Do you live in an urban area or on a college campus where your typical day-to-day routine doesn’t require a car? A car sharing service might be just the ticket if you only need occasional wheels. Car sharing is environmentally friendly. In fact, those who opt for vehicle sharing over ownership are less likely to make one-off trips. In fact, they seek ways to be more time and energy-efficient by combining trips to save on gas and to reduce their carbon footprint.It’s also often more convenient and cheaper than going the old-school car rental route. It could be worth considering if you only need a vehicle for short trips now and then, your car’s in the shop, or you want to switch up to a luxury ride for a weekend getaway.The concept of car sharing is fairly similar to renting out a vacation home. There are two basic types of services:Here, we reviewed and selected our “best of” picks for each type of service. We also provide the pros and cons for other choices to consider when you are shopping for the best car sharing companies.

Zipcar, launched in 2000, is now a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group (rentals), and has grown into the most well-known traditional car sharing service in the U.S. Zipcar’s service lives up to its popularity, making it our top choice for Best Car Sharing Service. Summit Air Cleaner SpacerAvailable in more than 170 cities in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and Europe and at more than 300 U.S. colleges and universities, Zipcar dominates the U.S. market when it comes to a traditional car share. Ewing Oil T-ShirtWith same day reservations, good customer service reviews, insurance coverage and fuel cost included, Zip Car makes not owning a vehicle a lot easier when you do need one. Wfp T ShirtThe minimum rental time is one hour, so if you only need a quick 30 minute trip to the store and back, you’re locked in for the hourly rate.

The following rates and fees are for Zip Car’s monthly rates. Zip Car also offers two other plans—the Occasional Driving Plan ($35/year membership plan), and their Extra Value Plan for frequent drivers, which is $50 per month but you get discounts on hourly and daily rates.Monthly rates vary by city and car model. ZipCar is offering to new users. to take advantage of these free credits.Click here to read our in-depth reviewOne of two peer-to-peer car sharing services we review here, Turo (formerly RelayRides) is best suited for longer trips as they only offer daily or weekly rates. With much more diversity in the make and model of cars available, you can rent a car in 2,500 U.S. cities and at more than 300 airports, making them a great alternative to using traditional car rental companies. A great feature for car owners – if you’re going on a trip you can leave your car at the airport and have Turo rent out your vehicle while you’re away, avoiding long-term parking costs and actually making money.

Another great feature is doorstep pick up and drop off. No shorter trips, and you pay for your own gas.There are some rate rules in place, but they vary widely by location, make and model (and by owner’s discretion). We are unaware of any RelayRides coupons at this time.Check out this video from a Turo that shows how you can change your point of view from getting from point A to B.Below are some other car sharing services we reviewed. Although they didn’t make our “best of” list they are still commonly used services that may be a better choice for you, in your town.GetaroundStarted in 2008 in Ulm Germany, Car2Go is now available in 15 North American cities and 14 in Europe. Its reach in the U.S. is much smaller than Zipcar, but for those who live in a Car2Go city, you get the benefit of being able to rent a vehicle by the minute, and you don’t necessarily have to reserve a vehicle – a great option for last-minute needs and quick trips, something you don’t get with Zipcar.

If you are seeking a more eco-friendly vehicle option, Car 2 Go is your best bet since they only offer compact and hybrid cars – no Hummers here! There’s also no membership fee, which makes it an affordable option for many people. Still, Car2Go has its limitations, including no airport locations, so be sure to dig into what’s available in your city to see if it’s a feasible choice for your needs.Rates are standard across the U.S.Originally part of Enterprise Car Rental’s overall business, Enterprise Car Share has acquired smaller vehicle sharing companies and grown into its own entity, with service in 35 U.S. cities, Canada, and the U.K. and at more than 130 U.S. college campuses. They come with a big brand name but have struggled in the last year or so with their mobile app capability that came up short compared to other services – a pretty essential feature for busy people on the go. They were late to the game in developing iPhone and Android mobile apps, but they seem to have finally resolved their issues.

Enterprise CarShare’s rates and fees vary widely by city, so it’s hard to compare them to other services. Still, Enterprise CarShare is an affordable alternative, depending on where you live or visit often.Rates and fees vary widely by city, model, day of week and time of day. Here are a few pricing examples, based on markets:Enterprise CarShare offers two separate plans for the NYC market.Getaround is the second peer-to-peer car sharing service reviewed here. Getaround is only available in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Portland, Chicago and Washington D.C. About a year ago, Getaround changed their business model to meet consumer desires for an on-demand reservation service—perhaps that’s why their market has only grown into one additional city (Chicago) since our last review. If you live in one of the few cities in service, Get Around offers fairly low hourly rates, insurance, and other attractive features, so you should consider them as an option. They’re clearly changing their business model based on consumer preference, so we’re hoping to see lots of growth in their future.

Rates vary by owner, make, and model.Car sharing is clearly trending. As of October 2014, there were more than 1.6 million users and 24,000 (company-owned) shared vehicles in the U.S., according to a study by the Transportation Sustainability Research Center1 at the University of California-Berkeley. Between July 2013 and July 2014 the U.S. saw a 34% increase in the number of carsharing users, and studies indicate this number will continue to climb. Studies also suggest that a growing number of millennials are foregoing car ownership in favor of earth-friendly alternatives like vehicle sharing. If you’re considering joining the car sharing club, we hope our review helps you make a sound choice.Source: [1] Transportation Sustainability Research Center Do you think car sharing is cool or weird? We want to hear your opinions and experiences.Our site's mission is to help consumers make more informed purchase decisions. This post may contain affiliate links (marked with 'Affiliate' when you hover over them) and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through these links.