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When you start doing rideshare or delivery, you’ll want to make sure you have a reliable, durable, and attractive vehicle. The best car for Uber and Lyft might not be the one you own. If you’re struggling to figure out the “ride” part of rideshare, it might be time to check out these rental options for Uber and Lyft Drivers. We’ve gathered the top rideshare rental companies that offer a range of vehicles to choose from.
What kind of rental vehicle do I need to look for?
Rental car companies make it easy to select a car that will meet an app’s vehicle requirements. In general Uber and Lyft require:
- 5-8 seats (including the driver’s seat)
- 4 doors
The specific qualifications vary city-to-city and state-to-state. Uber and Lyft also have vehicle age requirements, depending on where you plan to drive (i.e. your vehicle must be X years or younger to signup). Check out the conditions in your city before you start shopping.
Choosing Between Rideshare Rental Companies
Every rideshare rental company is different. It’s important to find the best fit for you and your rideshare business. Here are some questions to help narrow down your search:
- Availability: How often do you plan to drive? Are there mileage caps on the vehicle you’re looking at?
- Fees: Are there any hidden rental fees? Does the company take a cut of your rideshare earnings?
- Eligibility: Are you old enough to rent from the company? Is your driving record clean? Most rental companies have age requirements and will check your motor vehicle records.
- Perks: What kind of perks can you get when signing up? Will the company waive certain fees?
HyreCar
Hyrecar was designed with Uber, Lyft, and delivery drivers in mind. Similar to Airbnb, it’s a rideshare rental marketplace. Hyrecar connects owners of rideshare-ready vehicles with drivers looking to rent.
Hyrecar is all about convenience. The company doesn’t partner with a specific rideshare app. Basically, renters are free to use any app that will allow a Hyrecar rental (think delivery services like DoorDash and Postmates). The company advertises no contracts or signup fees. All in all, you can get behind the wheel in as little as 24 hours.
HyreCar Rental Breakdown
- Price: Economy rideshare rentals average $30-45 per day in Boston, MA. Check out the cars available in your area here.
- Economy Rental Example: A 2016 Toyota Corolla costs $388.30/week in Boston, MA.
- Mileage Caps: Vehicle owners can choose to set mileage caps. Hyrecar isn’t transparent about how much it costs per mile when you exceed that cap.
- Fees: Drivers pay a weekly rental rate, an additional insurance cost, and a “Hyrecar fee” that is 10% of their rental cost.
- Age Restrictions: Must be 21 years or older to rent
- Availability: Available in all 50 states.
- Insurance: Hyrecar charges renters $10 a day for insurance. The policy cover drivers while they are operating the vehicle, but not while they are driving for a rideshare company. Once you agree to a ride and pick up a passenger, the rideshare app’s insurance kicks in.
Getaround
Getaround is an Uber partner, making it a perfect option for renters looking to drive for a single rideshare app.
What sets Getaround apart from other rental companies is that its Uber rental cars are available hourly. You aren’t locked into a day-long rental when you drive with Getaround. Plus, Getaround offers renters the ability to unlock their rental cars with an app. Get on the road quicker by avoiding a meet-up to exchange keys with the car’s owner.
Getaround Rental Breakdown
- Price: Economy ride share rentals average $40-$60/day in Boston, MA. Check out the cars available in your area here.
- Economy Rental Example: A 2016 Toyota Corolla costs $367.76/week in Boston, MA.
- Luxury Rental Example: A 2016 Mercedes Benz E-Class costs $728.05/week in Boston, MA.
- Mileage Caps: Drivers pay $.50 per mile when they exceed the mileage cap they agree to when booking the vehicle.
- Fees: Drivers pay a $10 license fee, a $99 one-time onboarding fee, and a booking fee that is 3% of the trip price with a $1.00 minimum.
- Age Restrictions: Getaround charges an “Under 25” driver fee. A 19-year-old pays 75% of the trip cost while a 24 year old pays just 5%.
- Availability: Hourly and weekly rentals are available in Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington, D.C. However, hourly-only rentals are available to drivers in Portland and San Diego.
- Insurance: Getaround’s driver insurance policy is built into the vehicle cost. The policy includes liability, collision and comprehensive coverage.
Turo
Turo is a carsharing marketplace that advertises a wide range of vehicles — everything from practical to luxury. Hosts list their vehicle and guests hire a car for a minimum of one day.
If you’re looking for an Uber car rental or a Lyft car rental, you’re out of luck. Turo prohibits drivers from using their rentals for Uber or Lyft. However, Turo does allow its cars to be used for delivery services like Grubhub and Doordash.
Even if you don’t decide to rent a vehicle from Turo, you might want to consider listing your car on the platform. Turo makes it quick and easy to become a car host. Listing your vehicle will allow you to earn passive income when you aren’t driving.
Turo Rental Breakdown
- Price: Economy rideshare rentals average $25-$45/day in Boston, MA. Check out the cars available in your area here.
- Economy Rental Example: A 2016 Toyota Corolla costs $231/week in Boston, MA.
- Luxury Rental Example: A 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class costs $504/week in Boston, MA.
- Mileage Caps: Excess mileage can cost between $0.01 and $3.00 per additional mile, depending on the vehicle.
- Fees: Drivers pay a trip rate, an optional protection plan fee, and a “Turo fee” that’s 10% of the rental cost. If drivers book a single car for a week or more, they may get a 10% weekly discount on the rental fee.
- Age Restrictions: Drivers 18-20 pay $25 per day or more depending on the car they book. If you are under 21, you can’t book a vehicle with a market value higher than $20K.
- Availability: Available in 5,500 cities across the US, Canada, Germany, and the UK.
- Insurance: Turo offers insurance in the form of protection plans. They offer a premier plan, a standard plan, and a minimum plan.
Fair
Note: Fair plans to end its weekly rideshare rental program in April, 2020. As of February 16, 2020 there are no vehicles available to rent for rideshare drivers on Fair’s website.
Fair is an official Uber car rental partner that offers a “forward-thinking alternative to traditional car ownership.” It’s closer to a lease than a rental, but there’s no contract and you can keep the car as long as you want. You pay on a monthly basis, so you won’t have to worry about a weekly withdrawal from your bank account. Fair’s monthly payments aren’t standardized. After scanning your license during the signup process, Fair conducts a soft credit check. This credit check helps Fair determine how much you’ll pay monthly.
Fair Rental Breakdown
- Price: Rental rates start as low as $130/week.
- Mileage Caps: Every rental comes with up to 10,000 miles, although you’re free to go over that amount for an additional payment.
- Fees: Drivers pay a one-time, non-refundable $500 “start payment,” as well as an administration fee to cover processing and handling.
- Age Restrictions: You must be at least 18-years-old to rent.
- Availability: Available in major U.S. cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Miami, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Nashville.
- Insurance: Fair offers insurance to drivers in every state except New York. Insurance can be bundled with through the app for about $35/week.
- o go over that amount for an additional payments.
- Fees: Drivers pay a one-time, non-refundable $500 “start payment,” as well as an administration fee to cover processing and handling.
- Age Restrictions: Must be at least 18-years-old to rent
- Availability: Available in major U.S. cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Miami, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Nashville.
- Insurance: Fair offers insurance to drivers in every state except New York. Insurance can be bundled with through the app for about $35/week. Fair’s insurance is a pretty standard auto policy.
Rideshare Rentals through Uber and Lyft
Uber Rental Marketplace
You can’t lease or rent a car directly through Uber. Instead, Uber car rentals take place within a vehicle marketplace that matches drivers with rental options based on their needs and location. Hertz, Avis, Zipcar, and Getaround are all Uber rental car partners.
- Avis and Hertz rentals both start at $214/week
- Zipcar offers hourly Uber rentals starting at $5.50/hour on weekdays.
Before you start exploring your options, you’ll want to signup to drive. Click “I don’t have a car,” to be shown available rentals.
Lyft ExpressDrive
Lyft’s ExpressDrive program helps drivers get on the road faster. Here’s how it works: In exchange for agreeing to give 20 Lyft rides every seven days, drivers can rent a vehicle for a weekly fee. There’s no commitment and insurance and maintenance are included within the rental cost. Your Lyft earnings can be put directly towards the cost of your rental. Additionally, Lyft car rentals can be used for personal trips.
Looking for an all-inclusive rideshare experience? You might want to see if Lyft ExpressDrive is available in your city.
Lyft ExpressDrive Breakdown
- A Hertz rental through the Lyft ExpressDrive program starts at $219/week
- No commitment (drive for as many weeks as you want)
- Must give at least 20 rides every seven days
- Must provide a $250 refundable deposit that will be returned when you return the vehicle
- Insurance and maintenance included in weekly cost
- Unlimited mileage
- Weekly earnings go toward rental payments
Note: Lyft ExpressDrive ended its Rental Rewards program as of September 9, 2019. ExpressDrive renters are now eligible for the same Ride Challenges as regular Lyft drivers.
Do I need rideshare insurance?
If you’re renting a car to drive for a rideshare app, you’ll be spending a lot of time on the road. This will undoubtedly increase your risk of accidents. It’s important to read the fine print of your rental’s auto insurance policy to understand just how covered you are if you happen to find yourself in a tough situation. You’ll also want to make sure you have your own insurance in case there are gaps in your rental insurance policy. Check out our Rideshare Insurance Guide to figure out what works best for you and your vehicle.
Do I need to get my rental vehicle inspected?
Before you start picking up passengers, you’ll need to get your rental vehicle inspected. There are a lot of choices when it comes to vehicle inspection. Most states allow you to get inspected by a certified mechanic. But, some states have very strict rules about inspections. Rideshare Mechanic offers a virtual inspection that is accepted by Uber & Lyft in several markets across the U.S. You only need a smartphone. Rideshare mechanic allows a certified mechanic to inspect your vehicle through a video call.
Should I just buy a car instead?
In a rideshare business, a car is an asset. The more you drive, the more your maintenance and repair costs will grow. If you’re considering buying a new or used vehicle, you can use our New vs. Used Car Buying Guide to make sure you find the right option for you and your budget.
If you’re a new driver, you might want to consider renting for the first week or two. Using services like Getaround and Hyrecar will let you get a feel for a vehicle before you purchase it. If you plan to drive for a rideshare service full-time, you’ll want to make sure the car you’re selecting is the right one for you. In other words, think of your week-long rental as an extended test drive.
If you do decide to buy a car, consider renting it out to other drivers on Hyrecar, Turo, or Getaround. That way, you can earn income even when you aren’t driving.
Making Your Decision
Overall, the best thing about renting a car is that you can return it after a week or two. See how much gas and mileage adds up to and decide if it’s worth it to put all of that wear and tear on your own car. You can try each service to see which one works best for you. If you buy a car for rideshare, you’re stuck with it. Do your research to make sure you’re not in a losing situation in a few years with a loan balance on a worn out car.
We may receive a referral fee for recommending some of the products, apps or services listed on this website. This article is for informational purposes only. The financial data used for examples may fluctuate, but were retrieved in February of 2020.
Elianna S is a freelance writer specializing in legal and technological subjects. Her educational background is politics and American Studies.
