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Europcar vs Avis

Two big names but how do they stack up against each other? We discuss.

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Stephanie Yip
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Struggling to choose between Europcar and Avis for your next car rental? With their dominance in the market and extensive library of vehicles, it's easy to see why.

But rest assured there are differences between the two that could move your decision in the right direction. We take an in-depth look, comparing everything from cancellation policies to car rental excess to see which is the better choice.

TL;DR: Our verdict

The winner: Avis wins this battle with a cheaper car rental price in a like-for-like search while also offering to price match cheaper quotes found for its cars. It doesn't penalise drivers for returning your car early and you can also add on select additional drivers for free.

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Europcar vs Avis

FeatureEuropcarAvisWinner
Where can I hire a car?
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Europe
  • Asia
  • Latin America
  • Caribbean
  • Middle East
  • Africa
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Europe
  • Asia
  • Latin America
  • Caribbean
  • Middle East
  • Africa
Both
What types of cars does it have?
  • Compact cars
  • Sedan
  • SUV/minivans
  • Vans
  • 4WDs
  • Premium/luxury vehicles
  • Hybrid vehicles
  • Specialty vehicles
  • Utility vehicles
  • Trucks
  • High-performance vehicles
  • Compact cars
  • Sedans
  • SUVs
  • Vans
  • 4WDs
  • Luxury vehicles
  • Hybrid vehicles
  • Specialised vehicles
  • Utility vehicles
  • Trucks
  • Buses
Both
Does it require a deposit?No.No.Both
Is insurance included?Yes. All rentals come with standard cover.Yes. Standard rentals include a Loss Damage Waiver. Third party insurance is included for some locations.Europcar
How much is excess?The damage liability fee starts at $5,500 in Australia and increases for more premium vehicles.Avis does not specify its standard excess price. This will be outlined in your rental agreement.Europcar
Do I need to wash the car?No. However, cleaning fees apply for very dirty or smelly vehicles.No, but you should not return the car in an excessively dirty or smelly condition.Both
Rental requirementsDrivers must be at least 21 years old with a full, valid driver's licence. In Australia, you must have held the licence for at least three years. Licences not written in English require an International Driving Permit (IDP).Depending on the location, renters must be at least 21 or 25 years old with a full, valid driver's licence held for at least one year. Licences not written in Latin characters need an IDP.Both
Does it charge per mile/kilometre?No. However, if your rental comes with limited mileage, you will be charged per kilometre/mile if you exceed the limit.No, but for rentals with limited mileage, you will be charged for each extra kilometre/mile.Both
Is there unlimited mileage?Most rentals come with unlimited mileage. Otherwise, the limit is outlined in the rental agreement.Yes, most Avis rentals have unlimited mileage. If there is a limit, it will be specified in the rental agreement.Both
Does it rent to under 25s?Yes, but a young driver surcharge applies for most rentals.Yes, in some locations, including Australia. Vehicle restrictions and underage surcharges apply.Europcar
Does it accept cash?In certain locations.Yes.Avis
Does it price match?Yes. Europcar matches better prices on its cars and refunds you the difference only.Yes. Avis price matches and beats better prices on its cars by 10%.Avis
Does it pick you up?No.No.Both
What are my payment options?
  • Credit card
  • Debit card
  • Cash (some locations)
  • Cheque (some locations)
  • Credit card
  • Debit card
  • Cash
  • Traveller's cheque
Avis
Does it accept debit cards?Yes.Yes.Both
Does it charge for credit cards?Yes. Rentals paid by credit or debit cards incur a 1.29% fee.Yes. Rentals paid by credit or debit cards incur a 1.29% fee.Both
Does it allow for cancellations/changes?Yes. Cancellations and changes can be made online. There is no charge for cancellations up to 2 days before the pick-up time for "pay on arrival vehicles". Fees may apply if changed within 2 days of pick up or if the hire is prepaid.Yes. Changes and cancellations can be made online before the pick-up time. A $50 processing fee applies to rentals cancelled before the pick-up time. This increases to $150 if cancelled past the pick-up time.Europcar
How long does it hold reservations?If credit card details are not provided when booking, one hour. If credit card details are provided when booking, until close of business, or until midday the following day at 24-hour rental offices.Most Avis airport locations will hold your booking until your flight has arrived, even if it's delayed.Europcar
Can I add an extra driver?Yes. Extra drivers must meet the age and licence requirements and can be added for a fee. In Australia this is $7.32 per day, capped at $36.60.Yes. Partners and work colleagues may drive the vehicle fee-free. All other additional drivers who fulfil the rental requirements are charged $5 per day, capped at $25.Avis
Do they have manual and automatic cars?Yes.Yes.Both
Is there a loyalty programme?Europcar runs the Privilege loyalty program, which has four tiers of membership with increasing benefits such as priority check-in and drop-off, rental coupons, free weekend rentals, exclusive deals and partner offers.The Avis Preferred loyalty program lets members skip the rental counter in select locations, make faster bookings and returns and access exclusive deals and partner rewards. You can also earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points with bookings.Both
Is GPS included?No, but it can be added for a fee.No, but it can be added for a fee.Both
Can I return a car early?Yes, however it won't refund any remaining time on the rental contract.Yes and you'll only be charged for the time you had the vehicle. If you purchased using a day-based deal this will be voided and you may end up paying more for less days.Avis
BookBook your ride with EuropcarBook your ride with Avis

Which is cheaper?

To solve the ultimate question, we made a like-for-like search on each of their official websites. We chose the same pick-up location and dates for a driver aged 25+ and then looked at the cheapest possible car available.

Here are the results:

The verdict?

Avis is less than a quarter the price of Europcar. Looking further down for the same car to try to even the stakes, a Toyota Corolla hatch cost $1,073.55 for our chosen journey with Europcar while it only cost $370.88 with Avis.

The price hike could be due to greater demand with Europcar or might be skewed on location with Europcar having a smaller presence in cities like Launceston as opposed to major cities like Sydney and Melbourne.

To settle that score, we changed our search destination to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport and the difference in price dropped dramatically.

Europcar brought up a Toyota Yaris for $433.47 while Avis suggested a Hyundai i20 for $439.43 (or $432.89 if prepaid – for the record, Europcar doesn't offer a prepaid option online). You can see the breakdown below.

The difference might be miniscule in major cities but it's astronomical in smaller ones, so in this case we still reckon Avis won the war.

What are the deals like?

Europcar has a wide variety of offers available at any time, including destination- and vehicle-specific deals, early-bird bookings and book a number of days, get days free deals.

Avis offers a similar set of deals, ranging from upgrades and early-bird discounts to extra days for free deals. It's less inclined to offer percentage off discounts but is partnered with Qantas to allow you to earn points with your booking.

The verdict?

Both car rental companies have a wide variety of deals however Europcar is more inclined to offer discounts off base rates, which appeals to a wider audience. However it's important to keep in mind that generally Europcar's base rates are more expensive than Avis's which, with the deal attached, could even out the playing field.

Europcar and Avis deals and discounts

EuropcarEuropcar

Up to 20% off Australia and New Zealand rentals

Available on 2+ days rentals until 11 December 2021 when you book 21 days in advance. Destinations include Canberra, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Auckland and more. T&Cs apply.

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Deal ends

Europcar vs Avis: Who won?

Avis takes out the gold this time with a much cheaper car rental, a price match and better policy, wider acceptance of cash as a payment method, no penalty for returning your vehicle early and a more flexible additional driver policy, which allows partners and employers to be added for free.

In short, here's a list of both companies' winning points:

Europcar

  • All rentals come with standard cover while Avis's cover is more location specific
  • Excess costs are from $5,500, which is specified before booking – Avis doesn't specify excess costs prior to booking
  • Less restrictions on drivers aged under 25
  • Bookings held until as late as midday the following day if you're delayed

Avis

  • Cheaper overall cost
  • Accepts more forms of payment, including cash
  • Price matches and beats a better found price on its cars by 10%
  • Certain additional drivers can be added for no extra fee. Other drivers can be added for $5 per day, which is cheaper than Europcar
  • Early returns are accepted and you'll only be charged for the time you had the vehicle

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