Car-sharing platforms like Turo and Getaround are to help car owners earn some passive income while helping renters save money on their transportation costs. They operate quite like Airbnbs but for cars. However, which one of the two is better for you?
To find out, explore the detailed Getaround vs Turo comparison in the discourse below.
How Do Car Sharing Services Work
Do you know that as per the latest statistics, the global number of people opting for car sharing is expected to increase to more than 68 million by 2029? This on-and-upward trend is definitely a game-changing service that helps renters get access to their favorite cars at affordable rates while allowing car owners to earn some extra bucks every month.
So, how do these services actually work?
- If you want to share a car, you find the best platform to find it. There are a variety of these available, so make sure to do proper research.
- Once you have selected a platform, you join it to access the fleet of cars available on it.
- Most platforms allow you to sign in and make an account for free, while others charge for a membership.
- On the platform, you are asked to share your specific location and dates to filter the search.
- If you need a particular vehicle or want to share a car with a specific host, you can read reviews shared by previous renters.
- Once you have selected the car, you can communicate directly with the owner to choose a pick-up location.
- When booking a vehicle, you may be asked to pay the payment directly before the trip. Some platforms usually charge for fuel costs as well, depending on the platform’s terms and conditions.
For the owners:
- If you want to earn some passive income, you can list your unused vehicle on a platform for car sharing. It doesn’t take more than a few minutes.
- You are free to set your own rates and rules or request the platform to do it on your behalf.
- To increase your chances of earning, it is best to post properly with authentic descriptions and photos of your vehicle.
- When someone decides to book your car, you can confirm how and where to hand over the keys to them. You can also use the app to check in your guests.
- On most platforms, you’ll receive your payment through direct deposit within three days of each trip. Every host has a protection plan that helps them earn the amount they deserve.
- Car-sharing platforms also charge a commission fee to help them run their service. This amount is deducted from every payment a guest makes to the host.
You can choose car-sharing platforms over a traditional car rental company if:
- You want a specific car model that may not be available with a traditional rental company.
- You prefer coordinating with the car owner rather than a representative for drop-offs and pick-ups.
- Your budget is limited, and they want to find a rented car at a lower price than traditional rentals.
Overview of Turo and Getaround
Let’s first learn about the two services’ backgrounds.
Turo
Turo is a popular international car rental-sharing platform. It was founded in 2009 by a team of three individuals: Shelby Clark (former CEO), Tara Reeves, and Nabeel Al-Kady.
The company was originally called RelayRides until it changed its name to Turo. The reason behind its formation was one: to make good use of parked cars sitting idle while the owners were away.
Today, Turo is an excellent peer-to-peer car-sharing platform. It allows car owners to rent out their unused cars to other people and earn some extra money. Alternatively, it allows guests to book cars for their trips at reasonable rates.
In 2023 alone, Turo reported revenues of $880 million. Its net income was around $14.7 million. Similarly, revenue for the first six months of 2024 rose by 9.7% to $452.72 million.
Latest figures for revenue are not available. However, considering the platform’s growth and fame, it is clear that Turo is performing quite well.
Getaround
Getaround is a similar platform to Turo and was founded in 2009. It was launched by three individuals: Sam Zaid, Jessica Scorpio, and Elliot Kroo.
Like Turo, the platform allows people to rent their desired vehicles from private owners. This helps promote a culture of a shared economy in the transportation sector.
According to the available statistics, Getaround made a revenue of $22.4 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2024.
Getaround is available in more than 1,000 cities across several countries today. You can also access its services in the United States and Europe.
Key Differences Between Getaround vs Turo
Getaround and Turo are major competitors in the car-sharing space. Additionally, both are based in San Francisco.
However, there are differences between them, which makes one better than the other.
Booking Process
Getaround offers an instant booking experience. You, as a renter, can book and unlock a car on your own without communicating with a car owner.
On the other hand, Turo offers a more personalized experience. It is common for guests at Turo to communicate with the car owners before making a booking.
Bookings on Turo often might require approval from the owner. This reason makes the process of booking a bit longer than it does on Getaround.
However, Turo is quite flexible with payment. Turo charges renters closer to the trip date. But the exact time frame depends on when you book the vehicle.
For instance, if you book a car five to 13 days before the trip, you get charged three days before your journey starts.
Similarly, cars booked 14 or more days out are charged seven days before the start of the trip.
To make a booking, all users must have valid accounts on their preferred platform.
Vehicle Selection
The vehicle selection process on Getaround is simple. You can search for a particular car by selecting a location or an airport. You can easily filter your search by price, car type and location.
Unlike Turo, Getaround provides hourly and daily rentals, which adds flexibility to the process.
Turo offers a wide range of filters on its platform. You can select the location, car model, and type of experience you wish to have while renting a car.
In fact, Turo also offers sections for pet-friendly cars. You can also search it for many electric vehicles, all-wheel drive options and even classic cars.
In June 2024, Turo shook its users by launching a unique “limitless search” feature. This one is designed to encourage users to browse their desired vehicles without mentioning a particular date or location. It is to make renters center their trip on the car itself instead of finding a vehicle that fits their trip plans.
Availability
According to the latest information available, Getaround relaunched its application in 2024. This has allowed it to be available in all U.S. markets. In addition to that, you can also access it in seven European countries, such as Norway, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, the U.K., and Austria.
On the other hand, Turo’s services are available throughout the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France and Australia. However, complete availability does vary by city.
This shows that both platforms are available in various big countries with a strong car-sharing culture.
Pricing
The prices at Getaround can vary by owners. However, regardless of the listing price, there are certain taxes and charges that you will find in the total rental cost.
There is a booking fee that varies between 10% to 15% of the total rental cost. Then, there is a license fee that also varies but is usually around $10. There could also be extra “car dirty” charges as well depending on the condition of the vehicle after the trip.
Taxes are charged as required by local laws and states.
Getaround doesn’t charge a fee to cancel a trip 24 hours before it starts. But if you plan to cancel later than that, the charge can be 50%.
On the flip side, Turo has a transparent pricing system. The platform displays its rental price with any additional trip fee on its main comparison page.
The extra fees are often situational. Some of the fees charged by Turo include the trip fee, which goes to the platform to cover its running costs. Then, there is a price per day of the trip and any discounts that the user may get.
If you are a young driver under 24, you may also have to pay an extra fee.
Insurance
Getaround has an insurance plan for both renters and hosts. The plan provides $1,000,000 in liability protection. In addition, it also covers any damage to the car during rental.
Turo is quite helpful with insurance. It provides three plans, 60, 75, and 90, to the host. The 60 Plan covers physical damage, up to $750,000 in liability, the 75 Plan offers reduced coverage but high earnings, and the 90 Plan allows the host to get less coverage but earn more than 90% of the total trip price.
Renters at Turo also get liability coverage. There are also additional protection packages available for physical damage.
Pros and Cons of Getaround and Turo
| Turo | Getaround | |
| Pros | – Accessible in many parts of the world – Direct communication with the owner – Easy-to-use platform – Multiple insurance plans for the hosts – Larger fleet of vehicles available | – Perfect platform to get cars for a few hours at cheap rates – Flexible pricing – Quick sign-up and verification process |
| Cons | – No hourly rentals – Booking process slow at times | – Limited vehicles available – Only one insurance plan for hosts – No final price on the search results |
Who Should Use Getaround?
Getaround cars are perfect for anyone who wishes to rent a vehicle on an hourly basis for only a few hours. This rental car service also works best for hosts who don’t wish to complicate the process with multiple insurance plans available.
Who Should Use Turo?
Turo is an ideal platform for people who want to use a well-curated platform that features advanced search filters and a wide variety of vehicles. It is also a great option for those who wish to pay for a rented car on a daily basis and wish to have the car keys directly from the owner of the vehicle.
The platform also provides better coverage, so it may work for people who worry about insurance.
Final Verdict
So, in the war of Getaround Vs Turo, who do you think has won? Both platforms are for a specific audience, so it is difficult to choose one over the other.
However, if you want a well-featured platform with multiple vehicles ready to rent out, Turo is a great choice. It also makes communication with car owners straightforward, reducing the chances of any fraud.
