Drive the price of your rental down by comparing the car rental companies from around the world.
Renting cars for holidays can be a confusing business. There are so many providers to choose from, all with different terms and conditistephaons, vehicles and models and, most crucially, prices.
We’ve rounded up the best car hire sites on the Internet to help take the stress out of your search.
What’s the difference between booking direct and booking with an online aggregator?
The first decision to make is whether you want to book direct through the rental company (such as Avis or Europcar) or through a booking engine or aggregator (like Expedia or Hotwire). We’ve previewed a mixture of both here, so you’ll have plenty to compare.
Something to keep in mind when deciding which to go for is the deals and specials each is offering. Sometimes it’s possible to get exclusive offers through aggregators, but going through an aggregator can occasionally create problems as it’s an extra ‘layer’ you have to go through if anything goes wrong. For example, if you need to change or modify your booking at a later date, you might have to contact the aggregator for details to contact the car hire company to make the amendments on your behalf.
If you’re going through an aggregator, read the terms and conditions properly so that you’re aware of who you will have to deal with at a later date and the processes to follow should any issues arise.
Top 10 sites to book rental cars online
Avis
Europcar
Hertz
Budget
Expedia
Webjet
Wotif
Helloworld
BYOJet
Hotwire
Avis
Global car hire giant Avis has been around since 1946. Since then it has expanded and currently has over 5,000 rental locations worldwide.
Mobile app available for iOS
Offers and specials available in the site’s deals section
Avis Preferred Membership offers priority service and pricing
Book with Avis
Europcar
Despite the name Europcar is not confined to Europe. Since it was founded in 1949 it has spread to over 140 countries worldwide, and rents a wide variety of cars, vans and trucks.
Redeem Virgin Velocity Frequent Flyer points against your booking
Accounts available for business customers
Privilege Loyalty Program offers exclusive rewards and discounts
Book with Europcar
Hertz
Hertz was founded in 1918 with just 12 Model-T Fords in its fleet. Today it has operations in over 146 countries and is the largest worldwide airport use car rental brand in the world.
24-hour roadside assistance with every booking
Hertz Mobile Wi-Fi connects you to Wi-Fi wherever you go
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards users receive exclusive rewards
Book with Hertz
Budget
Part of the Avis rental group, Budget specialises in cars and trucks for those on, well, a budget. It stocks a wide range of cars, vans and trucks in over 2,500 locations worldwide.
RMS E-Toll in all bookings automatically charges any tolls incurred to your credit card
Join the Budget Fastbreak program for exclusive rewards
Earn FlyBuys or Qantas Frequent Flyer points on all bookings
Book with Budget
Expedia
Since it was founded in 1996, Expedia has become one of the world’s leading online travel agents and is a trusted site for finding online deals. It is known for flight and hotel bookings, but also offers rental car deals.
Price match guarantee ensures it won’t be beaten on price
Exclusive last minute deals
Expedia+ provides members-only discounts and deals
Book with Expedia
Webjet
Australian travel comparison site Webjet helps customers find the lowest price on hotels, flights, travel insurance, car hire and more.
Compare thousands of prices from the world’s best-known car rental companies
Live chat available
Earn Flybuys points on all bookings
Book with Webjet
Wotif
Australian travel-planning site Wotif burst onto the scene in 2000, offering bookings for flights, hotels, packages and car hire.
Customer reviews let you see what others thought of hotels, airlines and rental agencies
No hotel booking fees
Sign up to the newsletter for exclusive deals and savings
Book with Wotif
Helloworld
Helloworld’s motto is: ‘experts in everywhere’ and with good reason. It has been helping travellers save money on their travel needs, including car hire, for over 40 years.
Car rentals available in almost every country
Constantly offers exclusive deals and specials
Travel booking mobile app available at Google Play or the App Store
Book with Helloworld
BYOJet
One of Australia’s leading travel sites, BYOJet finds great deals on a range of travel needs, including car hire and discounts on world famous attractions.
Car hire, packages and insurance available worldwide
Live chat available
Exclusive deals on local attractions
Book with BYOJet
Hotwire
Hotwire specialises in unsold travel deals. This means that anytime a plane seat goes unsold, a hotel room goes unbooked or a hire care is not reserved, Hotwire swoops in and negotiates a cheaper rate for consumers.
Exclusive rates and deals
Get $10 off when you sign up for the newsletter
Mobile app for on-the-go browsing and booking
Book with Hotwire
Which of these retailers allow me to compare different car companies?
Wotif compares car hire companies including Avis, Europcar, Budget, Sixt and Hertz
Expedia compares car hire companies including Avis, Europcar, Budget, Hertz, Thrifty and Enterprise
Webjet compares car hire companies including Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar and Thrifty
Helloworld compares Avis, Budget, Hertz and Europcar
BYOJet compares Avis, Thrifty, Europcar, Hertz and Budget
Hotwire compares Alamo, Budget, Dollar Rent A Car, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, National and Thrifty
Which car hire company should I choose?
There's no single right answer to this question. Sometimes it might be cheaper to book direct with the car hire company, but aggregators like Wotif and Expedia may feature special deals that you can only access through them.
If you’re looking for the cheapest car hire available for your trip, spend the time to see what each company and aggregator is offering in terms of cars, price and insurance costs, to make an informed decision. Don’t forget to check out our coupon codes and deals [link to the coupons below] to see what steals you can drive away with.
Which of these retailers allow me to add on hire car insurance?
Wotif
Expedia
Webjet
Avis
Europcar
Hertz
BYOJet
Budget
Considering car insurance?
READ MORE: The ins and outs of car rental excess insurance
READ MORE: Does your credit card offer car rental insurance?
Which car hire providers let me hire a caravan?
Avis
Europcar
Hertz
Budget
Want to book car hire online? Use one of our coupons:
10% off Ute hire
Save 10% off the base rental rate on commercial vehicles across selected locations.
Get deal on site
Deal
Last verified 18 Jun 2015
Deal expires 17 Dec 2015 11:00pm
15% Off Weekend Rentals
Enjoy great savings on your weekend car hire, with 15% off
Show code & visit site19****
Coupon code
Last verified 20 Feb 2015
Deal expires 30 Sep 2015 11:00pm
Up to 25% off Europe car hire
Get up to 25% off and explore Europe at your own pace.
Get deal on site
Deal
Last verified 18 Jun 2015
Deal expires 31 Jan 2016 12:00am
Avis - Free Double Upgrade
Get a free double upgrade by using this code at Avis.
Show code & visit siteUP****
Coupon code
Last verified 22 Jul 2014
1 Day Free Parking
Get one day free parking by using the code at Ace airport parking.
Show code & visit siteCF****
Coupon code
Last verified 12 Feb 2015
Deal expires 19 Dec 2015 11:00pm
10% Off Weekly Rental
Get 10% off when you hire a car for 7 or more days
Show code & visit site19****
Coupon code
Last verified 20 Feb 2015
Deal expires 30 Sep 2015 11:00pm
Free Single Upgrade
Get free single upgrade valid until Nov 2015
Show code & visit siteTP****
Coupon code
Last verified 1 Jun 2015
Deal expires 1 Dec 2015 12:00am
Avis - Free Single Upgrade
Get a free single upgrade by using this code at Avis.
Show code & visit siteUP****
Coupon code
Last verified 28 May 2015
The post Top 10 sites to book rental cars online appeared first on finder.com.au.