When exploring a new country, by far our favorite way is by campervan.
With both your transport and accommodation covered you have the ultimate flexibility when it comes to creating an itinerary.
So if ever we visit a new destination and taking our own converted camper isn’t an option, renting is always our next port of call.
And Outdoorsy is easily one of the top choices for the task.
There are three main ways in which you can hire a campervan:
In this guide, we’ll be covering the last one, more specifically the platform Outdoorsy.
It's one of the most popular options when it comes to private RV rentals and has a lot to offer.
It’s located across Europe and North America, so you’ll have ample road trip opportunities.
This Outdoorsy Review is going to detail everything you need to know about this marketplace.
That includes a breakdown of the rental process, the pros and cons of their platform, and ultimately whether or not they're worth hiring from!
So let’s get started!
P.S. If you do decide to rent from Outdoorsy, enter the code DREAMBIG to get 10% off (up to $50).
Outdoorsy is one of the world’s most trusted RV marketplaces, with over 240,000 trips being taken with this platform. They’re a peer-to-peer platform which essentially means you’ll be hiring a vehicle from a private owner, rather than a company.
The company was founded in 2014 when the two co-founders decided they wanted more than a typical office life. They invested all their life savings into the company, and luckily, it has certainly paid off now!
They aimed to allow people to enjoy the outdoors without having to pay for expensive accommodation. Outdoorsy is an economical option as you’ll have your lodging and transport all in one, so I’d say they’ve covered that.
Outdoorsy are located across North America and Europe, so you’ll have a variety of road trip opportunities. From bustling cities to lush national parks, there are endless adventures awaiting you if you use this platform.
Honestly, there’s something for everyone!
The process of hiring a camper with Outdoorsy is extremely simple! All you need to do is search the platform for your preferred destination and time, and you’ll be offered a whole host of vehicles.
These can then be filtered out by the amenities you require to ensure you find the perfect RV (more step-by-step details on this below).
Once you’ve found a camper to your liking, you simply send a booking request, and then you can ask the owner questions if needed.
You’ll pay through the Outdoorsy platform so your payment is secure, and then your camper will either be delivered or you’ll pick it up. Then you’re free to enjoy your trip!
Better yet, with our code DREAMBIG, you can get 10% off your booking (up to $50).
This Outdoorsy RV rental review is tailored more towards renters, but the platform obviously benefits the owners too. Millions of RVs go unused for the majority of the year, and this way, owners can make money off their beloved vehicles.
The first thing to do as an owner is to create a listing for your RV. In this listing, you’ll include detailed information, photographs, and your rough location. Then, any bookings will come through to your dashboard where you can keep track of your messages and requests.
You’ll then meet the owner to give them the keys and a vehicle demonstration. Once the RV is returned, the money should be in your bank account within 24 hours. It really is as simple as that!
Unlike many other peer-to-peer rental marketplaces, Outdoorsy isn’t confined to one continent or country. In fact, you’ll find this platform throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.
In terms of the U.S., rentals are available in all 50 states, with the highest number of RVs being located in California, Texas, and Florida. You’ll find vehicles all through Canada too, so there’s a wide selection of North American rentals.
Not only that, but Outdoorsy operates in a variety of European countries. This includes the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, and Italy.
There are tons of fantastic Outdoorsy rentals to choose from, so you’re sure to find something to your liking. In fact, there are over 200,000 vehicles listed on the platform, and these are found across 14 countries.
Whether you’re after a small teardrop travel trailer or a huge RV, this platform offers all different classes of RV. Many of them feature unique amenities too.
The vehicles listed typically sleep between 2-10 people, which makes Outdoorsy a great option for couples, groups and families traveling together.
The cost of your rental will differ depending on the size of vehicle you choose, the duration of your trip, and when you’re traveling (e.g. peak season, Christmas).
Prices start from $40 for a small travel trailer and go all the way to $400+ for a large and luxurious RV. Honestly, there’s something for every budget, making this platform a good choice if you’re looking for a cost-effective vehicle.
What’s great about Outdoorsy, is that some of the rentals also include unlimited generator use and mileage.
With Outdoorsy, free roadside assistance and $1 million of leading insurance protection are included with every rental. This includes comprehensive and collision coverage, and state statutory limits of liability insurance.
They also offer a variety of protection packages that can help you feel more at ease, although these will cost extra. It’s work taking a look through these packages though, to check if you’d want any of the extra insurance coverage.
Outdoorsy has three cancellation policies and these are chosen by the RV owner. Let’s take a quick look at them:
Each policy allows free cancellation 48 hours after the booking, as long as it’s 14 days before your hire begins.
Outdoorsy is a fantastic platform for sure, but there are some fees to be aware of. First of all, a service fee is charged with every booking and this can range from 5-20% of the total cost. This doesn’t include protection packages and taxes, so just be aware of that.
A reservation deposit of at least 25% is also charged when your booking request is accepted by the host.
It’s important to remember that extra costs are involved, and it’s not just simply the rental fee that you need to account for.
Outdoorsy has a 24/7 customer service team so there will always be someone on hand to help if you encounter any issues, either with the booking or while on the road.
There are three different ways to contact Outdoorsy:
Hiring an RV with Outdoorsy is so simple! All you need to do is search for your preferred location and dates, and you’ll be given a whole host of options.
You can then filter the search to ensure you find the perfect vehicle for you! Just remember that each listing will offer different amenities so do your research. Some owners even include unlimited mileage and delivery in their rental.
The booking process is easy-to-follow, and there’s a 24/7 customer support team available if you’re unsure of anything.
As if you needed another reason to book with Outdoorsy! If you use our code DREAMBIG when booking your campervan, you can get up to 10% off your booking (up to $50).
That extra money can then be put towards a campground, an activity, or a meal out!
Hiring an Outdoorsy camper rental has never been simpler, which makes them a great option. Let’s go through the booking process so you can see for yourself how easy it is!
Your first step is to search Outdoorsy. You’ll enter your preferred location, the dates of your trip, and the number of guests traveling. The platform allows you to choose all vehicles, or specifically drivables/towables.
Outdoorsy also allows you to search for vehicles that offer delivery, so you won’t have to go out of your way to pick up the RV.
At first, you may be overwhelmed by the variety of options available. Luckily, Outdoorsy has a handy filter system, which allows you to easily find the perfect RV.
You can filter the vehicles by price, size, amenities, rules and policies, and flexible cancellation policies. Better yet, you can filter the search to include unlimited mileage and generator use.
Once you’ve added your filters, it’s time to take a look at the options. It’s important to note that every vehicle listing will be different and feature different amenities. As such, you must read through each listing carefully.
Before you book, we’d also recommend that you read through the vehicle reviews. This way, you’ll get an idea of what previous renters thought of the vehicle and the handover process.
When booking you choose the exact insurance level you require. It’s very straightforward, and the more you pay here the better the coverage and lower the deductible.
This step is entirely based on personal preference but I would recommend carefully reading their assistance guide here to help better break down each level.
Once you’ve found the perfect vehicle for you it’s time to send a booking request! You’ll be directed to this page, where you’ll need to fill in some details. This includes your name, email, and phone number.
There’s also an optional section where you can tell them about your trip. Although not required, many owners will go out of their way to give you local tips so it could be handy!
While booking your RV, make sure you use our code DREAMBIG. You can get up to 10% off your booking (up to $50), which is money you can put away to do something else, such as an activity or a meal out.
On the day of your booking, the owner will meet with you to hand over the keys and go through a vehicle demonstration. This is your opportunity to ask any further questions. The location will all depend on whether the listing included delivery or not.
Now, it’s time to enjoy your RV and the epic road trip that undoubtedly awaits you!
Outdoorsy has an Excellent 4.4 rating on Trustpilot, with over 23,000 reviews (at the time of writing).
Here are some Outdoorsy reviews to give you an idea of what others think:
As with any other rental company, you’ll find some negative reviews too…
Going off Trustpilot, it does seem that Outdoorsy is very responsive to negative reviews and will certainly reach out. We’ve used this platform several times and can honestly say that we believe the positives far outweigh the negatives.
Every rental company has its pros and cons, so it's important that we cover those. In our opinion, no review is complete without looking at both sides, so let’s dive right into it.
In our opinion, the pros definitely outweigh the cons but it’s important to discuss both!
To make the most of your Outdoorsy rental, here are some top tips:
Here are a few alternatives when it comes to hiring a motorhome or campervan!
RVshare is the world’s largest marketplace and is another peer-to-peer service. It operates across all 50 states in the U.S. and offers over 100,000 rental vehicles.
This platform is incredibly easy to use and there are a wide variety of rentals to choose from. Whether you’re after a small travel trailer or a large motorhome, RVshare will have it.
Not only do they have a flexible cancellation policy, but each rental with RVshare includes comprehensive insurance coverage, 24/7 roadside assistance, and payment protection.
This marketplace also has 24/7 customer support, which you can access via email, phone, or live chat.
Check out our RVshare review if you want to learn more!
Another fantastic option is RVezy. It’s one of the largest and safest RV marketplaces in North America and offers you the chance to save up to 40% when hiring a campervan.
This platform works very similarly to RVshare and Outdoorsy, and operates across Canada and the United States.
Each rental offers a ton of great features including 24/7 roadside assistance, a great insurance policy, and a fair cancellation policy. You’ll also have plenty of awesome vehicles to choose from, so you’re sure to find something to your liking.
For the best experience, we recommend comparing rentals on one or two peer-to-peer platforms to ensure you’re getting a good deal.
If you're unsure of which platform to choose, then check out our comparison guide which compares Outdoorsy, RVshare, and RVezy!
If you’d prefer to book through a company directly rather than a peer-to-peer service, then you’ll find plenty of great rental companies out there.
They will differ depending on where you’re traveling to so just that in mind. For example, Cruise America is one of the most popular options in the United States, while McRent is the largest motorhome rental company in Europe.
Unfortunately, prices do tend to be higher when booking this way so just keep that in mind.
Here are some guides that you may find helpful:
Lastly, you can find some incredible deals by searching through a comparison site - GoSee is our go-to for so many reasons.
For starters, GoSee offers an effortless booking system with no hidden fees or charges. That’s always a huge bonus, as unseen charges can often add lots of money to your booking.
Not only that, but this incredible platform has a 24/7 support team, a price match guarantee, and a ‘vehicle guarantee’ for if your rental company lets you down at the last minute.
If you’re looking for the best deals in your preferred location, then make sure you check out GoSee. They do all the comparison work so you don’t have to!
For more info, read our in-depth review of GoSee Travel (Motorhome Republic).
Outdoorsy is one of the world’s most trusted rental marketplaces and is a legitimate platform. In fact, we’d say it’s one of your best options if you’re looking to hire an RV or campervan.
With this company, every rental includes insurance protection, 24/7 roadside assistance, and 24/7 support. With over 2 million travel days booked with Outdoorsy, you can be sure that it’s a safe platform to use.
When it comes to Outdoorsy RV rentals the price is naturally going to fluctuate depending on the class of RV you go for, when you’re traveling, and your trip duration.
You can pick up a small travel trailer for as little as $40 per night, while you can get a large luxurious RV for $400+. No matter your budget, you’re sure to find something to your liking.
There are one-way rentals available to hire with Outdoorsy. It all depends on the vehicle listing as that decision is solely up to the RV owner, so make sure you check the small print.
Some owners will allow one-way rentals but you may find that an additional fee is incurred, as they’ll have to then pick up the vehicle themselves.
There’s a service fee charged with every booking on Outdoorsy. It ranges between 5-20% of the rental and includes the vehicle's nightly rate, cleaning fee, delivery fee (if required), and others.
Just be aware that this service fee doesn’t include protection packages and taxes, so keep that in mind.
Personally, I think the endless great reviews speak for themselves with Outdoorsy. Not only is the platform incredibly easy to use but there’s a wide variety of vehicles to choose from!
As this platform is located across North America and Europe, there are endless road trip opportunities. Your insurance and roadside assistance are included too, which is always a huge bonus.
Many of the vehicle listings also offer an extremely flexible cancellation policy, unlimited mileage, and unlimited generator use, so you’ll get a lot for your money! Not to mention there’s a 24/7 customer support team always on hand to help.
The one thing we will say is that you need to account for extra costs. The rental fee isn’t the only cost you’ll be charged, as there’s a service fee, and once your booking is accepted - a reservation deposit.
Now over to you…
Have you rented with Outdoorsy before?
Do you have any other questions we forgot to cover above?
Just drop a comment below and let me know!
Here are some other guides you may find helpful if you're planning an epic road trip:
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