You planned your flights and found a great place to stay. Now it’s time to book a car, but a quick search shows that the same vehicle, same dates, same city, can vary significantly in price depending on where you look. That’s exactly the kind of problem a car rental aggregator is built to solve.
Aggregators work like comparison engines. Instead of booking directly with one rental company, you search a single platform that pulls quotes from hundreds of suppliers at once. You see your options side by side, pick the best deal and book without visiting multiple websites.
EconomyBooking, VIPCars and RentalCars are three of the most established aggregators in the market, and each takes a slightly different approach to help you save time and money on your next booking.
How Car Rental Aggregators Can Help You Maximize Your Travel Budget
Aggregators have a few structural advantages over booking direct that are especially useful if you’re watching your spending:
- Price comparison at a glance. Instead of checking Hertz, then Avis, then a local agency separately, you see them all ranked by price on one screen.
- Access to local and regional suppliers. Aggregators often surface smaller, locally owned agencies that don’t have direct booking websites, and these operators frequently undercut the big brands on price.
- Upfront fee visibility. Good aggregators show you the full picture before you commit. This includes the fuel policy, mileage limits, deposit amount and what’s included vs. paid at the counter.
Aggregators are most valuable when you’re actively comparing across multiple suppliers. If you’re part of a loyalty program, have a corporate rate or the price difference is negligible, booking direct can still work in your favor.
Best Budget Car Rental Aggregators
Each of the three platforms below operates on the same basic aggregator model, but they differ in supplier network size, geographic strengths, pricing transparency and support quality.
| Platform | Founded | Supplier Network | Locations | Trustpilot | Standout Feature | Best For |
| RentalCars (now part of Booking.com) | 2004 | 800+ suppliers | 50,000+ | 1.6/5 | Largest car-hire network | Global travelers |
| EconomyBookings | 2008 | 890 suppliers | 20,000+ locations | 4.4/5 | Supplier-level reviews + broad global network | Price- and support-focused, independent travelers |
| VIPCars | 2010 | 800+ suppliers | 22,000+ | 4.6/5 | Zero booking fee, 24/7 multi-channel support | Mobile bookers |
RentalCars
Launched in 2004 as TravelJigsaw out of Manchester, UK, RentalCars.com rebranded under its current name in 2010 after joining the Priceline Group, now Booking Holdings, the travel giant behind Booking.com, Priceline and KAYAK. That backing helped it scale into what it calls the world’s biggest car hire booking service, making more than 8 million bookings a year across 50,000+ locations in 155+ countries.
Cost
RentalCars’ network helps with its competitive rates, as it checks which local supplier offers the best price for your car and dates. Base rates cover the vehicle and standard taxes, with insurance and extras priced separately. RentalCars offers free cancellation on many bookings when you cancel more than 48 hours before pickup. Individual bookings can carry their own cancellation terms, so check the conditions before you reserve.
Advantages
RentalCars brings a few distinct strengths to the rental counter, including:
- The largest location network of these three options, with 50,000+ pickup points across 155+ countries
- Direct relationships with major brands, including Hertz, Avis, Alamo, Budget, Europcar and Sixt, alongside local operators
- Multilingual phone and email support in 30+ languages
- Filtering by car type, supplier, price range and policies like free cancellation or pay-at-counter
Considerations
RentalCars is a solid value choice here, but its customer satisfaction record is weak. It holds a Trustpilot score of roughly 1.6/5 across more than 156,000+ reviews, which is far lower than the EconomyBookings and VIPCars ratings. Recurring themes in negative reviews include unexpected charges at the counter and difficulty securing refunds. Reviewers also flag firm upselling of insurance and protection add-ons.
Best for: Travelers who prioritize the widest possible global coverage and brand-name suppliers, particularly in remote or international destinations
EconomyBookings
Founded in Riga, Latvia, in 2008, EconomyBookings.com has spent nearly two decades building a supplier network of 890 partners across 20,000+ locations worldwide.
The name isn’t accidental. The platform was built around the idea that car rental shouldn’t cost more than it has to, and it’s served over 10 million customers on that premise. EconomyBookings has won back-to-back Magellan Awards Gold recognition (2023 and 2024) and the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, both tied to verified customer satisfaction.
Cost
Rates are frequently cited by independent travelers as meaningfully cheaper than booking direct. Base rates include the vehicle and standard taxes, with extras like insurance upgrades and cross-border fees itemized separately. Free cancellation is available on many bookings, typically up to 48 hours before pickup.
Advantages
EconomyBookings provides several key benefits to budget-conscious bookers, including:
- 24/5 support online and via phone with extensive language options
- Large supplier network with particular depth in Europe and Southeast Asia
- Supplier- and location-level reviews let you evaluate the specific agency you’re booking
- Broad payment support, including Visa, Mastercard, Amex, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna, Affirm and Alipay
- Innovative filtering options
Considerations
Security deposits are set by individual suppliers, not EconomyBookings, and amounts can vary significantly by location. Check the rental conditions for the specific deposit before booking.
Because the platform works with hundreds of suppliers globally, pickup experience quality varies by operator. The platform’s supplier ratings exist for exactly this reason, so filter by rating, not just price.
Best for: Independent travelers and backpackers who want transparency, maximum supplier choice, advanced filtering options, and strong customer support via phone.
VIPCars
Operating since 2010 under Webart Softech Ltd. in the UK, VIPCars.com positions itself around a clear promise: affordable car rental with no hidden charges and no booking fees. With 800+ suppliers, 22,000+ locations across 150+ countries and 5 million+ customers served, it’s one of the more established options in this space.
Cost
VIPCars charges zero booking fees and commits to no hidden charges, so what you see when you search is what you pay to reserve the car. Free cancellation is a standard platform feature. Security deposits are set by individual suppliers, so it’s worth checking the rental conditions per booking.
Advantages
Benefits of booking with this aggregator include:
- Zero booking fee and no hidden charges
- 24/7 support via email and live chat
- Mobile app available for iOS and Android for on-the-go booking and booking management
- Established 15+ year track record with 5 million+ customers
Considerations
VIPCars reviewers note strong upselling when it comes to insurance and other add-ons.
Security deposits vary by supplier and aren’t always immediately obvious. Reviewing the rental conditions before confirming is always a good habit.
Best for: Travelers who want responsive, around-the-clock support and the convenience of a mobile app, particularly frequent travelers managing bookings on the go.
Finding a Car Rental Aggregator That Fits Your Budget
All three of these platforms are well-established options that can save you real money compared to booking directly. Choosing the right car rental company comes down to what you value most. EconomyBookings offers an impressive breadth of suppliers, unmatched filtering convenience, 360-degree support options and competitive pricing. VIPCars boasts solid online support and a zero-fee booking experience while RentalCars excels in providing the largest supplier network.
When booking, always compare the total cost rather than just the headline rate, and spend a couple of minutes reviewing the rental conditions before you book. Sorting by supplier rating rather than price alone goes a long way, and booking ahead of time tends to get you the best combination of rate and flexibility.