It’s no secret that car sharing and peer-to-peer vehicle sharing has exploded over the last decade or so, changing the way everyone gets around. If you’re considering making a change to a car-share program, or you are using one that you’re unhappy with, this article is for you. We’ve researched the current car sharing options and have found 7 services sure to give you a great experience.
7 best car sharing programs
1. Zipcar
Zipcar is a car sharing program intended for short distances. If you don’t want to rent a car for the entire day or drive 500 miles, Zipcar is likely your best bet.
Cost: different membership options/driving rates based on the country
Where available: United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Iceland, Taiwan, Turkey, and the UK
Why you should use it: Zipcar keeps the traditional style of car rentals, but moves it into the modern era by targeting big cities and college campuses and allowing shorter-use rentals.
2. Turo
Turo offers numerous vehicle options for customers who want a specific car or feature when selecting a car. This also makes it easier for those putting their vehicle up for rent, as Turo has a wider range of inventory acceptance.
Cost: starting at $25 per day, rising depending on vehicle selection, protection plan and extras.
Where available: Most of North America and the UK.
Why you should use it: Turo is a company with great customer service, amazing reviews, and a wide selection. The app is very adaptable and provides a seamless sharing experience.
3. ShareNow
ShareNow is a car share program that offers gasoline, electric and diesel options to its users. For those familiar with the former program car2go and DriveNow, ShareNow has merged the best aspects of both to give its customers the best car sharing experience.
Cost: Anywhere between €0.19/min and €0.32/min depending on the vehicle selected. You can also select hour or day-packages and pay by the km.
Where available: Austria, Germany, Denmark, Italy, France, Hungary, Netherlands and Spain
Why you should use it: If you’re in Europe and are looking for a super flexible and easy-to-start car sharing experience, ShareNow is a great fit.
4. Sixt
Sixt is a subscription-based car share program that offers unique specials to its customers, as well as a wide range of vehicle models.
Cost: from €69/day.
Where available: Parts of North America, South America, Africa, Australia, Asia and Europe.
Why you should use it: If you’re struggling to find a car share program in your neck of the woods, Sixt is likely the best bet, since it stretches the farthest internationally.
5. Gig Car Share
Designed specifically for those in a few big city-areas, Gig aims to let those in need of a ride get it without the hangups of membership – it’s free!
Cost: you can pay per minute ($0.19), per hour ($18.99) or per day (from $99.99 to $119.99, depending on the area).
Where available: San Francisco Bay area, Sacramento, Seattle
Why you should use it: If you’re in one of the home areas of Gig and don’t want to pay for a membership, fuel or insurance, Gig is the perfect choice. Plus, their cars are either hybrid or electric, so you can feel good about your limited or no carbon footprint!
6. Enterprise CarShare
Enterprise CarShare is the result of a traditional rental company expanding their services to meet the demands of the modern firms for corporate fleets or college students. All it takes is a membership card and you can begin selecting the right vehicles for your company.
Cost: $9.50/hour on average; $50/day
Where available: United States, Canada, and the UK.
Why you should use it: If you are in need of a new transportation scheme for your employees or your kid in college, it makes perfect sense to use them as your main car share program.
7. HyreCar
Want to cash in on the car share craze but don’t have time to drive around everywhere? Want to drive for a car share program but don’t have a car to use? Problem solved with HyreCar, which allows car owners to give their car up for Uber or Lyft use, and allows people without cars to drive a rented car for Uber or Lyft.
Cost: Roughly $50/day; $900-1300/month
Where available: United States
Why you should use it: If you are struggling to afford your own car, the extra cash you can earn on HyreCar can get you there. And if your car is sitting in your garage a bit too often, HyreCar can put it to use to make you some extra cash.
Brief Recap
Best international car share program: Sixt
Most limited program geographically: Gig Car Share
Best overall vehicle selection: Turo/Zipcar
Most economical: ShareNow
Best big city program: Zipcar
Most seamless smartphone app: Turo
Final Thoughts
Here you have the info about the 7 best car share programs in the market, so next time you need a ride you know what to look for – interested in building your own car sharing business? Read more about the steps you need to take on our blog!