If you think that the RV rental industry is going away anytime soon, think again.
According to the 2019 KOA North American Camping Report, six in 10 non-RV owners say they would consider renting an RV from a peer-to-peer rental service.
Further, more younger campers say they would like the option prior to considering purchasing their own RV.
Meanwhile, the report says, “RV owners are increasingly making their vehicles available for peer-to-peer rental, seeing a means to generate income from their RV purchase.
“Peer-to-peer rental services appear to offer campers a new way to extend their travels, and access RVs they otherwise wouldn’t experience,” it adds.
That's just one reason we've announced launch of our RV Renting School course. Enrollment is now open through Oct. 1.
Leading up to the launch the RV Renting School course, we’ve taken a look at the pitfalls of renting out your RV and the best locations to rent out your RV. Be sure to check those stories out.
Now we're taking a look at web based services that specialize in RV rentals.
Top RV Rental Companies include:
Of these sites, Outdoorsy and RVShare are definitely the most popular, followed by Cruise America, which rents out RVs from a corporate fleet,
I thought it would be a great time to look at the pros and cons of the top three rental sites (the list will be updated with changes in the industry so be sure to check back).
Outdoorsy
Outdoorsy is a peer-to-peer rental site. Think of it as Airbnb for RVs.
Pros of Outdoorsy:
- Outdoorsy allows older units to be listed. Outdoorsy also does driver's license verification.
- Outdoorsy website does not allow agreements to be signed electronically nor anything can be sent as an attachment. Their search filters are not functional and you will find units or your unit will show at Cities extremely far from the current location. As an RV Owner, you will get notifications that a customer has requested a quote from us but that is far from reality.
Cons of Outdoorsy:
- Outdoorsy charges a 20 percent commission to us owners regardless of how many units we have for rent.
- Roadside assistance is NOT available wherever and whenever as claimed, the facts are “service may be available” if a service provider happens to be available in the area and has the capability to service an RV.
- Outdoorsy insurance does not provide coverage for anything inside the RV, mechanical, etc.
- Anyone interested should search “what is not covered” by their insurance provider. The deductible is between $1,500 – $3,500 as reported by several RV Owners.
RVShare is another choice for peer-to-peer rentals. It is actually the largest online peer-to-peer RV network. It also allows the dealership to list their own vehicles for rent.
Pros:
- RVShare insurance protection for both owners and renters is by far better with substantial greater benefits for all involved. They provide coverage for everything inside or outside the unit, acts of God, etc. with a deductible of $1,500 regardless.
- RVShare website is by far superior for user-friendly, search filter options, you can find documents very easy, and the renter has the capability to sign their Rental Agreement electronically and both renter and RV Owner can send and receive attachments.
Cons:
- RVShare will charge a 25 percent commission on the total reservation cost (minus taxes).
- Like Outdoorsy, roadside assistance is not available wherever and whenever as claimed. Instead, “service may be available” if a service provider happens to be available in the area and has the capability to service an RV.
- Does not allow older units to be listed on their site;
- Does not do driver’s license verification
Cruise America
Cruise America is for those who want to rent an RV from a corporate fleet. It currently has more than 130 locations.
Pros:
- Great deals on seasonal and one-way rentals.
- RVs guaranteed to run well and be clean.
- Rental options will include some of the latest RV models.
Cons:
- Fewer locations mean you might not be able to rent an RV where you want to travel.
- The rental process is more complex.
- Rentals can be a lot more expensive.
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