Best Car Rental Websites To Find Cheap Deals In 2024 (2024)

Autoslash

A Forbes Advisor favorite, Autoslash not only searches multiple car rental brands simultaneously but it also proactively looks for discounts and promotions you may be eligible for. This extra work behind the scenes means customers using Autoslash often get a better price than what is offered by other car rental searches.

Essentially, Autoslash re-runs your search parameters over and over, applying different coupon codes each time to determine the best deal. When it’s done running, you’re emailed only the best results (you’ll still have multiple options for car sizes and rental car agencies). You can click through the email to finalize your booking. Then, Autoslash will continue to track your price. If there’s a sale between now and your travel dates, Autoslash will email you with an option to rebook at the lower cost.

One downside to Autoslash is that you won’t get instant search results. Its process of running multiple searches and applying multiple coupons means that you’ll need to wait for a list of price options sent via email. In our experience, results typically took 10 to 15 minutes.

Kayak

Kayak is one of the most popular travel search engines because it instantly searches dozens of online travel agencies (and direct booking sites) and then summarizes all your options in an easy-to-follow format. By signing into your Kayak account, you may also be eligible for additional Private Deals to save even more.

One thing Kayak stands out for is its broad searches: it will search the big-name companies you expect like National and Budget, but it also searches smaller, local companies you may not be familiar with and includes results for peer-to-peer car sharing through Turo. These extra options might help you find a lower price—assuming you’re not married to the big-name brands everyone rents from.

When searching off-airport rentals, Kayak also has a handy map feature. You can see prices based on different parts of town and determine whether that overlays with somewhere convenient for you.

Priceline

Based on our sample searches, Priceline occasionally returned the best price on rental cars. One way Priceline offers the cheapest car rentals is by offering what it calls Express Deals. These are rentals where you don’t know which agency is supplying your car until after you’ve booked. Since these deals are prepaid and nonrefundable, you’ll have to commit to get these prices.

Priceline also offers better prices at times even on more traditional bookings. So, it can be smart to check their website even if you don’t want a nonrefundable rental car from a surprise agency.

If you book through Priceline regularly, you may also be eligible for rental car savings through its VIP program. Plus, you’ll save more if you book multiple travel components all through Priceline (for example, both a rental car and a hotel), even if you don’t book each piece simultaneously.

Expedia

The Expedia Group owns many online travel agencies you may be familiar with, including Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity and CarRentals.com. All of them offer easy search interfaces for your rental car based on dozens of sample searches, Expedia rarely offered the lowest price. Admittedly, it did get close to the best price frequently, with only a few dollars difference.

You can find lower prices on Expedia, though you’ll have to jump through some hoops. By logging into your Expedia Rewards account—it’s free to join—you can save up to 10% on your reservation. That may be enough to match or beat the best price compared to other rental car websites.

Another perk is the ability to earn or redeem Expedia Rewards on your reservation. Its program is based on fixed rates, meaning you won’t find outsized value by saving up your points for a big, juicy redemption. However, every little bit helps when paying for travel.

Costco Travel

Costco has a cult following, including those who are loyal to booking rental cars through Costco Travel. Historically, it has been known for offering better-than-average rates. Today, though, based on our data collection, this is the exception rather than the rule.

One reason that Costco underperforms compared to the competition is that it offers limited results. Instead of showing a dozen rental car agencies, it only returns prices from a few of the most popular options. If you’re overwhelmed by choice and want to jump right to reputable brands, this can be a time saver. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for the best price, you may be disappointed by your lack of options.

Despite its popularity, most customers will do better searching for rental cars on other websites.

Credit Card Travel Portals

Many premium travel cards provide access to proprietary travel portals that allow you to book rental cars. For example, you can reserve cars through American Express Travel, Chase Ultimate Rewards® travel and Capital One Travel, among others.

These portals are easy to use, though prices aren’t always the absolute lowest compared to other online travel agencies. Credit card portals rarely show small, lesser-known brands, but prices are usually competitive if you compare rates across big-name agencies to what you’d find on sites like Priceline or Expedia.

The main advantage of booking through credit card travel portals is the ability to earn or redeem rewards through a program you’re already integrated in. Many travel credit cards offer generous earning rates when booking travel through your card’s portal. And some credit cards offer increased redemption rates when paying with points.