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Avis vs Sixt: Which is better?

What you need to decide which company to book your next car hire with.

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Stephanie Yip
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Avis and Sixt are both known worldwide so working out which one offers the best rental for you can be a head scratcher.

To point you in the right direction, we've simplified things by comparing both companies on everything from their vehicle types to their deals.

TL;DR: Our verdict

We've fallen in love with Sixt for its price transparency, cheaper rates, fee-free cancellations, cheaper additional driver fees and fee-free credit card payments. Its biggest downfall is that while it has a Best Price Guarantee which just means that you're getting the best rate at the time of booking based on availability on the site it doesn't price match. However in a like-for-like search it came up miles cheaper than Avis so it might not have to to prove its worth.

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Avis vs Sixt

FeatureAvisSixtThe winner
Where can I hire a car?Avis has more than 5,500 locations in:
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Australia and New Zealand
  • Canada
  • Caribbean
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • Middle East
  • United States
Sixt has over 4,000 locations across 105 countries. Regions include:
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Australia and New Zealand
  • Caribbean
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • Middle East
  • United States
Avis
What type of cars does it have?
  • Vans
  • SUVs
  • 4WDs
  • Sedans
  • Compact cars
  • Luxury vehicles
  • Specialised vehicles
  • Trucks
  • Buses
  • Utility vehicles
  • Vans
  • SUVs
  • 4WDs
  • Sedans
  • Compact cars
  • High-performance vehicles
  • Estate vehicles
Avis
Does it require a deposit?NoNo, although paying a deposit decreases the overall price.Both
Is insurance included?Yes. Avis includes a loss damage waiver in standard rentals. Third party insurance is also included in certain locations. Additional insurance can be purchased.Yes. Sixt standard cover includes third party liability and a loss damage waiver to reduce your liability for vehicle loss or damage. Additional insurance is available for purchase.Both
How much is excess?Standard excess rates vary per rental and will be specified in the rental agreement during the reservation process.Sixt charges $5,500 excess for all vehicle groups.Sixt
Do I need to wash the car?No. However, the car should not be returned in an excessively dirty or smelly condition.No, but the vehicle must be returned in a reasonable state. An $11 vehicle cleaning fee applies.Both
Rental requirementsDrivers must be at least 21 or 25 years old, depending on the location. They must present a full, valid driver's licence held for at least a year. All licences not written in Latin characters must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit (IDP).Drivers must be aged 21 to 80 and present a valid driver's licence. If the licence is not in English, an IDP may be required.Both
Does it charge per mile/kilometre?No, but if your rental comes with limited mileage, you will be charged for exceeding the mileage limit.No, but if your rental comes with limited mileage, you will be charged for exceeding the mileage limit.Both
Is there unlimited mileage?Yes. Most rentals have unlimited mileage.Yes. Sixt rentals typically come with unlimited mileage.Both
Does it rent to under 25s?Yes, however this depends on location. Vehicle restrictions and underage fees may also apply.Yes. However, drivers aged 21 to 24 will be subject to an underage driver's fee of $8.80 per day.Both
Does it accept cash?YesYesBoth
Does it price match?Yes. If you find the same rental cheaper elsewhere, Avis will match and better it by 10%.Yes. The Sixt Best Price Guarantee promises that you've found the best possible rate available on the site at the time of booking.Avis
Does it pick you up?NoNoBoth
What are my payment options?
  • Cash
  • Credit card
  • Mastercard
  • Visa debit card
  • Traveller's cheque
  • Cash
  • Credit card
  • Mastercard
  • Visa debit card
  • Traveller's cheque
Both
Does it accept debit cards?YesYesBoth
Does it charge for credit cards?Yes. Rentals paid by credit or debit cards incur a 1.29% fee.NoSixt
Does it allow for cancellations/changes?Yes. Changes and cancellations can be made online prior to pick-up. Cancellations will incur a fee which doubles if made less than 24 hours prior to pick-up.Yes. Re-bookings and cancellations can be made before the start of the rental online for free.Sixt
How long does it hold reservations?Most Avis airport locations keep the rental desk open until your flight has arrived, even if it's delayed. Notify Avis if you become aware of a potential delay.Prepaid rentals are held for 24 hours. Pay-on-the-day rentals are held for one hour.Both
Can I add an extra driver?Yes. The driver's partners and work colleagues can also drive the vehicle for free. Anyone else who fulfills the driver requirements can drive the vehicle for $5 per day, capped at $25.Yes. Additional drivers can be added for a small fee. This amount varies depending on your rental agreement and the additional driver's age. In a sample hire from Adelaide Airport the cost incurred was $1.83 per day.Both
Does it have manual and automatic cars?YesYesBoth
Is there a loyalty programme?Yes. Avis Preferred allows members to skip the rental counter in select locations and access exclusive deals. You can also earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points on hires.Yes. The Sixt Express Card gives members upgrades, discounts and fast pick-ups. Members can earn miles and points with various airline and hotel partners, including Qatar.Both
Can I return the car early?Yes and you'll only be charged the days you hired the car. However if you booked with a day-based deal this is void and you may end up paying more than you were originally quoted.Yes, but if you prepaid for your rental, you won't be refunded for any unused days.Avis
BookBook your rental with AvisBook with Sixt

Which is cheaper?

We figured the best way to give you a black-and-white answer to this question was to search the rentals ourselves. We made identical rental searches on the official Avis and Sixt websites.

The verdict?

We searched for identical bookings with Avis and Sixt and found that Sixt's cheapest rate was almost $100 less than Avis'.

The verdict:

Sixt wins this round by a mile with a pay later cost of $139.69 in total compared to Avis' $229.99 price tag.

There are a few differences between the two cheapest cars to keep in mind. Sixt's allows for 5 passengers while Avis' only fits 4 - however Sixt's rental holds one less bag than Avis' to make up for it. Avis' vehicle is also manual while Sixt's is automatic.

Check the price of car hire for your trip

What are the deals like?

Avis deals cover particular vehicles and locations and include upgrades, free rental days and a number of partner offers. For example, book for seven days and only pay for five.

Sixt deals are on select vehicles in certain locations and are rate-based rather than percentage-based. For example, you can hire a Suzuki Swift for $44 per day.

AvisAvis

Earn 4 Qantas points with every $1 spent

Earn Qantas points on car hires across Australia, including Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth and more. T&Cs apply.

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Deal ends

Avis vs Sixt: Who won?

Sixt is cheaper in so many ways, from its overall rental cost in a like-for-like search against Avis, to its additional driver rate which can be as little as $1.83 per day. It also doesn't charge for cancellations or re-bookings and is straight up about it's excess, which is $5,500 no matter what car you hire.

In summary, here's a list of both Avis' and Sixt's winning points:

Avis:

  • More locations worldwide.
  • Wider range of vehicles.
  • Price-matches better found rates online with Avis and betters them by 10%.
  • Doesn't charge for additional drivers if they're the main driver's spouse or employers.
  • You won't be charged extra days for early returns.

Sixt:

  • Transparent about excess costs, unlike Avis which doesn't detail this online.
  • Doesn't charge credit card fees.
  • Charges less in additional driver fees per day.
  • Doesn't charge cancellation or re-booking fees.
  • Overall cheaper rentals in a like-for-like car hire search.

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