Car hire companies in the UK 2026: a ranking built on verified facts
A ranking of UK car hire companies that rent cars by the day to private customers without a driver, built only on facts from the companies' own websites and the App Store. We check whether the site names the legal entity with its Companies House number, whether the security deposit for a standard car is published, whether the price includes a damage waiver for the hire car itself (with an excess; third-party insurance alone does not count), whether a 3-day hire comes with unlimited mileage, whether a booking can be cancelled free of charge, online booking, airport pick-up, the number of branches, the year the company started in the UK and the App Store rating. Car clubs, peer-to-peer platforms and brokers are not included. No UK company we checked publishes a daily price outside its booking engine, so the price fact is empty for now and compares nothing. Avis, Budget and Hertz are listed outside the ranking because their websites are closed to automated checks. Every fact links to its source with the date we checked it. Compare Scores only within the UK. Places are not for sale.
| # | Company | Who it serves | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enterprise Rent-A-Car UK | 70 | Yes | Yes | Not verified | Yes | Yes | Legal entity Deposit Damage cover Unlimited km Free cancellation Online booking Airport |
| 2 | Europcar UK | 60 | Yes | Yes | Not verified | Yes | Yes | Legal entity Deposit Damage cover Unlimited km Free cancellation Online booking Airport |
| 3 | Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental | 55 | Yes | Yes | Not verified | Yes | No | Legal entity Deposit Damage cover Free cancellation Online booking Airport |
| 4 | SIXT UK | 50 | Yes | Yes | Not verified | Yes | No | Legal entity Deposit Damage cover Free cancellation Online booking Airport |
| 5 | Practical Car & Van Rental | 40 | No | Yes | Not verified | Yes | No | Deposit Damage cover Free cancellation Online booking Airport |
| 6 | Thrifty Car & Van Rental UK | 40 | No | Yes | Not verified | Yes | No | Deposit Damage cover Free cancellation Online booking Airport |
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- Legal entity and registration number shown
- Yes
- Deposit amount published
- Yes
- Economy car, price per day for 3 days, % of country reference
- Not verified
- Damage cover included
- Yes
- Unlimited mileage
- Yes
Pros
- The base price includes damage cover for the rental car
- Unlimited mileage on the base tariff
- Names its legal entity and registration number
- Publishes the security deposit amount
Details Visit site ↗ 70% backed by facts
-
- Legal entity and registration number shown
- Yes
- Deposit amount published
- Yes
- Economy car, price per day for 3 days, % of country reference
- Not verified
- Damage cover included
- Yes
- Unlimited mileage
- Yes
Pros
- The base price includes damage cover for the rental car
- Unlimited mileage on the base tariff
- Names its legal entity and registration number
- Publishes the security deposit amount
Details Visit site ↗ 62% backed by facts
-
- Legal entity and registration number shown
- Yes
- Deposit amount published
- Yes
- Economy car, price per day for 3 days, % of country reference
- Not verified
- Damage cover included
- Yes
- Unlimited mileage
- No
Pros
- The base price includes damage cover for the rental car
- Names its legal entity and registration number
- Publishes the security deposit amount
- Bookings can be cancelled free of charge
Cons
- Daily mileage limit
Details Visit site ↗ 67% backed by facts
-
- Legal entity and registration number shown
- Yes
- Deposit amount published
- Yes
- Economy car, price per day for 3 days, % of country reference
- Not verified
- Damage cover included
- Yes
- Unlimited mileage
- No
Pros
- The base price includes damage cover for the rental car
- Names its legal entity and registration number
- Publishes the security deposit amount
- Bookings can be cancelled free of charge
Cons
- Daily mileage limit
Details Visit site ↗ 62% backed by facts
-
- Legal entity and registration number shown
- No
- Deposit amount published
- Yes
- Economy car, price per day for 3 days, % of country reference
- Not verified
- Damage cover included
- Yes
- Unlimited mileage
- No
Pros
- The base price includes damage cover for the rental car
- Publishes the security deposit amount
- Bookings can be cancelled free of charge
- Cars can be booked on the website
Cons
- Daily mileage limit
- No legal entity or registration number on the website
Details Visit site ↗ 62% backed by facts
-
- Legal entity and registration number shown
- No
- Deposit amount published
- Yes
- Economy car, price per day for 3 days, % of country reference
- Not verified
- Damage cover included
- Yes
- Unlimited mileage
- No
Pros
- The base price includes damage cover for the rental car
- Publishes the security deposit amount
- Bookings can be cancelled free of charge
- Cars can be booked on the website
Cons
- Daily mileage limit
- No legal entity or registration number on the website
Details Visit site ↗ 62% backed by facts
Not ranked yet: not enough verified data
These services are known to us, but we haven't verified enough facts to rank them fairly.
- Avis UK (site closed to automated checks, )
- Budget UK (site closed to automated checks, )
- Hertz UK (site closed to automated checks, )
Sites marked as closed refuse automated reading (403 error, captcha or a robots.txt ban). We don't bypass such protection, so we can't verify their facts and they are not ranked. This says nothing about their quality. A company can send links to its official pages to [email protected].
How we calculate the Score
25%
Transparency
The website names the legal entity behind the service together with its official registration number, states the amount of the security deposit (or that there is none), and the year the company started.
30%
Price
The published daily price of the company's cheapest economy-class car for a three-day rental (the price band covering three days, or the single daily price if there are no bands), including VAT, without promo codes or loyalty discounts, as a percentage of the country's reference price. Where only a "from" price is published, we use it and say so on the card. The lower the price, the higher the score.
30%
Rental terms
Damage cover for the rental car itself (CASCO, CDW or a limit of the renter's liability, with or without excess) included in the base price; compulsory third-party motor insurance alone does not count. Unlimited mileage on the base tariff, and free cancellation of a booking at least up to a stated time before pick-up.
15%
Convenience
A booking form with dates on the official website, pick-up or delivery at the country's main airport, the number of rental locations the company lists in the country, and the App Store rating of its own app.
How to rent a car
Compare the full price
The daily rate is only part of the cost. Add the deposit, extra mileage, delivery, an additional driver, a child seat, out-of-hours hand-over and the fuel policy. Ask for the total for your dates in writing before you pay.
Check what the insurance covers
Find out whether damage to the rental car itself is covered and up to what amount you remain liable (the excess or deposit). Glass, tyres, the underbody and the interior are often excluded even with full cover.
Read the contract before you sign
The contract states the mileage limit, where you may drive, whether you may leave the country, what happens if you are late and how damage is assessed. If something you were promised is not in the contract, ask for it to be added.
Inspect the car at pick-up
Walk around the car with the agent, photograph or film every scratch, the fuel level and the odometer, and make sure all defects are written into the hand-over report. Do the same when you return the car.
Plan for fines and tolls
Traffic fines and road tolls during the rental are your responsibility. Companies usually pass on camera fines with an administration fee, so ask how this works and pay toll roads on time.
Get your deposit back
Ask when and how the deposit is returned or unblocked and keep the return report signed by both sides. If money is withheld, ask for a written calculation and the documents behind it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the excess and the deposit?
The excess is the most you will have to pay if the car is damaged. The deposit is the amount you must make available on your card to show the rental company that you can pay the excess; while it is ring-fenced, you cannot spend it on other things. For cheaper deals the excess and the deposit can be very large, so compare both before you book.
Is insurance included in the hire price?
The law requires third-party motor insurance for anyone using a car on a road or other public place (section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988), and hire firms build it into the rental. Cover for damage to the hire car itself usually comes as a Collision Damage Waiver: it often excludes items such as tyres or glass and leaves you paying the excess. You do not have to buy extra excess cover from the rental company; it can be cheaper from an independent insurer, but the company may still take a deposit and you would reclaim any damage charge from your insurer.
Can I cancel a car hire booking within 14 days like other online purchases?
Not by law. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 exclude vehicle rental services from the cancellation right when the contract is for a specific date or period (regulation 28(1)(h)). Whether you can cancel free of charge depends on the company's own terms, which is why we show it as a separate fact.
Who pays a speeding or other fixed penalty notice for a hire car?
The notice goes to the hire company as the owner, but under section 66 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 it can pass it on to you: it sends the police a copy of the hiring agreement and the statement of liability you signed, and from then on you are treated as the owner. Check the company's terms for any handling fee it adds.
What can I do if I disagree with a damage charge?
Inspect the car at pick-up, take photos and make sure every defect is noted on the form signed by both sides. If you are charged later, ask for evidence of the damage and the repair invoice. If you paid by credit card, you may be able to claim from the card provider under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. If the company belongs to the BVRLA, you can use its conciliation service for disputes about rentals in the UK; Citizens Advice gives free consumer help.