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Germany is one of the most important economies in the world and a modest, yet important part of this comes from the many tourists that decide to visit this beautiful, living country from Western Country, and have decided to drive on its streets.
Travelling to Germany is like visiting a living museum, while at the same time being able to enjoy the best beer, amazing architecture, and a vibrant artistic scene, surrounded by beautiful parks, and the world-famous Autobahn, to visit the whole country by car.
Something great about visiting Germany is that not only it has Berlin, one of the greenest capitals in the world, which holds some of the most important historical places in the world, but it also has many other great cities, such as Munich and Hamburg; which you could easily visit if you rent a car.
With a solid car manufacturer industry, breathtaking history, and a great highway system, renting a car is definitely a great option when visiting Germany. Now you only have to decide which car rental company you would like to choose in Germany.
Whether you want to visit Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart, Hanover, Nuremberg, Leipzig, Bremen, Dortmund, Dresden, Karlsruhe, Baden-Baden, Weeze, or Memmingen, we have made a Ranking of the Best Car Rental companies in Germany in 2024 to help you choose your next car rental booking, which, by the way, you can do easily and at the best price on this website.
#1 – Sixt (9.1/10) 🏆
When choosing the best car rental companies in Germany, Sixt must be one of the earliest names to come up, as this popular car rental, which has been getting a stronger presence in Europe and the rest of the world, is a German company.
Sixt might still have a relatively small presence in other countries, but they count with many locations all across Germany, and they have a good fleet of cars ready to take you to the autobahn, with small and mid-sized cars, as well as SUVs.
In its home country, Sixt offers good rates for your rentals, though if you don’t know how to drive a manual transmission car, or you would feel safer driving an automatic, then you will have to pay some extra euros.
As it is the case for any car rental company anywhere in the world, Sixt Germany has received a few negative reviews on forums, especially from customers who were charged more than expected.
However, in many cases, it is a lack of knowledge of the car rental process in German, and the charge, even if unexpected, was in the contract, making it very important to read the contract before signing it.
Among the car rentals in Germany, the local Sixt is one which has left many of the clients who have chosen them happy, with many customers renting cars with them constantly, and offering fair rates for their quality. Overall, a solid option for a car rental in Germany.
Sixt customer ratings:
- ⭐ Excellent cleanliness of the car
- ⭐ Excellent service at the rental desk
- ✔️ Quick pick-up process
- ✔️ Quick drop-off process
- ⭐ Excellent overall value for money
#2 – Alamo (8.6/10) 🥈
For nearly 30 years, Alamo Rent A Car has been the industry leader and one of the most important players in the car rental business and has been doing everything possible to make car rental the starting point for a successful vacation.
Alamo’s international network is dedicated to providing high-quality, all-inclusive service with prices that fit everyone’s wallet. Alamo Service simplifies car rental and eliminates hassles so vacationers can better enjoy their vacation.
Currently, Alamo has more than 180,000 vehicles serving 15 million travellers each year in 1,248 locations in 43 countries. Alamo has 293 locations in the United States and Canada and 955 locations in Europe and also in Germany.
Alamo customer ratings:
- ⭐ Excellent cleanliness of the car
- ⭐ Excellent service at the rental desk
- ✔️ Quick pick-up process
- ✔️ Quick drop-off process
- ⭐ Excellent overall value for money
#3 – Europcar (8.5/10) 🥉
Europcar is one of the car rental companies with the strongest presence in Europe, so you will find them often when planning your trip to Germany, especially if thinking about using a consolidator to find better deals.
The rates with Europcar tend to be lower than those you would get with a company like Hertz, but in general, they have average prices, though from time to time you might find a good offer with them.
It has been reported by people who have rented a car with Europcar in Germany, either directly with the company or through a consolidator, that they have been unexpectedly been charge an extra fee for damage to the car.
However, Europcar seems to be a very reputable company in Germany, but in order to prevent any negative experience, it will be a good idea to make sure to understand the German car rental process, as well as taking good photos of the car in case of being charged for damage.
Overall, the French car rental Europcar is one of the favorite car rentals in Germany, and it would always be a good idea to consider it among your options when choosing what brand to rent a car with during your time in Germany.
Europcar customer ratings:
- ✔️ Very Good cleanliness of the car
- ✔️ Very Good service at the rental desk
- ✔️ Quick pick-up process
- ✔️ Quick drop-off process
- ✔️ Very Good overall value for money
#4 – Avis (8.4/10) 🔝
Avis Rent a Car, along with Sixt, Hertz, and Europcar; is one of the most popular car rental companies in Germany, and one you will often see when checking for car rental rents for your trip.
One thing to take into account if considering going with Avis for your time in Germany is that you will probably have to wait a bit more than you would with other companies for the queue. Though there is a good reason for this, and it is that their rates are lower than its competitors.
Apart from having to wait for long in order to get your car, you might find at the counter that the car you have rented in advance is not available. This might be inconvenient, but you can expect to get a similar car or to be upgraded for free if it ever happens when renting with Avis.
If you don’t care to wait a bit more when traveling in a time of high demand for rental cars in Germany, then going with Avis might be a valuable choice for your budget. Do make sure to take good photos of your car, and get informed about the car rental process in Germany.
Avis customer ratings:
- ✔️ Very Good cleanliness of the car
- ✔️ Very Good service at the rental desk
- ✔️ Quick pick-up process
- ✔️ Quick drop-off process
- ✔️ Very Good overall value for money
#5 – Budget (8.3/10) 🔝
Though an American car rental company, Budget Rent a Car is owned by Avis in Germany, which can make this your alternative car rental company if Avis is your go-to car rental in Germany.
Considering the good reputation and good rates of Avis in Germany, you can expect a very similar service if renting with Budget instead, as they share many of their terms and conditions and cars.
One of the main reasons to choose Budget over Avis in Germany if there is a convenient location for the place you are traveling to is if they have a better rate than the one you would get for a similar car with Avis.
Even though Budget is not the car rental company with the strongest presence in Germany, it is still a popular international car rental, and in Germany, it is owned by one of the preferred car rentals, making it a great alternative when booking a car for your trip to Germany.
Budget customer ratings:
- ✔️ Very Good cleanliness of the car
- ✔️ Very Good service at the rental desk
- ✔️ Quick pick-up process
- ✔️ Quick drop-off process
- ✔️ Very Good overall value for money
#6 – Enterprise (8.1/10) 🔝
If you are traveling to Germany, and do not want to go with one of the most popular and expensive car rentals in the country, then the American company Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an option you might want to consider.
One thing to be aware of right away if consider Enterprise is that it is handled by the German company Buchbinder, which doesn’t have the best reputation in the country due to many renters reporting to have been charged very high unexpected fees, though some of these negative experiences might have been avoided by better understanding the car rental process in Germany.
In regards to Enterprise, this is a very reputable car rental company in the United States, and they probably try to keep this reputation abroad, so you may still want to consider renting with Enterprise in Germany if they offer you a very good price.
Overall, Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Germany can be a good option for you to consider, though you might favour the biggest companies before. Make sure to take good photos of the car during pick-up and drop-off, and contact your credit card company in case of unexpected fees and everything should be great.
Enterprise customer ratings:
- ✔️ Very Good cleanliness of the car
- ✔️ Very Good service at the rental desk
- ✔️ Quick pick-up process
- ✔️ Quick drop-off process
- ✔️ Very Good overall value for money
#7 – Hertz (8.0/10) 🔝
With a name of German origin, it is in Germany where you will hear Hertz pronounced correctly, because this American car rental has a strong presence all over the world, and it is also the case in Germany, where you will often see their offers.
The rates of car rentals with Hertz might be higher than with most other companies, but in exchange, you can expect a reliable service from one of the most popular car rentals in the world, and the prices do get better if you rent in advance, and if you choose a manual car.
There have been several negative reviews and bad experiences in forums about Hertz in Germany, especially at the Frankfurt Airport, in regards to extra charges and customers being forced to pay insurance. However, in many cases, it has been a misunderstanding about the car rental policies in Germany.
If you decide to go with Hertz, you can expect an overall good experience, with a car in great conditions, and fair rates, though a bit higher than with other companies.
Do make sure to read forums and to understand the policies of car rental insurance in Germany, as well as asking your credit card company whether you can use their insurance in Germany so that you avoid being surprised with unexpected charges.
Hertz customer ratings:
- ✔️ Good cleanliness of the car
- ✔️ Good service at the rental desk
- ✔️ Quick pick-up process
- ✔️ Quick drop-off process
- ✔️ Good overall value for money
#8 – Buchbinder / Global Rent a Car (7.9/10) 🔝
Buchbinder is a German car rental company that also works under the name of some more popular international car rentals in Germany, though this is not the company with the best reputation in the country.
The experiences and reviews from customers who have used Buchbinder tend to go more towards the negative side of the spectrum, though most car rental companies receive many negative reviews, it seems to be more consistent with Buchbinder.
However, if you are renting for a very short period in Germany, and you happen to find a very good offer with Buchbinder, you might still want to give the company an opportunity.
If you decide to go with them, do take good photos of the car during pick-up and drop-off, ask many questions and make sure to get insurance. By doing these, you should be on your way to having a great experience driving the autobahn.
Buchbinder customer ratings:
- ✔️ Good cleanliness of the car
- ✔️ Good service at the rental desk
- ✔️ Quick pick-up process
- ✔️ Quick drop-off process
- ✔️ Good overall value for money
#9 – Keddy (7.8/10) 🔝
Keddy Car Rental is a low-cost car rental brand owned by Europcar.
Keddy customer ratings:
- ✔️ Good cleanliness of the car
- ✔️ Good service at the rental desk
- ✔️ Quick pick-up process
- ✔️ Quick drop-off process
- ✔️ Good overall value for money
#10 – Thrifty (7.6/10) 🔝
Thrifty Car Rental is a low-cost car rental brand owned by Hertz.
Thrifty customer ratings:
- ✔️ Good cleanliness of the car
- ✔️ Good service at the rental desk
- ✔️ Quick pick-up process
- ✔️ Quick drop-off process
- ✔️ Good overall value for money
We hope you liked this article. Now you can continue reading our article about the differences between Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Payless, Sixt, Thrifty, Dollar, Alamo, National and more, or use our search engine below to book your car.
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