though they do receive a public rating, which can help inform your experience.

Read our full review of Turo

Other reputable car rental companies

These additional car rental services are reputable options that we strongly considered, but didn't quite make the cut.

Dollar: The company has average pricing for the industry but locations are not quite as widespread and offers fewer benefits, for example, there's no at-home customer drop-off or pick-up. 

Sixt: A big name in Europe that is making strides in the American market, however, some car sizes might seem ungenerous to American companies.  

Thrifty: Attractive, competitive prices but fewer locations than many of its peers and a less expansive loyalty scheme. 

Budget: A good number of locations but it also has a less attractive loyalty program and their airport pick-ups can be subject to additional fees. 

Avis: Good, affordable quotes for weekly rates and a great app, but the loyalty program makes it challenging to earn points, and airport pick-ups can be subject to fees. 

How we made our decisions What to consider when booking a rental car

How far in advance should I book a car rental for the best price? 

The received wisdom is that it's better to book as early as possible to book a rental car, between three to six months is optimal. This has become even more important recently with last-minute reservations being nearly impossible to find and car shortages happening nationwide. 

Are some days cheaper than others for picking up a vehicle? 

Weekend pick-ups tend to be slightly cheaper, with Monday and Tuesday pick-ups usually slightly more expensive. Compare airport pick-ups versus locations in the city, even factoring a taxi to these locations. Some cities will always be cheaper at the airport, while others will see the complete opposite. 

Is it worth paying for rental car insurance? 

First of all, you may already be covered, so check with your car insurance policy, or call your insurance company to find out if your existing coverage extends to a rental car. Car rental companies typically offer the following coverage options at the counter as you sign the lease agreement, and it's really down to individual circumstances as to whether you take these out (though some kind of liability insurance is usually compulsory):

Loss-damage/collision damage waiver: This typically waives financial responsibility if the car is damaged or stolen, towed or incurs similar fees. Typical cost: $9–$19 a day. 

Liability coverage: This is usually required coverage, protects you from potential lawsuits and typically costs around $7–$14 a day.

Personal accident insurance covers medical costs that might be incurred after an accident. Typical cost: $1–$5 a day. 

Personal effects coverage insures against theft any possessions that you might keep in the rental car and typically costs $1–4 a day.

Should I  join rental car loyalty programs?

Most loyalty programs are free to join, and sometimes there are immediate benefits or offers, so, there's really no downside to signing up. As with airline frequent flyer programs, the more you can build up by using the same company, the more benefits you will accrue, so frequent renters should look at their travel plans and the companies that will offer the most attractive benefits to members. 

Joining a loyalty program is even more attractive right now since they often come with perks like getting to jump the line or getting priority. With longer-than-ever wait times and lines at many locations, those special lines might come in extra handy.

Where can I get a rental quote? 

Most car rental companies will happily supply quotes on their websites without too much information being required. Third-party comparison sites are also very popular and can list dozens of options after entering personal information just once. 

What if I arrive for my reservation and no car is available?

Unfortunately, this is turning into a real possibility amidst ongoing rental car shortages. Always try to call ahead to confirm you're reservation and check to see if there are currently cars on-site at your rental location. However, if you show up and your car isn't available you have a few options.

First, ask if there's another car available in a different class than you originally booked. Ideally, you may be able to upgrade to a better car than you originally booked at no extra cost if the company is at fault for your car being unavailable. However, if they only have cars available in a downgraded class, this may still be a better option for you than no car at all. Just be sure to get a credit or, at the very least, a voucher for the difference in price.

You can also ask if the company has another nearby location where a car may be available. If you do have to go to an alternative location, ask if the company will cover your taxi or Uber. If it's late in the day, you may also want to consider coming back earlier the next day to see if any cars have been returned.

If no car with your original company is available at all, unfortunately, your only option may be to hunt around yourself at other rental companies or on a peer-to-peer site. You should always ask for a refund if this becomes the case, but be prepared for the fact that if you had a pre-paid reservation, you may need to hound the company and wait several weeks to get your money back.  

Are car rentals safe?

The CDC has noted that travel in the US is safe for those who are fully vaccinated. 

Additionally, like hotels, rental car companies such as Enterprise, Alamo, National, Avis, and Budget have all announced new measures to combat the spread of COVID-19, and are stepping up their cleaning and sanitization procedures.

Our experts weighed in on the overall safety of such rental car policies and agreed that a well-sanitized vehicle is much less of a danger than being around infected humans. Strict checklists, new cleaning products, curbside and contactless pick-up, and the thorough cleaning and disinfecting of each vehicle when returned by a customer or transported by employees are all part of new levels of service designed to assuage concerns regarding COVID-19.

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