If holiday travel has you dreading the rental-car line, Turo offers another option. The app connects travelers with local car owners who rent out their vehicles—more like booking a short-term stay than choosing from a rental company’s fleet.
The biggest difference is choice. With a traditional rental company, you typically reserve a vehicle category and find out which specific car is available when you arrive. On Turo, you can browse individual listings, choose the car you want and view photos of that vehicle inside and out. The selection can include everyday cars as well as distinctive options, such as a customized Ford Bronco.
The pickup process is different, too. Rather than traveling to a rental-car center and waiting at the counter, renters book through the app, submit their contact and payment information, and upload a photo of their driver’s license. They then receive instructions about where to pick up the car.
Trey Rouse, a Turo host who rents out several cars, says he first tried the service as a customer because he found it easier and cheaper than renting through a traditional company. He now lists vehicles of his own on the platform.
For one family road trip, Rouse said he rented a Cadillac SUV for two weeks for $1,100. He said traditional rental companies quoted roughly twice as much for the same vehicle.
“I rented a Cadillac SUV luxury car for a long family road trip and I paid $1,100 dollars for a two week rental. I checked out other traditional rental car companies for the very same vehicle and they were all renting for twice that price for the two week rental, so I saved about $1,100 dollars total,” Rouse said.
Turo isn’t the only peer-to-peer option. Car Shair rental cars operates like Turo but it focuses on luxury and high end vehicles.
Getaround and HyreCar are two more peer-to-peer car rental companies but they are no longer operating in the U.S.
The choice comes down to what matters most: a familiar rental-company process, or the ability to select a specific car and coordinate pickup through an app. Prices and arrangements vary, so travelers should compare the full cost and trip details before booking.
