Kayak, Turo, and Alamo are some of the top car rental apps available, and they all function in different ways, making each one ideal for different preferences and circumstances.

Even for those who are already car owners, some travel circumstances make it easier to leave your vehicle at home and seek out a car rental company at your destination. And these days, one of the easiest ways to

find the right type of car to rent

at a reasonable rate is through a mobile app.

But while the best car rental apps can be the reason your next trip goes off without a hitch, the worst can create some major hassles, so it’s important to have a few options at the ready and pick your provider wisely.

Looking to build your own car rental app list? Here are some car rental apps that are available on both iOS and Android devices that you’ll want to have on your radar when it’s time to plan your next road trip.

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Enterprise Rent-a-Car

App Store rating: 4.9

Google Play rating: 4.6

The pros: Enterprise has long been a household name for car rentals, but its app store ratings show its services are just as useful in the age of the car rental app. Enterprise has over 9,500 locations across the globe, and you can rack up points and rewards with repeat trips, making this tried-and-true option especially appealing if you’re frequently traveling for work or play.

Enterprise offers a range of vehicle choices, whether you’re looking for a cheap and practical economy car to cut down on costs or something more luxurious so you can ride in elevated style. As their well-known slogan suggests, they offer pick-up services as well.

The cons: Vehicle availability can vary from location to location. Numerous customer reviews also comment the Enterprise app could stand to be more user-friendly and add a few more features for ease of use.

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Kayak

App Store rating: 4.8 stars

Google Play rating: 4.5 stars

The pros: Kayak makes it easy to comparison shop for rental cars—and flights, and hotels. This makes it a great option to consider if you’d prefer to organize all the major details of your trip in one place. Just enter your trip info in the app, and Kayak will search other travel sites to find you the best available options.

The Kayak app also has plenty of nifty features, like price forecasts to predict whether rates may rise or fall in the near future and price alerts so you can be the first to know when your dream trip finally lands within your budget. And with vehicles available across more than 70,000 locations, you’ll usually have a fairly wide range of options to choose from.

The cons: Depending on the service you choose, sometimes booking through a third party can present challenges, and you may need to deal with the car rental agency you choose directly if you need to confirm or rearrange details.

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Turo

App Store rating: 4.8 stars

Google Play rating: 4.9 stars

The pros:

Turo

describes itself as a “peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace.” Getaround is another popular car-sharing app that works similarly. These types of rental apps operate comparably to AirBnB, but instead of renting out homes, people rent out their own vehicles.

The appeal here is that everything, including pick up and drop off, is handled through the app, so you don’t need to worry about the extra stop that comes with checking in at a rental office location. Rates start at $25 per day, and in some cases, you may even be able to have the vehicle delivered to you, although this will often come with an extra fee.

According to Turo, the app features more than 1,500 makes and models across more than 5,000 cities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Trips are also backed by $750,000 in

liability insurance

from Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company, the car-sharing platform says.

The cons: Not unlike home-sharing apps, one challenge that may come with using Turo is that the quality of your rental vehicle might vary more than the traditional car rental service. And since people have to opt in to sharing their own vehicles, some locations may have more limited options than others.

Like many car rental service providers, protection plans with Turo can come at an extra cost, but before forgoing the option, you’ll want to verify that your own car insurance coverage extends to rental cars, and more specifically, peer-to-peer car-sharing businesses.

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Alamo

App Store rating: 4.9 stars

Google Play rating: 4.8 stars

The pros: Offered under the umbrella that is Enterprise Holdings, the Alamo app allows you to find rental car locations near your destination of choice and use search filters to find the right set of wheels for your trip. You can also take advantage of accelerated check-in through the app so your car is ready to go once you reach your rental location.

To date, Alamo has over 1,200 rental locations, and while their pricing tends to already be fairly competitive, their loyalty program offers 5% off rental costs.

The cons: Alamo’s locations are a bit limited compared to other major rental options, so they may not be available everywhere. Drivers under 25 years old are also subject to an additional fee, so young drivers may want to shop around first.

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Audi on Demand

App Store rating: 2.7 stars

Google Play rating: 3.6 stars

The pros: If

Audis

are your preferred vehicle of choice, this is the car rental app for you. All vehicles offered are premium Audi models, which could add an extra touch of luxury to a treat-yourself trip.

Audi on Demand (formerly Silvercar) also promises “what you reserve is what you get,” which isn’t always the case with rental car services. You’ll also have the choice to pick up your vehicle or have it delivered to you.

The cons: If Audis aren’t your thing, or if you're planning your trip on a limited budget, you’ll likely find cheaper options on other rental apps. While locations are expanding, the service is still only limited to certain states.

Priceline

App Store rating: 4.8 stars

Google Play rating: 4.7 stars

The pros: Priceline is another familiar face in the trip comparison shopping world, and it’s still one of the top options to compare deals on rental cars. Priceline also has a “best price guarantee policy,” which can help you save additional cash if you find a better rate elsewhere.

The cons: As with any third-party booking service, unexpected changes or flukes can happen during the steps from booking a reservation to sending those details off to a car rental agency—so it’s always a good idea to confirm your rental details with the actual rental company after you’ve finished up in the app.

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The bottom line

Car rental apps can make travel a lot more hassle-free, but you have to be strategic about using them. Here are some tips to make the car rental process go as smoothly as possible—and save money doing it:

Find out what car rental apps serve the destination you have in mind—don’t just rely on the airport, as this service can sometimes come with extra fees.

Check customer reviews across multiple platforms and Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings to get a sense of a company’s pros, cons, and any red flags.

Having additional drivers often comes with an extra fee, so designate just one driver if you want to save money.

Read the fine print and make sure you understand the terms of the rental agreement before booking.

Check the cancellation policy before booking as well so you’re not surprised by hidden fees if you end up needing to rearrange your trip.

Use memberships like

AAA

, Costco, or credit cards for potential savings—some may offer discounted rates or extra rewards for booking with particular companies to help you

save even more on your rental car

Keep it simple—if you’re on a budget, stick with an economy car over a luxury option so you can make the most of your adventure.

Procrastinating sometimes pays off—while waiting until the last minute might come with some risk, especially if you’re visiting somewhere at the peak of tourist season, waiting to book car rentals until your trip gets closer can often help you secure lower rates.

MORE: How to get a car rental discount code

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