Hertz vs Sixt: Which Is Better For You? [2024]

Hertz vs Sixt – Are you looking to rent a car but confused between the car rental services, Hertz and Sixt? Don’t worry, we’ve done the hard work for you. In this article, we have given a detailed comparison of the two popular car rental services – Hertz and SIXT.

When it comes to renting a car for the first time, you might have a lot of questions about the required documents, renting process, and requirements to get qualified for a rental service. 

Besides, there are a lot of factors to remember while booking a car. These include the need for more than one driver, charges per mile kilometer, insurance, deposits, the city you live in, the time you rent, and more. 

So, keep on reading the article to have a deep understanding of the comparison of both car rental services. 

Hertz vs Sixt: What Are They?

Hertz:

Hertz is an American car rental company that operates its functions with a few other brands like Firefly Car Rental, Dollar Rent A Car, and Thrifty Car Rental. 

Being one of the top vehicle rental companies by location, sales, and fleet, it operates in over 160 countries in Latin America, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, North America, the Middle East, Africa, and New Zealand. 

With the Hertz app, you can enjoy a personalized in-app experience with your member number, rewards points, name, and status, and even review or modify upcoming car rentals with just a few swipes. 

Sixt:

Sixt is another popular mobility service provider with over 2,000 locations in over 100 countries. You can easily find SIXT car rental services across the world in almost every major city and tourist destination worldwide.

So, find information about the nearest stations and how to get to them, select and reserve your favorite car and handle all your reservations directly from the app. 

Hertz vs Sixt: How Do They Work?

Hertz: To be able to rent a Hertz vehicle, you must qualify the below requirements:

• You or any person driving the vehicle must be 25 years of age or over
• Required to present a valid driver's license at the time of pickup
• Pay Hertz for all charges with a credit, Visa/Mastercard debit or charge card that is accepted at the pickup location (Card) or by cash
• Proof of address like a utility bill, bank statement, property lease agreement, telephone account, letter of employment, or official government paperwork

After you meet all the requirements, you can request for renting a car. Usually, it only accepts reservations for a vehicle class but not for vehicles with certain characteristics. 

Nonetheless, if you reserve a vehicle under Hertz Prestige Collection, you can get an exception. Also, if you are a member of Hertz Golden Club, you’ll have the ability to show off your preferences to get the car of your desire. 

Note that you’ll not always be approved to rent a car through hertz. So, you’ll have to meet the above-mentioned requirements and follow the terms and conditions. 

Sixt: To get started with Sixt, you’ll need to have the below mentioned documents:

• You or any person driving the vehicle must be 25 years of age or over 
• A valid driver’s license, which is printed with non-Roman alphabets
• If you prepay, the same card used must be presented while picking up the rented vehicle 
• If you rent with a debit card, you’ll have to show another ID that confirms your address

Choose the type of car that you desire and consider whether you require to add an extra driver, GPS, or a prepaid tank ok gas and then choose a drop-off time that is a bit later than you are expecting to return the vehicle. 

Next, choose the payment method of your choice. If you wish to prepay, you’ll require a debit or credit card to book your prepaid car rental online and you should also need to present it when picking up. 

And when returning the vehicle, you’ll need to return it with a full tank of gas to prevent any extra charges. Furthermore, it is also advised to arrive 30 minutes early while returning the vehicle. 

Hertz vs Sixt: Price

Finding the cheapest deals while renting a car is the top factor to choose which company to go with. But you’ll need to note extra costs like late fees, taxes, deposits, etc. 

Hertz: The pricing of Hertz is based on the membership plan you have opted for. The best pricing plan is Hertz Gold Plus Rewards which will have interesting rewards each time you rent a car. 

For example, you’ll earn a point for every dollar spent on Hertz rental cars. Besides rewards, it’ll also give discounts, which is amazing because it comes with various advantages.

When it comes to prices of cars on the website, they keep on changing based on period, time, and occasion. 

For instance, if you want to rent a car during festivals like Christmas Eve, the price will be the highest. And if you rent on normal days, the prices will be low, yet they fluctuate based on the day you are renting. 

Sixt: There are a lot of factors that change the final price of a rental car. 

Sixt prices for rentals vary based on the vehicle model, choice of pick-up branch, choice of return branch, length of the rental, protection options and extras, vehicle category, payment, and vehicle demand at the time of pick-up. 

It charges an extra fee if you are under 25 years of age and this amount is based on the vehicle category that you want to book. Moreover, if you have driven more miles than were included in your rental agreement, the overage will also be charged while returning the vehicle. 

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

Just like any other car rental company, when renting a car, both Sixt and Hertz will put a hold on your credit card or debit card. 

This includes the total cost of the reservation plus a security deposit. It covers a few circumstances like late returns or extra fuel charges. 

Hertz: Your card will be charged a hold of up to $200 along with estimated rental charges. This money is frozen till your credit card company returns it. 

Once you bring the car back, it’ll charge your card for the total amount due. And if you don’t return the car on time, Hertz can put an extra hold on your card. 

Therefore, return the car on time or ensure you notify the car rental office if you have any schedule changes.  

Sixt: Like Hertz, Sixt will also temporarily hold some amount on your debit card or credit card along with the cost of your reservation. 

This amount that it holds is based on the type of car you wish to rent. Yet, typically this amount started at $200 for credit cards. 

And for debit cards, you’ll need to pay a deposit of $200 along with the cost of the rental. Once the reservation is completed, you’ll get this money back, which usually takes up to a few days after returning the car. 

Hertz vs Sixt: Fleet

Hertz: With Hertz, discover the wide range of cars and choose the one that meets your requirements. It has a huge variety of luxury, sports, and hybrid vehicles to meet your car rental needs. 

Sixt: Sixt offers you the right vehicle category for every occasion and for every need. Choose between the groups Intermediate/Standard, Luxury/Special, Economy/Compact, Transporter/LWKS, Full-Size/Premium, and Vans/MPV.

Full-size premium company cars include A4, AUDI, Mercedes-Benz Vito, and BMW 3ER Touring, and more. So, whatever you are looking for an economical city car, convertible, a comfortable station wagon, SUV, or vans. 

When do they Return the Deposit?

Rented through Credit Card:

When rented with a credit card on Hertz, it puts a hold on your account for the full cost of the rental along with the security deposit. And once you return the car, it’ll release the hold within 24 hours. 

For instance, if you’ve rented a car that costs $300, and the security deposit is $100. It’ll put a hold of $400 on your credit card when you pick up the car. And when you return it, your card will be billed $300, and you’ll receive the $100 within a day. 

Whereas with Sixt, the authorization amount of $200 or more will show up as an authorization till you finish the rental. Then the charge will drop off your card and you’ll be left with the reservation amount. 

Rented through cash: 

On Hertz, in addition to the upfront deposit of $500, it requires extra paperwork and advance planning if you wish to rent a car through cash. If the counter has cash available, it’ll be returned once you return the car, otherwise they’ll mail a check. 

Rented through Debit card: 

If you want to rent a car using your debit card, Hertz will put a hold on your bank account along with a security deposit of $500 on the day of pickup. 

Renting with a debit card is almost like renting with a credit card, but it requires two forms of identification, and the airport rentals need you to show a return airline ticket. 

On the other hand, Sixt charge reversal can take up to 10 business days to clear your account once you finish the rental reservation. 

Hertz vs Sixt: Difference 

	Hertz	SIXT
Locations	Works in over 9,700 locations across Australia, Canada, Latin America, Asia, the United States, Europe, Caribbean	Works in over 4,000 locations across Australia, Canada, Latin America, Asia, the United States, Europe, Caribbean, the Middle East, and Africa
Deposit	It doesn’t require a deposit but paying a deposit will decrease the overall cost	Doesn’t require a deposit
Extra Drivers	Can be hired at $5 per day or $25 capped for 5 days	Up to 9 additional drivers per booking for $11 but if you have Platinum, Gold, or Diamond status, you can add one additional driver for free of charge
Payment Options	CashCredit cardMastercardVisa debit cardCharge card	CashCredit cardMastercardVisa debit cardTraveler’s cheques
Is insurance included?	Yes	Yes
Does it charge per mile/kilometer?	No	No

Summing Up: Hertz vs Sixt

Both SIXT and Hertz are amazing car rental companies, but before deciding on a particular car rental service, ensure what kind of car you need, whether you need additional driver, or a car seat, the type of insurance and don’t overlook the price.

Moreover, do your own research or just checkout both Hertz and SIXT to find the cheapest car rental rate for the vehicle that you want to rent. 

So, pick the one that meets your needs and requirements. We hope this guide on Sixt vs Hertz comparison has helped you understand everything about each service clearly, including fleet, how they work, prices, locations, and more. 

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