Turo vs Zipcar: Which is Better? [2024]

Turo vs Zipcar: Want to go to college or an urban area or wherever, where you require car only for a short trip? A car sharing service can be the best option if you need car occasionally. Car sharing is environmentally friendly as they seek ways to be more time and energy-efficient by combining trips to save on gas.

Companies like Turo and Zipcar has made cars available in every neighborhood and college campus. So, are you wondering what is the best car sharing service? What is the difference between Turo and Zipcar? Or wondering which will give you the best options? Don’t worry, we’ll help you with that. In this article, we’ll take a better look at Turo vs Zipcar and help you select the best option.

Turo vs Zipcar: What are They?

Turo

Turo is an American peer-to-peer car sharing company that lets private car owners to rent out their vehicles through a mobile app or via website. It is available in over 56 countries, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and many more. Unlike any other traditional car-rental platforms, Turo does not maintain or own any cars.

Furthermore, it claims that its rental costs are lower when compared to traditional car rental services. People who tend to rent their own cars can register their cars online to be rented by other Turo users. It offers up to $750,000 in third party liability insurance in the United States.

Zipcar

Zipcar is another American car sharing company that offers automobile reservation to its users, which is billed by the minute, hour or day. In addition to car reservation charges, users might have to pay an annual or monthly membership fee. It is available in college campuses and urban areas throughout the United States, Costa Rica, Canada, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Iceland and more.

It offers over 50 makes and models of vehicles. Every vehicle has a reserved parking space located on a driveway, street or neighborhood parking lot in the user’s area. It charges a one-time application fee and a reservation fee which includes parking, fuel, maintenance, and insurance fees. One of the major downsides of Zipcar is that the minimum rental time is one hour. This mean, you can use this if you require a quick 30-min trip.

Must Try these Apps like Turo to Rent a Car! [2021]

Turo vs Zipcar: How Does it Work?

Turo

Turo users can rent cars directly from local car owners. The owners have the ability to set their own rates, or they can also have Turo set their car’s price depending on local market data. Customers have the ability to make reservations through Turo’s mobile app for iOS and Android or through website.

After making reservations, they can set their pickup time and date according to their plans. In order to exchange keys, owners will deliver the car to custom locations across the town or near the airports, or let travelers to pick up the vehicle at the owner’s selected location.

Zipcar

Zipcar users pay a monthly membership fee in exchange for a Zipcard. To lock and unlock the car at the start and end of every reservation, users can use Zipcard to scan on a device under the windshield of their selected rental vehicle.

Every vehicle has a reserved parking area, which is called as “Home Location.” The rented car must be returned with at least one-quarter tank of gas. Users can book reservations through Zipcar’s mobile app or via website.

Avis vs Hertz: Which is Best? [2021]

Turo vs Zipcar: Pricing & Fees

These rates or fees can vary widely by location and car models as owner sets their own price.

Turo

Every rental charges a security deposit, trip fee and other taxes. The car owner may even ask the customer to pay for extra post-trip costs like tolls and cleaning. There is no membership fee and renters are supposed to pay for their own gas.

Rates

• There are no per-minute or per-hour rates.
• $18-30 starting daily rates + up to 25% rental fee (rental starts at 5pm and it is for 26-hour period).

Other Fees

• There is no sign-up or no member fee.
• $50 per hour late return fee, this can go up to $200.
• $0.75 per mile overage fee – owner set their mileage limits.
• $500 to $3,000 damage fee – insurance is deductible and it is based on the plan chosen.
• Can charge extras, like drop-off fees and more – it is set by owner.
• Optional protection fee.
• 30% on top of trip price – up to $15 for drivers aged 21-24.

Zipcar

Every car rental consists of a complimentary gas card, so customers don’t have to pay anything at the pump to refill their ride.

Memberships

• Monthly driving plan costs $7 per month.
• The Occasional Driving Plan costs $70 per year.
• Extra value plan costs $50 per month – with $50 in driving credits and discount on driving rate.

Monthly Rates

• It can cost $66-$78 daily.
• $8 to $10 per hour – this can vary by car model and location.

Other Fees

• It costs $25 sign-up fee
• $7 per month member fee
• $50 to $150 late return fee
• $0.45 to $0.55 per mile overage fee – this is only applicable if you exceed 180-mile limit
• Damage fee can be around $1000.

The Bottom Line

What did you choose? We would like to mention that, it really depends on what you are looking for in a car rental like just something cheap, short-term or long-term or corporate rental. Zipcar can be a great choice around college campuses for short-term ease of use.

On the other hand, Turo is convenient to book on an App, an insurance offered through Turo, as well as it offers a great deal of cars from luxury to economy. So, we hope the above article on Turo vs Zipcar has helped you to select the best option according to your preferences.

Turo vs Hertz: Which is Best Car Rental Service? [2022]
Must Try these 24 Sites like Carvana, If you want to Buy/Sell a Car!
Avis vs National Car Rental: Which is Best? [2022]
Turo vs Enterprise: Complete Comparison [2022]