If you’ve never stumbled upon this blog before, then we absolutely love van life!
After converting our own campervan (Helen) we decided to road trip around the world - quite literally.
Our beloved vehicle has taken us all across Europe, North America, and South America, so she’s allowed us to see a fair amount.
We honestly believe that road-tripping in a van allows you to see a country like never before!
Now, if you’re not planning to convert a campervan then you can easily hire one.
There are three main ways to do this:
In this guide, we’ll be looking at the latter ... peer-to-peer marketplaces.
And the three platforms we’re going to compare are Outdoorsy, RVshare, and RVezy.
Each one offers a wide variety of peer-to-peer rentals and a hassle-free booking process.
If you’re wondering which company to choose, then let’s dive right in!
Currently, the best options for private RV rentals seem to be Outdoorsy, RVshare, and RVezy! Below, I’m going to give you a quick breakdown of each company and what they offer.
Outdoorsy is one of the most trusted RV marketplaces in the world, with over 2 million travel days being booked with them to date. This company has been around since 2014 and is now one of the most popular options when it comes to hiring an RV.
This incredible peer-to-peer platform operates across North America and Europe, and offers a wide variety of rentals. Its booking system is extremely easy to follow and there’s 24/7 support available.
We’ve also got a code that you can use for Outdoorsy. If you enter ‘DREAMBIG’ during the booking, then you can get 10% off your rental (up to $50).
Check out our Outdoorsy review for more information!
RVshare is considered to be the largest RV marketplace in the world, and it was actually the first, as there were no other platforms like it at the time. It was founded in 2012, as the owners wanted to offer affordable van life experiences.
RVshare operates in the United States, all 50 of them in fact, so you’ll have ample road trip opportunities. Not to mention, you’ll have a variety of awesome rentals to choose from.
Boasting a ‘worry-free rental guarantee’, fair cancellation policies, and 24/7 customer support, this incredible platform has a lot to offer. Not only that, but you can earn rewards every time you hire a camper or if you refer other people to the platform.
Check out our RVshare review for more information!
RVezy is very similar to Outdoorsy and RVshare and is one of the safest and largest RV marketplaces in North America.
It operates in the United States and Canada, and if the owner allows, you can travel between the two in your rental (thanks to RVezy’s great insurance policy).
One of the best things about RVezy has to be the variety of vehicles available. Whether you’re after a small campervan or a large travel trailer, this platform is sure to have something that suits you.
If you’re still not convinced, then 24/7 roadside assistance and insurance coverage are included with each rental. Not to mention, RVezy offers fair and flexible cancellation policies. All in all, this platform has a lot to offer.
Before we take a look at what each company has to offer, here’s a quick overview of the key differences between each platform!
As you can see, there are several similarities when it comes to Outdoorsy, RVshare, and RVezy. For starters, all three companies include insurance in their rentals and offer 24/7 roadside assistance.
However, there are a few key differences to mention! First of all Outdoorsy also operates in Europe, while the other two platforms are only found in North America.
Both Outdoorsy and RVshare also offer three different cancellation policies, whereas RVezy only offers one. Another thing to note is that RVezy doesn’t offer 24/7 customer support, whereas the two other platforms do.
While both Outdoorsy and RVezy include 24/7 roadside assistance and insurance in their rental, RVshare seems to go above and beyond! However, it does have fewer vehicle listings on its website than Outdoorsy.
There are a variety of similarities and differences between the three, so let’s take a look at this in more detail, to give you an idea of who to choose.
First of all, let’s take a look at the locations where each platform operates. RVshare is only located in the United States, although it does operate within all 50 states so you still have widespread availability if you’re planning to explore the U.S.
RVezy operates in both the United States and Canada, and you can travel between the two if the vehicle owner is happy with that. The platform’s insurance policy covers you in both countries if you fancy crossing the border.
However, Outdoorsy wins this one, as it operates across Europe, Canada, and the United States. With the other two platforms, you’re limited to just North America, whereas Outdoorsy offers more flexibility.
Some of the most popular European countries in which this platform operates include Greece, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. As you can see, Outdoorsy offers more road trip opportunities.
There are plenty of campervan rental companies out there, but peer-to-peer platforms offer the widest variety of vehicles. You’ll find that many hire companies only have a selection of 5-10 types of RV, but that’s definitely not the case with Outdoorsy and RVshare.
RVshare has over 100,000 RVs and campervans listed on the platform so you’ll be spoilt for choice. Considering that’s just in the United States alone, it’s a pretty impressive figure.
There’s no concrete number of vehicles listed on RVezy’s website, but there are at least 10,000 owners that have listed RVs on the platform. As such, we can’t compare this platform with the other two.
Between Outdoorsy and RVshare, Outdoorsy seems to have the largest rental fleet so they win in this regard. They have over 200,000 vehicle listings on their website, and this is across North America and Europe.
Just be aware that if you're planning a road trip of popular locations such as Ireland, Portugal, or Canada, then you'll want to book your rental in advance to secure one.
This especially the case in the United States, with favourite road trip destinations including Alaska, the West Coast, and Utah!
No matter which peer-to-peer rental company you choose, you’re going to have a much wider variety of vehicles to choose from than if you were to go for a standard rental company.
Many companies will only offer small campervans or luxurious RVs, while Outdoorsy, RVshare, and RVezy have something for everyone.
Whether you’re after a small converted campervan, a luxurious RV, or a spacious travel trailer, you’re sure to find it on these platforms. The vehicles on these marketplaces sleep between 2-10 people, so are suitable for solo travelers, couples, groups, and families.
When it comes to the variety of vehicles, there’s no clear winner. However, seems as though Outdoorsy offers the most rentals, it would be safe to say that they also offer one of the widest rental varieties.
Considering RVshare is only available in the United States though, and they have over 100,000 vehicle listings, that’s also a lot of vehicles to choose from!
Here's a guide to the different types of RV classes if you're unsure of what to go for...
There’s a lot that goes into the cost of a rental, so this is extremely difficult to compare.
Let’s take a look at an example to give you an idea! When it comes to rentals in Los Angeles, you can hire a small travel trailer for as little as $45 across all three platforms. Campervans tend to start from $60, while large RVs can cost you anywhere from $160+.
You’ll find that many listings also offer unlimited mileage and generator use, which is what you should look out for. Otherwise, you’ll be charged per extra mile (most listings include 100 miles per day) and for how much you use the generator.
Another thing you’ll want to consider is the platform's service fee, any post-trip expenses stated by the owner, and the company’s pricing structure.
Although one platform may offer a fantastic RV for $60 (which is a bargain), it may not work out to be the cheapest option once the other fees have been added on.
There’s no clear winner when it comes to the cost of hiring a rental.
The first thing to note is that Outdoorsy, RVshare, and RVezy all offer 24/7 roadside assistance with their rentals. They all include insurance too, but the amount and type usually differ depending on the country/state.
For the best experience, we always recommend trying to go for a company that includes roadside assistance, insurance, and breakdown cover. If they’re not included, companies will often offer them as an additional extra, and this will add to your rental cost.
In my opinion, RVshare has to win this one as they offer a fantastic ‘worry-free rental guarantee’. This will cover you across the United States and Canada if you’re looking to do a cross-country trip.
Within this guarantee, you’ll have payment protection, damage deposit protection, and rental replacements all included in your rental. Not only that, but liability coverage, collision coverage, and comprehensive insurance are included too!
With Outdoorsy and RVshare, the cancellation policies are chosen by the host and are included in the vehicle listing. RVezy has just one policy, that covers all RVs listed on the platform.
First of all, let’s take a look at RVezy’s policy. If you can cancel more than 30 days before the rental period, then you’ll receive a full refund (minus the service fee). Those canceling between days 8-30, will receive a 50% refund. Any cancellations after this are non-refundable.
Outdoorsy has three cancellation policies; Flexible, Moderate, and Strict. The Flexible policy is the one you’ll want to look for, but the other two policies are extremely fair too.
RVshare also has three cancellation policies; Flexible, Standard, and Strict. Like with Outdoorsy, the Flexible policy is the best option, but the other two also offer you a 50-100% refund (depending on when you cancel of course).
As both Outdoorsy and RVshare have three cancellation policies, they take the lead.
The main thing to remember with any peer-to-peer rental platform is that the nightly fee isn’t all you’ll pay. For starters, you’ll be required to pay a reservation or security deposit.
Each of the three companies in this guide also charges a service fee, and this can be up to 20% of the total rental cost. It’s important to note that this service fee often doesn’t include taxes either.
There’s no clear winner when it comes to fees, as this will often depend on the vehicle you choose. Although you’ll be charged fees with each company, RV owners can also add post-trip fees to their rentals, which can include dump and cleaning fees.
Not only that, but if you’re looking for a pet-friendly RV then you’ll likely have to pay additional fees for that too. That’s why it’s so important to read the terms and conditions of each company (and vehicle listing) before you make a decision.
The first thing to mention in this section is that RVezy doesn’t offer 24/7 customer support like Outdoorsy and RVshare.
Instead, their team is available between 10 am - 6 pm EST (Mon-Fri) and 11 am - 7 pm EST (Sat-Sun). There is a phone number online that can be used in case of emergencies, otherwise, the team can be contacted by phone, email, or live chat.
Outdoorsy and RVshare have a 24/7 customer service team, and they can also be contacted through email, phone, or live chat. In our opinion, having someone on hand 24 hours a day is a must when hiring a rental.
Unfortunately, things can go wrong, whether that be a breakdown or an accident. Not only that, but you simply may have queries or issues that you wish to be answered.
Both Outdoorsy and RVshare offer 24/7 customer support so there are no winners between the two.
To give you an idea of online reviews, we took a look at Trustpilot. In terms of scores, Outdoorsy has 4.3 (Excellent), RVshare has 4.3 (Excellent), while RVezy only has a score of 3.1 (Average).
However, in terms of the latter Trustpilot is a European website, and there are only three reviews on there for RVezy. Outdoorsy has over 24K reviews on Trustpilot, while RVshare has over 14K reviews.
As such, it’s impossible to compare RVezy with the other two platforms. Instead, for this section, we’ll just compare Outdoorsy and RVshare.
On Trustpilot, 74% of RVshare's reviews are 5*, while 17% are 3* or under. That’s a very high percentage of happy customers!
77% of Outdoorsy’s ratings are 5*, with only 12% being 3* or under. That’s pretty impressive for a platform that has over 20,000 reviews on Trustpilot. This makes them the clear winner!
You’ll find that the majority of peer-to-peer platforms are easy to use, and these three companies are no different.
With all platforms, all you need to do is search for your preferred destination, trip dates, and the number of guests traveling. From there, you’ll be given a variety of vehicle options, so much so, that it can often feel overwhelming.
Luckily, all three of these platforms offer a fantastic filter system so you can easily find the perfect vehicle for you. First, you can narrow the search down by selecting drivable or towable options.
You can then further filter the search by price, vehicle size, amenities, and rental policies. Still not convinced? These companies offer you the chance to filter your search to pet-friendly vehicles and those that offer delivery.
These three peer-to-peer platforms all offer a simple and straightforward booking process.
However, Outdoorsy and RVshare take the win for this one, as they have a 24/7 support team that can help with any queries during the booking process.
Although each of these platforms has something special to offer, in our opinion, Outdoorsy is the best option. For starters, it’s located in Europe as well as North America, and it features over 200,000 vehicle listings on its platform.
Personally, I prefer Outdoorsy as it’s extremely easy to use and there are a ton of RVs to choose from. You’ll find plenty of cheap rentals on this platform (some starting from $45), yet they also offer luxurious RVs and huge travel trailers sleeping up to 10 people.
For those who want to give it a go, then we’ve got a discount code that you can use. Simply type in DREAMBIG when booking your RV, and you’ll get up to 10% off your booking (up to $50).
RVshare is a fantastic outdoorsy alternative, and that would be our next recommendation if you still can’t find what you’re looking for. However, this platform is only located in the United States so you’ll need to keep that in mind.
Another great reason to check out RVshare is the ‘worry-free rental guarantee’ that they offer. This package covers you in the U.S. and Canada if you’re crossing the border, and includes payment protection, rental replacements, damage deposit protection, and insurance.
Although RVezy does have a lot to offer, its poor Trustpilot review and lack of 24/7 customer service, don’t lend itself to being the best option out of the three.
The one thing I will mention is that all platforms require you to be at least 25 years of age. Although this is unfortunate for younger drivers, it’s for insurance purposes and isn’t something you can get around.
All in all, it depends on where you’re visiting, but I’d highly recommend checking out both Outdoorsy and RVshare to ensure you’re getting all the options.
If you don’t like the idea of hiring from a person directly, then you should check out GoSee which is a fantastic rental comparison site. It will search your preferred location for all the best deals, so you don’t have to do the research yourself.
GoSee prides itself on having an effortless booking system with no hidden fees or charges. We can truthfully say that this is the case, which is why they’re such a great option.
This comparison site offers a 24/7 support team who are always on hand to help you through the process if you have any questions. Not only that, but they offer a price match guarantee for if you find your chosen vehicle cheaper elsewhere.
Better yet, GoSee offers a vehicle guarantee as well, so if your rental company lets you down at the last minute, they’ll find you a comparative camper for no extra cost.
This platform only partners with reputable providers too such as Cruise America and McRent so you know you're in good hands.
For more info, read our in-depth review of Gosee!
Each peer-to-peer platform in this article offers a ton of benefits. It’s entirely up to you which company you choose, but as we mentioned before, Outdoorsy is certainly our favorite.
The key thing to think about is where you’ll be traveling. If you’re exploring North America, then you’ll have the choice of all three. For those who are planning to explore Europe, then Outdoorsy is your only option.
No matter which platform you choose, you’ll have a seemingly endless choice of vehicles. Just make sure you read each listing carefully before you decide, as every campervan will have a different set of rules and amenities.
Now that you’ve got a good idea of the company you’ll use, it’s time to plan your epic trip. In our opinion, Canada, the United States, and Europe offer some of the world’s best road trips so what are you waiting for?
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