Avis vs Budget: Which is Better For You? [2024]

Avis vs Budget – What is the difference between the two most famous car rental companies, Avis and Budget?

Staying indoors, especially at the time of vacation does not sound like a very active and good plan. When the vacation arrives, your kids or family members will urge you to step out of the chaos of your daily life and step into the lands of nature.

But, there is one major crisis that most people face. They do not own a car. However, as there are several car rental companies in the market, you have a lot of options in front of you to choose from.

Yet again, having too many options makes the person confused and it will eventually lead him or her to choose the wrong company. In the run of finding a good car rental company – You might have come across the most famous car rental companies in the USA, named Avis and Budget.

Practically, they both are sister companies and are ranking at the top of popularity charts with their incredible features and 24/7 support through customer service teams. Users are loving the experience of both car rental entities.

Do you wish to know what is the difference between Avis and Budget car rental companies? In that case, you have clicked on the right site link. In the article below, we are going to give you a detailed comparison of both companies. To know which one suits your taste the most, keep reading!

Avis vs Budget Car Rental: Introduction

Avis: Avis budget group is a car rental company based in America that acts as a subsidiary entity under its parent company name Avis car rental.

The company has a set of parent companies – Zipcar, Budget truck rental, Budget car rental, and other globally famous brands. The local brand associates list of Avis contains – Apex car rentals, Maggiore group, France Cars, and Payless Car Rental.

Warren Avis, Jules Lederer, and Henry Silverman are the founders of the company who founded it in 1946. Joe Ferraro, since 1st January 2020 has taken over the position of CEO for Avis budget group. You find the company's headquarters in Parsippany-Troy-Hills New Jersey, United States.

The company recorded a total number of 20,000 employees in 2019 with 917.2 crores USD in the same year. Its stock price is $248.8 as per CAR.

Budget: Budget Rent A Car is an American-based car rental company founded in 1958. Morris Mirkin and Jules Lederer founded it in Los Angeles, California, United States.

Budget is a subsidiary entity under the Avis budget group and other globally famous entities. It is basically a local and regional form of Its internationally famous parent company.

Avis Budget Group is currently operating in its headquarters situated in Parsippany, New Jersey, United States. The company, according to the analysis from 2019 has a total of 320 crores USD in revenue.

Avis vs Budget Rental Car: The Major similarity?

Avis and Budget share the same Fleet, Mechanics, and Desks – but the major similarity between them is the amount and type of services they offer to the customers.

• You can rent SUVs in different sizes and recreational vehicles.
• Van rentals, which include several 12 to 15 passengers, are available along with other Minivans.
• They offer a feature for pickup truck rentals.
• You have a lot of options in sizes for hybrid vehicles.
• You get average rental cars like sedan rentals from small and light on gas, which has only a few basics to luxury cars like Chrysler 300 – at both Avis and Budget.
• The category of Luxury sports cars contains the same Sedans, Convertibles, and Coupes.
• Both carry signature vehicles to form statements.
• You have an option for one-way rentals for the airport and other purposes along with long-term rentals where you can rent the car for a couple of days or more.

According to us, this was the major similarity between Avis and Budget. Now to know about their differences, even though they are called sister car rental organizations – read below.

Avis vs Budget Car Rental: What is the difference between Avis and Budget?

As now you have already been introduced to both car rental companies, Without wasting any moments, we will head towards the answer to your ‘What is the difference between Avis and Budget?':

Prices

Avis: The basic rental charge will go up to $258 approximately. If you wish to add a baby seat, it will cost $89 extra. The cost of GPS is $112. You are required to allow the company to hold $100 extra in total in the name of a Security deposit.

In total – You will have to spend around $459 if you rent a car from Avis. Apart from this, Avis can cost you a lot more in the name of additional charges for various things. The charges are different for different vehicles specified in the rental agreement.

Budget: The basic rental charges at Budget come to $249 on average. If you want to add a baby seat, it will cost you $91 extra. You will have to pay $84 for GPS and allow the company to hold exactly $100 as a deposit for incidentals.

In total, you will pay around $424 if you rent a car from Budget car rentals. The external charger for the budget can cost you between 300 dollars to 500 dollars.

Requirements for Drivers

Avis: if you want to rent a car from Avis, you are required to have a driver with a minimum age of 25. You can rent a car even if you are older than 21, but there are certain restrictions in some of the locations in the USA. However, a fee – in the name of a surcharge is charged compulsorily.

In addition to that, you are required to carry a driver's license of the individual which must have been active for at least 12 consecutive months.

Budget: At budget, you can rent a car if you are 21 years old or older. You, as a driver, must carry an active driver's license along with your own credit or debit card.

Foreigners who have a foreign-language driving license must own an international permit for driving or the driver's license's official translation.

Locations Covered

Avis: Avis has covered a big group of 160 countries to serve. Along with the famous countries, you can find Avis in small countries in the corners of the world too. Comparatively, Avis offers more services.

Budget: Budget has reached out to only 120 countries to this date. You can find Budget in most of the famous companies and a few of the famous and small countries.

Extra Driver

Avis: you get the facility of an extra driver. When you opt for renting a driver, the cost of him or her depends on the vehicle you are renting. The cost will be calculated on the number of days you are renting the driver. Avis has this facility in almost all the Nations it has covered.

Budget: Similar to Avis, Budget has a facility if you wish to rent an extra driver. The cost of the driver will depend on the vehicle you are renting and the number of days you want the driver to stay with you.

But, what is the difference? Avis has the facility being serviced in almost all locations it covers while for Budget due to lack of drivers, it is yet not able to gather drivers for all the Nations. This means – that the decision of you renting an extra driver depends on where you live.

Mileage

Avis: At Avis car rentals, you will find most of the vehicles with unlimited mileage. Some cars might have limited mileage – in this case, you must expect an additional charge in the total at the end in the name of extra charges for exceeding the limits of mileage.

Budget: At Budget, it is vice versa. You will find a few cars with unlimited mileage while others will charge you an extra fee if you cross the limit of mileage accordingly.

Extra Location Feature

Avis: Avis offers a feature where you can add a different location for the pickup of the rented vehicle. You are not required to stand in a line at the Avis building and wait for your number to arrive so you can return the car safely. This feature is available in most regions of the USA.

Budget: Similar to Avis, Budget offers you a feature where you can return the rented car from a different return location. But, compared with Avis, Budget offers this feature in a few locations in the USA.

Reputation

Avis: Avis is visibly more reputed and famous among the beings. Why? Simply because it has been in the market for a longer time. Avis is one of the oldest brands in the USA.

When technology first came in, Avis was one of the first launched brands for the same. Although the reason behind its being more reputed should be its age, people still get attracted to it only because they think the company offers more High-Quality services and luxury cars. The services are more along with the features and the prices are cheaper.

In reality, the difference between the rental cost of Avis and Budget will barely make a difference for middle-class people.

Budget: Budget has a good reputation too but as it was launched after a good set of years after Avis – it's given less importance.

The reason as you all know – Avis is known for better Quality Services, luxury cars, more options in the fleet, and cheaper prices. In reality, the difference is not much. Avis is the parent organization of the Budget – Whatever it comprises, Budget does too but because of it being the parent organisation, it has a lot more advantages, that is all.

Avis vs Budget: Key Difference

	Avis	Budget
Car hiring locations	Available in over 160 countries including Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East	Available in over 120 countries including Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East
Types of cars available	Vans/trucks Sports cars Compact cars SUV/minivans Eco-friendly vehicles  Sedan Commercial vehicles  4WDSpecialty vehicles	Vans/trucks Sports cars Compact cars SUV/minivans Eco-friendly vehicles  Sedan Commercial vehicles  4WDSpecialty vehicles
Type of insurance included	All standard rentals come with a loss-damage waiver. Third-party insurance is also included at selected locations and additional insurance is available for purchase	Loss damage waiver, property and personal insurance, and third-party insurance. Extra insurance packages can be purchased
Fueling agreement	Simply add Fuel Service Option in advance for a full tank of gas and return the car back empty	Pay in advance for a full tank of fuel and return the car back empty
Can I smoke or carry a pet in the car?	You cannot smoke but you can carry pets at most Avis locations	You cannot smoke but you can carry pets
Can I drive out of state?	Yes	Yes
Do I require a deposit?	No	No
What are the car rental requirements?	Drivers should be at least 35 years old Valid driver’s license that has been held for a consecutive 12 months License not in English need an International Driving Permit	Driver must be 21 or older Have a valid driver’s license and a debit or credit card in your name Drivers with overseas licenses should show proof with a passport License written in non-Latin characters require official translation or an International Driving Permit
Can I pay in cash?	Yes	Yes
Will they pick me up?	Yes, if you are within five miles of the rental facility	Free pick-up service to those in need of local transportation to the Budget rental facility
Does it allow reservation cancellation?	Yes, Changes and cancellations can be made online up to 24 hours before the rental period without a fee. However, changes after or during the rental period need a fee	Cancellations can be done online at any time and no cancellation fees in Australia. Rental changes may affect the cost
Can I add extra driver?	Yes, Additional drivers include family members and work colleagues without a fee. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay a $5 fee daily which is capped at $25	Yes, Additional drivers include family members and work colleagues without a fee. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay a $5 fee daily which is capped at $25

Avis or Budget: Which is Better?

Avis or Budget which is better? Honestly, both are on the same level. They both are known as sister car rental companies, meaning whatever Avis has will have, Budget will have too.

So, what's the major difference that makes them apart? Avis aims to capture the big side of the target market. And its prices can slightly get higher depending on its High-Quality Services.

For Budget, it was established to provide economy-focused services to normal people for daily chores. It will set fewer rules and regulations for its users.

The working and aim of their establishment are similar. The fleet options and everything else you get on both car rental services are similar. However, there are differences in reputation, Avis is more reputed and well-known because it has been in the business for a long while. Whereas Budget is also famous but comparatively less than Avis.

Avis has more options in the fleet under luxury categories than Budget. And the prices appear to be a bit cheaper than the Budget. Moreover, Avis is known best for international and national affairs, whereas, for Budget, it goes well with regional and local usage. Due to Avis having more location coverage across the globe, it is known by more people.

If you wish to have a more simplified and less strict car deal, Budget Car Rental services will be at your rescue. But if you wish to get a stylish car and you are ready to pay more, along with keeping the extra cost in mind, you can opt for car rental deals at Avis Car Rental company.

Are Budget and Avis the same Company?

We cannot say Avis and Budget are the same company but they do relate in many ways. Budget acts as the subsidiary entity under Avis Car Rental Group and it is owned by the Avis Budget Group of New Jersey. The merger of Avis and Budget car rental groups across the world has reached a total amount of 1 billion deals for car rentals.

Avis vs Budget Rental Car Reviews

Avis – The positive reviews with 4+ ratings talks about how the Avis group of car rental companies is best at giving High-Quality Services. It is easy to pick up the car and drop it off according to your plans. You can reschedule whenever you wish, just keep in mind to notify the company Beforehand.

The best thing about Avis can be – when you pay for everything through their app or website. And once the driver arrives with the car at your pickup location, you can sit in the car and start your journey without wasting time. They have comparatively lower prices than other car rental companies.

The negative reviews speak about the Avis group which did not notify the user, about the car they ordered not being available until the day of pickup arrived. They have slow services according to a few users and others are still angry that they did not receive any official statement of apology from them.

Budget – The budget seems to be on the lower end for many people. They claim that Budget does not have clean cars and if you do not clean up for them before returning the car, they will charge you about $450 extra. Cleanliness is a disadvantage if you are going to rent a car from Budget.

Along with that, it appears to us that the company does not have clear agreements with its users. They do not mention any extra convention fees in the towns or cities or extra charges allotted before the consumers find the extra sum being added directly to their card.

The company's customer care service seems to ignore messages a lot of times and problems are unsolved for many past customers of Budget.

While these customers gave negative reviews, the positive review says Budget is the most affordable car rental company. It does not have a lot of strict restrictions and rules that are to be followed by the users. The driver's requirements are understandable too.

Conclusion

If you look at the reviews of both car rental companies, they seem to tell you that neither of them is a good match for you. But, there is a reason why Avis and Budget groups of companies are so famous across the globe.

If you are still confused as to which car rental you must use, Avis or Budget which is better for you – go along with both of them and decide which gave you a good experience.

Hopefully, the above article on Avis vs Budget has helped you understand everything about them.

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