Car rental between individuals is a model where a person who has a car that they do not use rents it directly to another person who needs it. This is called P2P, just like Airbnb with apartments, but for cars.
How does renting a car from another person in the marketplace work?
The host (the person who has the car)
They are the owner of the vehicle. They publish their car on the platform with photos, daily price, and availability on the calendar. When someone wants to rent it, they receive a request and accept it, coordinate the delivery, and receive the payment. The car remains the owner's at all times; they only share it when they are not using it.
The driver (the person who needs the car)
They search for an available car in the app based on the city, dates, and type of vehicle they need. They choose the one that suits them best, send the request, pay within the platform, and coordinate with the host where and when to pick it up. At the end of the rental, they return the car and the process closes.
How does it differ from a traditional rental company?
| Rental between individuals | Traditional rental company |
Who owns the car? | An individual | The rental company |
Who sets the price? | The car owner themselves | The company |
Is there a physical location? | Delivery is coordinated flexibly at an agreed point | Yes, with branches |
Is insurance included? | Yes, the driver pays for it when booking | Depends on the plan, it may be extra |
Is there a variety of vehicles? | High — cars of all types and prices | Limited to the company's fleet |
Can the price vary? | Yes, each owner decides | Fixed corporate rates |
What are the advantages?
For the host (the car owner)
A car parked in the garage generates expenses such as registration, insurance, and maintenance. But if you rent it through TripWip, you have an opportunity to turn those expenses into income. The host decides the available days, the price, and when to rent it. They are not obligated to have it available all the time.
For the driver (the renter)
They have access to a variety of cars in their city, with prices set by real people competing with each other.
Is it legal and safe?
Yes. In Uruguay, Argentina, and Mexico, renting vehicles between individuals is allowed.
Related article: Is TripWip safe?Related article: Is TripWip cheaper than a traditional rental company?Related article: What is TripWip and how does it work for hosts?