# Zipcar: cars on-demand — Book cars by the hour or day

> On-demand car sharing service for hourly or daily rentals. (iPhone/iPad app by Zipcar, Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zipcar-cars-on-demand/id329384702 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Zipcar, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/329384706)
- Category: Travel, Lifestyle
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.49/5 from 82,807 App Store ratings · 714 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 75 MB
- Languages: English, Turkish
- Released: 2009-09-28
- Data updated: 2026-08-28
- Monetization: freemium
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zipcar-cars-on-demand/id329384702/reviews.md

## What is Zipcar?

With Zipcar, you have a car in the city, with no strings attached. Join our car-sharing community to skip the costs and hassles of owning a car. Our app puts thousands of professionally maintained cars at your fingertips. And they’re available 24/7 for quick errands, weekend escapes, and every trip in between.

Instant Access
Join now and unlock cars near you with our app, 24/7. Most drivers are approved in minutes. No lines. No wait. No paperwork.

All the flexibility and convenience
Choose the perfect car for your errand or weekend getaway, from compacts to roomy SUVs. And book it by the hour or day.

Contact-free pickups and returns
Finding and unlocking your reserved car? Fast and easy. The app has step-by-step directions to the Zipcar parking spot. When you're done, just return it to the same spot.

Save more with gas included
Ditch the huge monthly car payments. And with gas, maintenance, and insurance options included, you save up to $1000/month.

24/7 support & roadside assistance
Need a hand while you’re on the road? Our dedicated customer support team is available at all hours to help with any questions or emergencies.

More sustainable
Car-sharing with Zipcar helps take cars off our roads. Which means fewer emissions. Less congestion. Greener cities. And a world of difference.

## Key features

- On-demand car access
- Hourly and daily bookings
- Contact-free pickup/return
- Gas, maintenance, insurance included
- 24/7 support
- Variety of vehicle types

## Chart rankings

- #173 in Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

## What do users think of Zipcar?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 🚀 Smooth journeys
- 👍 Excellent customer service
- 🚗 Convenient car sharing service

**Cons**

- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent issues
- 💰 Overpriced and hidden fees
- 🚗 Unreliable vehicle availability
- 🤬 Poor customer support
- 🚗 Dirty and poorly maintained vehicles

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Inability to unlock/lock vehicles remotely
- Incorrect vehicle information displayed

**Most requested features**

- Ability to rate vehicle condition
- Improved communication about vehicle availability
- Streamlined cancellation and refund process

## Recent user reviews (10 of 714)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zipcar-cars-on-demand/id329384702/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Prius wouldn’t start

*2026-08-23, version 10.3*

Due to the key fob losing power, the car wouldn’t start. They had to call a tow truck. Seems like an unnecessary waste of time and money for everyone (including Zipcar)

### 1/5 — I wish the application fee showed up before I went trough the entire registration process

*2026-08-20, version 10.3*

Wanted to give this app a try, it showed that the only fee there us is the 5 dollar monthly fee, went trough the whole with selfies and personal data only to find out there is a hidden fee of 25 to be also paid just to register. I think this is dishonest

### 2/5 — Clean Car

*2026-08-19, version 10.3*

Normally the car is spotless but not this time. I always pick up any containers or paper so the car is clean fir the next driver 
I got a dirty interior

### 3/5 — Zipcar used to be great

*2026-08-18, version 10.3*

I just rejoined after a few years of not having a membership and I plan to cancel soon. I’ve had two trips recently and it doesn’t feel as good of a deal, or as good of customer service when it was still an independent company. There used to be a 15 minute buffer before the reservation, customer service felt more professional and par of the Zipcar community. There was a parking issue with my first reservation and then my second reservation I stood outside what the garage attendant told me was the car I was looking for and then after 15 minutes I found out that the car I reserved wasn’t there. I was able to switch to the car I was next to but it delayed my trip and there was no communication from Zipcar about the car not being back in time. I miss the old Zipcar company.

### 1/5 — The worst customer service I’ve ever encountered.

*2026-08-17, version 10.3*

I made the mistake of signing up. Spent an extra hour at least because they have buttons that don’t lead to anything on their website and app. 

When I finally was able to sign up, they charged my card more than what they said they would. When I contacted them about it, they told me it was because of tolls. From a date I didn’t even have a subscription. From a completely different country that I haven’t been to since 2017. With somebody else’s credit card info. I spent HOURS trying to explain their mistake. Finally we got to the bottom of it: they charged me in USD instead of CAD. Even though the mistake was on their end, they refused to refund the difference. They straight up just stole my money. 

On other occasions I had the pleasure to chat with their customer service agents, whose primary job is to get you off the phone asap. They literally give you the silent treatment which is insane. I never got an ounce of help and wasted hours of my life with these people. I absolutely hate this company and specifically their customer service.

### 1/5 — Awful customer support

*2026-08-16, version 10.3*

Their customer support call center is foreign and the agents are impossible to understand

### 1/5 — Terrible customer service

*2026-08-15, version 10.3*

I had been a Zipcar customer for years and have spent thousands of dollars renting from them. Today, there was an issue where I wanted to extend the rental, which I attempted to do before my current trip ended. The system would not allow it because it’s my birthday and my license was set to expire. I had left the temp copy at home and needed to get it to update details. Long story short, when I called back to update and extend rental they charged me $150 late fee despite having done everything possible to follow their rules. If the license being expired was such as issue (which it didn’t expire until midnight today anyway) then you allowed me to drive for 12 hours on what you thought was an expired license. Anyway, that $150 you refuse to refund has cost you a customer. I will never rent from your terrible company again. I would give you zero stars if possible.

### 1/5 — Erroneous Fees Charged without Evidence.

*2026-08-12, version 10.3*

I canceled my membership because I have repeatedly been charged fees that are completely unfounded. I have been fined almost $1000 and they won’t even give me evidence to support their claims. 

I have been a long time customer of theirs and this experience has really soured my experience of their services and tainted my view of them as a legitimate company. 

I will no longer be recommending them as a viable alternative.

### 5/5 — Customer Sevice

*2026-08-09, version 10.3*

I had an issue finding a place to park my Zipcar rental as the designated spot was taken.  The customer service rep was very helpful in solving my issue.

### 1/5 — Scam

*2026-08-09, version 10.3*

My application took over a week despite their advertising that it would take minutes or up to 2 days. Ended up being past my trip until it was reviewed. $25 down the drain

## Frequently asked questions about Zipcar

### What is Zipcar?

Zipcar is a car-sharing service that provides access to a fleet of vehicles for hourly or daily rentals. It allows users to book cars conveniently through an app, avoiding the costs and responsibilities of car ownership. The service includes gas, maintenance, and insurance.

### How does Zipcar work?

You join the Zipcar community and use the app to find and book cars near you. The app facilitates instant access to vehicles 24/7, with contact-free pickups and returns. You can book by the hour or day, choosing from various car types.

### What are the costs associated with Zipcar?

Zipcar offers a membership model that includes gas, maintenance, and insurance in the rental price. This can save users money compared to traditional car ownership, with potential savings of up to $1000 per month. Specific membership tiers and rental rates apply.

### Is Zipcar available in my city?

Zipcar operates in many cities, providing a car-sharing network for urban residents. You can check the app or their website to see if Zipcar is available in your specific location and to find cars near you.

### What kind of cars can I rent with Zipcar?

Zipcar offers a diverse fleet of vehicles to suit various needs, from compact cars for quick errands to larger SUVs for weekend getaways. You can choose the perfect car for your trip directly through the app.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 10.3 — 2026-06-25

No new bells and whistles, but we made it way easier to end your trip in the app. Because the only thing that should be hard about car-sharing is saying goodbye to the car, not the trip!

### 10.2.1 — 2026-06-02

No flashy features this time, but we did pop the hood and fine-tune the engine. Fewer bugs, smoother rides! Because who needs glitches when you're sharing a car?

### 10.2 — 2026-05-14

No fancy updates, but we’ve spruced things up behind the scenes to make reporting issues smoother. We're on a mission to keep those cars clean and fresh—because nobody likes a messy ride!

### 10.1 — 2026-04-14

No shiny new features, but we’ve boosted the unlock car experience! Now you can access your ride even when you're off the grid—because adventures shouldn't stop for cell service.

### 10.0 — 2026-03-26

No new bells and whistles, but we made it way easier to end your trip in the app. Because the only thing that should be hard about car-sharing is saying goodbye to the car, not the trip!

## Apps similar to Zipcar

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| --- | --- | --- | --- |
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## More apps by Zipcar, Inc.

- [Local Motion - Book and Go](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/local-motion-book-and-go/id664694066)

All apps by Zipcar, Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/329384706

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*
