Renting your car to make use of idle time is now easy, thanks to the latest apps that allow you to make money. To decide the best option, learn more about these apps in this in-depth Turo vs Getaround comparison.
Let us start with a question. How many hours a day do you drive your car yourself? Compared to that, how many hours does your car spend parked in your garage or at your office building?
Research shows that the average car is parked 95% of the time. In other words, your vehicle is probably on the go for only six hours a week, while it stays idle for a whopping 162 hours.
But what if we tell you that you can cash these hours to your benefit by renting out your car through peer-to-peer car sharing?
Peer-to-peer car sharing is a new business model that relieves you of the long lines and tedious formalities of standard rental companies.
If you’re a car owner, you can make money renting your car quickly on your smartphone. Here’s where the Turo vs Getaround debate comes in.
Both of these online companies break the norms by providing a smooth and more profitable alternative for traditional car renting companies.
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Our Pick
Our winner of the two is Getaround due to the availability and number of options. We love the customer service that goes with the platform as well.
But choosing between the two is a tough decision. Each differs in its basic requirements, payouts, and customer services. Also, you may have different preferences surrounding how you want to make money with your car.
We’ve reviewed all the aspects of Toru and Getaround with an ultimate Turo vs Getaround showdown so you can decide for yourself.
What is Turo?
Turo is a revolutionary car-sharing marketplace. Here, people can get comfortable rental cars from local owners in the US, UK, and Canada. The company aims to make rental profits easy for car owners by eliminating the hassles of traditional car renting.
With Turo, it’s easy to sign up and begin the process. The company also ensures thorough renter scrutiny so that you know your car is in safe hands.
Here’s an overview of how Turo works for further insight.
How Turo Works
First, whether you want to rent out your car or rent a car through Turo, you’ll need to be at least 21. You can sign up on the platform using your Google or Facebook account if you fulfil the age requirement.
The company asks for your identity verification and other essential details during the signing-up process. After that, you can easily book a car by providing your travel and location specifications.
As an owner, you will get a notification when the company receives a request for your car. You will get up to eight hours to respond to the information.
Also, you can choose the meeting point if you don’t want the renter to reach your residence and hand your car over. This helps protect your privacy.
Turo rents its cars out on an hourly basis. The renter will have to specify the hours he’ll need your vehicle. Believe it or not, the owner gets to set his rate for his car.
Most importantly, you can completely customize your owner profile. Along with setting an hourly rate for your car, you can set your mileage limits and choose whether you’ll deliver your vehicle yourself or have it collected.
You can even mark a certain distance radius where you can deliver easily. Also, you can charge renters for delivery.
Pros and Cons of Turo
Turo is a legit, accessible platform with a straightforward renting policy to ensure a reasonable profit rate for owners. However, the platform has some benefits and drawbacks that you should know before going for it.
Pros of Turo
- All types, from sports to luxury cars, are available
- Easy to find local renters and owners
- User intuitive website
Cons of Turo
- Insurance and security are not as efficient as in traditional rental companies
- There are lots of hidden costs in the form of protection, gas, and delivery fees
What is Getaround?
Similar to Turo, Getaround is an online car-sharing company that aims to put idle, parked cars on our streets to use. Right now, Getaround is available in numerous cities in the US and Europe. Some of these cities include San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and many more.
While it's not available everywhere, it's available in many main cities. You must use your mobile app (Europe or US version) to check if the company offers services in your area.
One good thing about Getaround is that you can sign up for the app without any initial fees or charges. Also, it has a minimum age of 19 years for both owners and renters, with proof of driving experience. Unlike Turo, with Getaround, owners can charge renters for their cars daily or hourly, according to their preference.
How Getaround Works
With Getaround, you can rent out your car on a daily or hourly basis. This is great for renters because they won’t be tied up to the daily rate if they only need the car for some errands. Besides that, owners can set the price range for both options and receive maximum profit for their cars.
Once you’ve signed up for Getaround, the site will display a list of cars and their pickup locations. The sign-up process is easy and takes no time. However, all owners and renters must have a Facebook account to complete the sign-up process for identification purposes.
The company has a strict eligibility criterion, which means your car is unlikely to fall into the wrong hands. Also, attributing to their policy, the company has held a reputation for minimum drug-related accidents and violations in the past seven years.
However, unlike Turo, owners cannot customize their renting terms specifically with Getaround. Renters can only collect their cars from a pickup point, which means that the owners will have to drop their cars off for the renters to collect them.
Also, the mileage range for hourly and daily rentals is fixed, along with the basic price. So, you’ll have to rent your car at a fixed rate.
Pros and Cons of Getaround
Getaround is a safe and accessible way to rent your cars out if you’re looking for some reliable side hustles. Nevertheless, there are some bad aspects to the company as well that you should know before making a decision.
Pros of Getaround
- The cheap hourly rental system
- Eliminates the need for keys and meeting up with the renters
- Open for younger owners and renters
- Cost reimbursement
- Fewer joining restrictions, which makes it an ideal side hustle
- Owners decide when their cars are available
Cons of Getaround
- Daily rental prices are expensive.
- Renters must return the cars to the pickup point, and owners have to pick up the car from there.
What is Better? Getaround Vs. Turo
Now that you know the details and the pros and cons of each company, it’s time for the ultimate showdown.
To make things clear, we’ve provided an evaluation of both platforms regarding some crucial aspects that you need in a peer-to-peer sharing platform.
Availability
These services are not good for you if they don’t operate in your area. In this case, you’ll be happy to know that you can rent your car out all over the US and even in Canada and the UK with Turo.
On the other hand, Getaround offers services for people in different cities in the US and Europe. So, depending on where you are, you must confirm through the app whether Getaround is available in your city.
Eligibility Requirements
Thorough renter scrutiny is essential for an owner’s peace of mind. Although it’s a pain for young renters who can’t afford a car of their own, most car-sharing platforms only allow renters aged 25 or above. However, Turo and Getaround allow renters aged 21 and 19 onwards, respectively.
Turo requires a valid driving license, a clean criminal history, and a driving record. Other than that, they have no specifications for different vehicles.
On the contrary, along with these requirements, Getaround only rents out specialty vehicles to renters aged 25 and above. Also, the company has made it mandatory for all renters to go through an instant driver record check before renting a car.
According to this, Getaround has amazing terms and requirements for owners and renters both. It provides an opportunity for young drivers but ensures it's not at the owners' expense.
Rates
When it comes to rental rates, both companies have almost identical rate charts. They have options for hourly rentals and provide daily and weekly rental options.
Nevertheless, their rates do vary when you consider the additional charges.
Firstly, Turo charges an additional mileage fee, late fee, booking fee, and an extra fee for the under-25 renters. On the other hand, Getaround charges a lower booking fee, but its underage price varies for all ages under 25.
Besides that, Getaround also charges the renters for damage, fuel, cleanliness, smoking, and violation. Both companies have set these charges to protect the owner’s vehicle and ensure the renters don’t go overboard with the cars.
In both cases, the renter will only have to pay high prices if he violates or damages the vehicle. If you don’t do any of that, Getaround is the better option as it charges only a 3% booking fee, as compared to the 25% charged by Turo.
Accessibility
The main reason that peer-to-peer sharing companies are gaining popularity is that they’re easier to approach than traditional rental companies. That’s why a great way to evaluate which platform is the best is to figure out which one is easier to use.
Firstly, let’s talk about Turo. The best feature the company offers is the doorstep delivery service. Renters can get their cars delivered wherever they want, and the owners can make a little extra cash for delivering their vehicles to the location. Getaround does not have a delivery option.
Secondly, when it comes to Getaround, it provides maximum accessibility to the owner and the renter through the Getaround Connect device and app. This device is installed in every vehicle affiliated with the company.
Once that’s done, the owner or the renter can lock or unlock the car directly from their smartphones. This eliminates the hassle of handling keys and arranging meetings between owners and renters.
In this case, both companies are equally easy to use compared to traditional rental companies. They provide clear lists of the cars available and transparent pricing displays. It depends on which additional feature you need to choose between the two.
Customer Service
If you’re an owner renting your car out to a person you met online, you’ll surely have a query once in a while. In that case, you’ll need efficient customer support to help solve your problem.
But no need to worry. Both Getaround and Turo have online live chat options on their websites, where you’ll receive prompt responses to your queries. Also, they have contact numbers on their sites, where you can reach a representative at any time.
Conclusion
Wrapping this comparison up, it all comes down to the final verdict. Turo and Getaround both offer promising services for owners who wish to rent their cars out for some extra income.
While Turo has extended its reach beyond the US and is available to owners across a wider radius, Getaround is also catching up with its range in all major cities in the US.
In the end, the choice entirely depends on your personal preferences. As an owner, Turo provides more flexibility and a higher price range for your vehicle.
Also, it won’t rent your car out to young renters and has a high amount of damage and late fee. On the other hand, Getaround will rent your car out to younger drivers and has lower booking rates.
Both provide impeccable services, but you must decide which aspects matter to you concerning your car.
Make sure you know all the terms and conditions before you make a decision. Whichever you choose, it’s bound to be less grueling than mainstream can rental companies.