Bargain Car Rentals

If you’re hiring a car in Australia, I’d shortlist these — they’re the brands Aussies actually use, not random overseas-only names.

Top car rental companies in Australia

My practical recommendation

• Best all-round pick: East Coast Car Rentals — especially for Brisbane, Gold Coast, Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Launceston or Darwin.
• Best big-brand value: Budget.
• Best for business, airports and convenience: Avis or Hertz.
• Best if you’re an NRMA member or need a van/truck/ute: SIXT.
• Best cheap options to compare: Bargain, Apex, No Birds.
• Also compare: Thrifty, especially if it’s cheaper for your dates; CHOICE and Canstar both treat it as one of the main Australian car hire brands. (canstarblue.com.au) |

Quick tip before booking

Don’t choose purely on the headline daily rate. In Australia, the real cost often depends on damage excess, kilometre limits, airport fees, one-way fees, after-hours return rules, toll handling fees, and whether the branch is in-terminal or shuttle pickup. CHOICE specifically warns that car hire add-ons and excess-reduction charges can create unexpected costs, so compare the final checkout price, not just the advertised rate. (choice.com.au)

If you want the best car rental brands people actually use in Australia, the most commonly recommended mainstream options are Hertz, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Thrifty, and Enterprise. Among these, Budget and Hertz also show up as top-rated choices in Booking.com’s Australian car-hire ratings, while Avis, Budget, Europcar, Thrifty, and Hertz are the major companies CHOICE routinely evaluates in Australia.

A practical shortlist by use case:

• Best all-round value: Budget — strong customer ratings on Booking.com and very widely used across Australia.
• Best premium/mainstream experience: Hertz — consistently appears in the major-brand shortlist and is often chosen for a broader fleet and airport presence.
• Best for straightforward business/leisure rentals: Avis — one of the core national brands and widely available.
• Best for broader value/family rentals: Europcar — a major national provider with broad vehicle choice.
• Best for frequent airport travelers: Thrifty — commonly listed among Australia’s major rental brands and included in CHOICE’s review set.
• Best if you want a less “big corporate” option: East Coast Car Rentals — rated highly in Canstar Blue’s 2026 hire-car survey.

If you want the brands that people actually book a lot, the large aggregator listings in Australia repeatedly surface Bargain Car Rentals, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, Europcar, Avis, Thrifty, East Coast, Sixt, and Jucy as active, commonly available options. Booking.com’s Australia page specifically shows Budget, Dollar, and Hertz among its top-rated providers based on user reviews.

A simple way to choose:

• Lowest price: Budget, Dollar, Bargain Car Rentals
• Most established national brands: Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Thrifty
• Best-rated by surveyed customers: East Coast Car Rentals, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Thrifty, Hertz
• More flexible/peer-to-peer style: DriveMyCar if you want a non-traditional rental model.

If you want, I can also give you a best car rental company by city list for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, or Adelaide.

East Coast Car Rentals stands out as a top choice for many Aussies right now, based on recent customer satisfaction surveys.

It won Canstar Blue’s 2026 Most Satisfied Customers award for hire cars after surveying hundreds of recent users. It scored highest overall for things like value, vehicle quality/availability, and service. It has solid locations in capital cities and airports (around 14 spots nationwide) and strong feedback on sites like ProductReview.com.au.

Other Strong Contenders

Other highly rated or frequently used options include:

• Avis and Budget — These often rank near the top in satisfaction surveys (Avis placed second in the latest Canstar ratings). Budget won in 2025. They’re reliable big players with widespread airport and city locations, good vehicle ranges (including SUVs and hybrids), and solid loyalty programs.
• Europcar (including Keddy) — Regularly appears in top satisfaction lists and has a large presence. It’s a go-to for many travellers.
• Thrifty and Hertz — These are very commonly used, especially at airports, with decent fleets. Hertz has been a past Canstar winner (2023), though recent rankings place it a bit lower. Thrifty often gets volume reviews.
• Sixt — Popular for its modern fleet and online presence (it ranks high in website traffic in Australia). Good for premium or specific vehicle needs.

Local or Smaller Operators

Smaller or local operators like Alpha Car Hire, Everything Fleet, Simba Car Hire, Bargain Car Rentals, and Advance Car Rental frequently get strong individual reviews for service, value, or specific locations (e.g., Melbourne or Perth). These can be great for competitive pricing or a more personal touch, though availability and consistency vary more than the big names.

What People Actually Use

The big international brands (Hertz, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Thrifty, Sixt) dominate bookings, especially for airport pickups and tourists/locals needing reliability. East Coast Car Rentals punches above its weight in Aussie satisfaction surveys.

Rental fleets lean heavily on reliable, popular models like the Toyota RAV4, Corolla, Nissan X-Trail, and HiLux—practical choices for Australian roads and conditions.

Quick Tips for Booking in Australia

• Compare properly: Use aggregator sites (e.g., Airport Rentals or similar) or check Canstar/ProductReview for the latest ratings. Prices and availability fluctuate a lot by location and season.
• Key factors: Look at excess/insurance options, one-way fees (common for long-distance), and airport vs city depot convenience. Read recent reviews for the specific branch.
• Alternatives to consider: If you need longer-term or flexible use, car subscription services like Carbar or Carly are popular options alongside traditional rentals.

Your best pick depends on where you’re hiring (e.g., Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth airports), budget, and vehicle needs—East Coast or Avis/Budget are safe, highly rated bets for most people based on recent feedback from Aussies. Always double-check current deals and terms directly. Safe travels!