Budget vs Hertz: Which is Best? [2024]

Budget vs Hertz: When you wish to rent a car, both Budget and Hertz look amazing to you. Which among the two will be up to the mark for you?

Renting a car did not seem hard until you put your efforts and focus on the screen and search for a good car rental company.

Staying indoors on the weekends sounds awful enough, but when you say no picnic and family outings on vacations, everyone in your family is likely going to throw a fit at you.

Who does not enjoy going out on vacations with their family and spending some time in places you all find peace? At times like these, if you have a car – you can go off with the plan but if you do not, car rental companies are then invited into the room.

Now, when we speak of car rental companies, there are not just one or two options on the list. You have plenty of car rental companies in the market with different fleet structures, procedures, payments, and features all over.

Among the best car rental companies, we have the best option – Budget and Hertz. Both companies are well-known and tested companies for car rentals.

To help you with choosing the best car rental company for you among Budget car rental vs Hertz, in the following article – we are presenting you a comparison between both.

Budget vs Hertz: What are they?

Budget: Budget Rent a Car is a US-based car rental company. The company was founded in Los Angeles, California in 1958 by Morris Mirkin.

Budget's operating headquarters are in Parsippany, New Jersey. The brand acts as a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group. Jules Lederer was the other founder of the company.

By recent research, Budget Rent a Car has recorded a total of 320 crores in USD of revenue based on the records from 2019. In 2019, it was recorded that Budget Rent A Car is available in about 3,925 locations.

Hertz: Hertz is a well-known car rental company based in America that operates in more than 12,000 locations currently and is on a run to expand the franchise in more countries.

It is known as one of the biggest car rental companies in terms of sales locations and fleet. And it works and more than 160 locations in different countries including Europe, New Zealand, The Middle East, Australia, Africa, America, Asia, and The Caribbean.

While the company is receiving more fame and positive repetition in the market, it gives you a unique option of membership to help you experience an extra bunch of features.

Hertz Gold Plus is the name of the membership. With the help of this membership, you can alter your profile, make changes to your preferences and payment settings and do more interesting things freely.

Budget vs Hertz: How does it work?

The working of both companies is easy. They are known to have simple procedures and clear-cut deals with their customers. And users are not required to be experienced people to rent a car from any company for renting cars from these companies.

With a bit of guidance and a few steps being followed, you can easily rent a car. But before we move on to the current process you are required to look at the car renting requirements by each of the companies. If you are not eligible according to the car renting requirements by the company, there is no way they will help you rent a car. The requirements and important details are mentioned below:

Budget:

• Must be 18 and older in New York and Michigan State to rent a car, as long as you are ready to pay an underage rent surcharge. In other states, you are required to be 21 +. There is no surcharge charged for drivers 25 years old and older.
• Have a valid driver's license along with a debit card or credit card. Also, you must carry an alternate proof ID.
• Have a clean driving record.

Hertz:

• Must be of 25 years or older.
• Have proof of address with him or her. They can show a Letter of Employment, Official Government paperwork, Utility Bill, Bank Statements, Property Lease Agreement, or Telephone account for proof.
• Have your Visa or MasterCard, Credit or Debit card, or cash cheque along with you at the time of pickup.
• Must have a valid driver's license at the time of pickup.

Drivers from 21 years to 24 years old can also rent a car if they are ready to pay an extra amount in the name of a surcharge.

After you have accepted all the requirements for renting a car from Hertz, you can visit the official website of the company to start with the renting process.

They will enquire from you regarding the type of car you want to drive and what model you have in mind. You are also required to send the exact time, date, and location details.

Being a member of the Hertz Gold Membership club, you will have the extra benefits of giving in all your preferences to rent a car, such as the ability to get accurate model, type, features, and more.

If the membership does not sound good to you, you can also try renting a car from their Prestige car list. You may not get all the features of a membership club but you will definitely find extra advantages this way.

Budget Car Rental vs Hertz: Price

Note: at the time of renting a car, always remember that even if the company has listed the exact rental payment in the agreement, there are still more charges you are required to focus on. The charges include – a late return fee, fuel charges, and others. Also, do not forget the deposit for incidentals.

Budget: as the name of the brand suggests – Budget, it has a lot of cheap-rated cars for rental. The rent starts from $10.95. You can rent a Cargo Van for only $29.99 per day. The prices of every vehicle you choose will depend on the location you have added for pickup and return.

Travelers have an advantage using Budget for renting cars. They can avoid extra charges like surcharges, taxes, and upgrade fees as long as they have a little of patience.

Hertz: Comparing Hertz to other national car rental companies, it has reasonable pricing for all the listed models on its menu. The price will fluctuate depending on the type and model you choose. The condition of the vehicle also matters although the vehicle is coming from their side.

At this time, the Hertz Gold club members are at benefit. Because they can easily avoid extra charges and also get the chance to select the perfect model and type of car they want to try to drive.

Budget vs Hertz: How much do they hold onto your card?

Budget: Budget will hold an estimated amount for rental payment cover, which is up to $300 on your debit or credit card. Also, if there are any changes in your schedule, you must inform the company beforehand. If you did not, they will add additional late fee charges to your total sum, which they'll deduct from your security deposit.

Hertz: Hertz will hold the price depending on the total cost of renting. It will be around $200. The amount along with the retail payment will be frozen on your credit card. Once you return the vehicle and it's checked for any damages and other things, they'll refund the deposit and the rental cost will be transacted into their accounts.

Budge Car Rental vs Hertz: Fleet

Hertz: Hertz has a wide variety of cars for you. From different types to different models, it has everything to complete every desire. Hertz gives you comfortable cars from Chevrolet or Hyundai while also having luxurious brands like Aston Martin, Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Tesla to put up with your lavish thirsts.

Hertz: from normal ones to luxury ones, Hertz has a wide range of cars tested on its list for you. You can have the fastest sports car, the most luxurious car and an interesting hybrid vehicle, and more at Hertz. All of these are available for you, all you have to do is pick a brand like – Ferrari, Tesla, Aston Martin, Porsche, Lamborghini, or any other brand for yourself.

Budget vs Hertz: When do they Return the Deposit?

Rented through Credit Card –

If you have rented a car on Budget through your credit card, it will hold the total rental payment and an additional $300 on your credit card in the name of the security fee.

Whereas, Hertz will first hold the total rental cost and security deposit until you return the car safely. After the check-up for any damages and calculation of the complete deposit, it'll transact it into your account within 24 hours. The estimated refund delivery time can fluctuate depending on the bank you are using.

Rented through Cash –

For security reasons, Budget is currently not allowing users to pay through any direct cash mode. You are required to pay through credit or a debit card or any other payment method that is accessible by the company.

If you are thinking about paying for rental costs and other charges through cash, you are required to carry a special identification card along with you at the time of pickup and payment. The special identification card will cost you $15 which is a non-refundable fee. At times, you will have to wait for a couple of weeks or even a month to get your special identification card.

Rented through Debit Card –

Renting a car on Budget through credit card and debit card will have the same procedure. It'll hold up to $300 as an additional charge for incidentals along with the total cost of renting on your card.

If you are using a debit card to pay, Hertz will hold $500 in your bank. When you sign the agreement for renting a car, you also give them the right to cut the extra charges for any damage or any other reason from your bank account immediately. For this case, you are required to show them that your bank account has enough funds.

Budget vs Hertz: Key Difference

	Budget	Hertz
Car hiring locations	Available in over 120 countries including Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East	Works in over 9,700 locations across Australia, Canada, Latin America, Asia, the United States, Europe, Caribbean
Types of cars available	Vans/trucksSports cars Compact cars SUV/minivans Eco-friendly vehicles  Sedan Commercial vehicles  4WDSpecialty vehicles	Vans 4WDsHybrid vehicles  High performances vehicles Compact cars SUVs/minivans SedansTrucks Wheelchair accessible vehicles
Type of insurance included	Loss damage waiver, property and personal insurance, and third-party insurance. Extra insurance packages can be purchased	Includes accident damage excess to reduce your liability for loss or damage to the vehicle. Additional insurance packages can be purchased
Fueling agreement	Pay in advance for a full tank of fuel and return the car back empty	Prepaid fuel, refueling service fee or you refuel before returning the vehicle
Can I smoke or carry a pet in the car?	You cannot smoke but you can carry pets	You cannot smoke but you can carry pets with no additional fees
Can I drive out of state?	Yes	Yes
Do I require a deposit?	No	No
What are the car rental requirements?	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	Drivers should be at least 21 years old Valid driver’s license License not written in English should be accompanied by International Driving Permit
Can I pay in cash?	Yes	Yes
Will they pick me up?	Free pick-up service to those in need of local transportation to the Budget rental facility	Yes, if you are renting a vehicle at a Hertz neighborhood car rental location
Does it allow reservation cancellation?	Cancellations can be done online at any time and no cancellation fees in Australia. Rental changes may affect the cost	Yes, Cancellations and changes can be made to the return time, date and location before the rental begins with extra charges
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	Can be hired at $5 per day or $25 capped for 5 days

Final Words

In the battle of Budget vs Hertz hurts, Budget seems to be a bit under the edge while Hertz has acquired a good amount of trust and knowledge in the market. But that certainly does not mean the Budget is not worth the shot. If you ask us, we would recommend you to try both of them at least once.

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