Rentalcars.com Review 2026: The Booking Holdings Car Rental Platform
Rentalcars.com Review 2026: The Booking Holdings Car Rental Platform
Rentalcars.com is the car rental platform owned by Booking Holdings, the same parent as Booking.com, Priceline and Kayak. The integration with Booking.com is the headline feature. You can book your hotel on Booking and your car on Rentalcars from inside the same account, with Genius loyalty perks applying across both. After a few years of running real rentals through it, this is the honest review.
The Short Answer
Rentalcars.com is a solid car rental aggregator that wins specifically when you are already inside the Booking.com ecosystem and want everything in one place. The pricing is competitive, the loyalty integration is the cleanest in the industry, but DiscoverCars usually has cheaper insurance and slightly cheaper base rates on smaller local suppliers.
For nomads who book most travel through Booking.com, Rentalcars makes sense as the default. For nomads who want the absolute lowest price, DiscoverCars is usually the winner.
What Rentalcars.com Is
Rentalcars.com is an aggregator that compares prices across major rental suppliers worldwide. The inventory leans heavily on the big international brands (Hertz, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Enterprise, Sixt, Thrifty) with some local supplier coverage in major markets.
You search, compare, book through Rentalcars, and pick up the car from the supplier. Same model as DiscoverCars but with a stronger lean on international brands rather than local suppliers.
The Booking Genius Integration
This is the killer feature for active Booking.com users. The Genius loyalty program from Booking.com extends to Rentalcars.com. Genius level discounts, priority customer service and some preferential rates apply across both platforms.
For a Genius level 3 user (15+ stays in two years on Booking) the car rental discount is often 5 to 15 percent off select suppliers. Combined with the cleaner cross platform booking experience, this is a real reason to pick Rentalcars if you are already deep in the Booking ecosystem.
Where Rentalcars.com Wins
Three real strengths.
First, the international brand inventory is deep. If you specifically want to rent from Hertz, Avis, Sixt, Europcar or Budget, Rentalcars.com has the cleanest direct integration with those suppliers.
Second, the Booking.com loyalty integration. As mentioned, the Genius perks crossing both platforms makes the math work for active Booking users.
Third, customer support is the strongest of the rental aggregators. 24/7 phone and chat in multiple languages, with the same support quality as Booking.com proper.
Where Rentalcars.com Falls Short
Three honest downsides.
First, the local supplier coverage is thinner than DiscoverCars. If you want to rent from Goldcar in Spain or Sicily by Car in Italy at their lowest rates, DiscoverCars often shows those options at better prices.
Second, the Damage Refund Insurance product is more expensive than the DiscoverCars Full Coverage equivalent. Around 15 to 20 EUR per day vs 8 to 12 EUR per day for similar coverage.
Third, the interface still leans toward upselling at checkout. Multiple insurance options, multiple add ons, multiple upgrade prompts. After a few uses you learn to click through them but the first booking can feel pushy.
Real Price Comparison
Sample rentals on the same dates, same car class, same supplier when available:
| Rental | Rentalcars.com | DiscoverCars | Direct |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 day Lisbon economy (Hertz) | 168 EUR | 148 EUR | 198 EUR |
| 10 day Iceland 4×4 (Europcar) | 880 EUR | 820 EUR | 1100 EUR |
| 5 day Mexico City compact (Sixt) | 96 USD | 89 USD | 134 USD |
| 7 day Madeira SUV (local supplier) | not available | 178 EUR | N/A |
Pattern. Rentalcars and DiscoverCars are close on the big brands, with DiscoverCars edging it by 5 to 10 percent most of the time. DiscoverCars covers more local suppliers, which is where the bigger savings show up.
The Insurance Question
The Damage Refund Insurance on Rentalcars covers up to a certain amount of damage and refunds the deductible if you have an incident. The product works similar to DiscoverCars Full Coverage but at a higher daily price.
The smart move on Rentalcars is the same as on DiscoverCars. Buy the platform insurance during booking. Decline all insurance offered at the rental counter. The platform insurance is dramatically cheaper than the counter for the same or better coverage.
When To Pick Rentalcars.com
Pick Rentalcars if:
- You are an active Booking.com Genius user and want loyalty perks across both platforms
- You strongly prefer the international brand suppliers (Hertz, Avis, Sixt, Europcar)
- You want the strongest customer support in the aggregator space
- You book most of your travel through Booking.com and want everything in one ecosystem
When To Pick DiscoverCars Instead
Pick DiscoverCars if:
- You want the absolute lowest price (DiscoverCars usually wins by 5 to 15 percent)
- You want access to local supplier inventory at the best rates
- You want the cheapest Full Coverage insurance in the industry
- You are not committed to the Booking ecosystem
Side By Side
| Feature | Rentalcars.com | DiscoverCars |
|---|---|---|
| Base prices | Competitive | Usually cheaper |
| Insurance price | 15-20 EUR/day | 8-12 EUR/day |
| International brand inventory | Excellent | Strong |
| Local supplier inventory | Medium | Excellent |
| Loyalty integration | Booking Genius | None |
| Customer support | Strongest in industry | Solid |
| Best for | Booking.com loyalists | Price hunters |
The Two Tab Workflow
What works best in practice. Open both Rentalcars and DiscoverCars in two browser tabs, search the same dates and location, and book whichever comes in cheaper after insurance.
5 minutes per booking. Saves anywhere from 20 to 100 EUR on a typical rental, plus the cleaner insurance choice.
The Affiliate Side
Rentalcars.com runs through Awin for the affiliate program. Commission is around 6 to 8 percent of the booking value, lower than DiscoverCars (70 percent of margin, working out to 8 to 15 percent of booking value). For bloggers writing about rentals, DiscoverCars remains the higher payout but Rentalcars converts well for Booking-leaning audiences.
Final Take
Rentalcars.com is a reliable car rental aggregator with the deepest Booking.com integration in the industry. For active Booking Genius users, it slides naturally into the existing travel workflow. For pure price hunters, DiscoverCars usually wins by 5 to 15 percent.
The best move is to keep both in your booking rotation and compare on every rental. The 5 minutes of comparison pays back fast across a year of nomad travel.
For the rest of the rental booking system, see my DiscoverCars review, booking sites comparison, and travel insurance guide.
FAQ
Is Rentalcars.com legit?
Yes. Rentalcars.com is owned by Booking Holdings (parent of Booking.com, Priceline and Kayak) and has been operating since 2004. Bookings are secure and customer support is among the strongest in the industry.
Is Rentalcars.com cheaper than the rental company directly?
Usually yes by 15 to 30 percent. The suppliers offer cheaper rates through aggregators to compete on volume. The exception is if you have status with the rental brand directly.
Does Rentalcars.com offer Full Coverage insurance?
Yes, called Damage Refund Insurance. It works similar to DiscoverCars Full Coverage but is more expensive per day (15 to 20 EUR vs 8 to 12 EUR on DiscoverCars).
Can I use Booking.com Genius status on Rentalcars.com?
Yes. The Genius loyalty program extends to Rentalcars.com with discounts and priority support on select suppliers and rentals.
How does Rentalcars.com compare to DiscoverCars?
DiscoverCars usually has lower prices, cheaper insurance and better local supplier coverage. Rentalcars wins on Booking integration and international brand depth. For most price focused nomads, DiscoverCars edges it. For Booking loyalists, Rentalcars wins.
