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Thrifty car hire review

Which? has surveyed thousands of car hire customers to give you an independent, unbiased rating of Thrifty to compare it with 13 other car hire companies
Guy HobbsPrincipal researcher & writer

What is Thrifty?

Part of the Hertz group, low-cost provider Thrifty operates across the globe.

Which? verdict

Thrifty offers a fair service and price, just remember to take photos of scratches when you collect the car.

Visit thrifty.com

Thrifty customer ratings

If you want to see how Thrifty measures up against its rivals, read our best and worst car hire companies page.

Car hire companyWhich? Recommended Provider?Customer score
ThriftyNo65%

Customer score is based on a combination of overall satisfaction and how likely people are to recommend the company

What’s Thrifty like?

Thrifty is one of cheapest providers in our survey, with an average price of just £35 per day, but it only scored three stars out of five for value for money. 

It seems the low prices come at a cost: poor customer service. It received a two-star rating out of five. One customer told us that Thrifty staff at the airport were ‘uninterested’. Another claimed staff used ‘scare tactics’ to convince clients to purchase additional insurance cover.  

But Thrifty did receive four stars for the age, condition and mileage of its cars. A customer told us they thought ‘the choice of vehicles they have to offer is really good'. Several others agreed, saying they were ‘very happy’ with their rental. 

Should I book with Thrifty?

Thrifty is cheap, but that doesn’t make it good value – especially if you need to deal with its two-star customer service. You’ll find better budget options through a reputable broker such as Zest Car Rental