Contents
A quick look at the best RV rental options reveal Outdoorsy and RV Share. Today, it’s perfectly acceptable to rent out an RV using a peer-to-peer marketplace. The only question is, which RV platform is better, RV Share or Outdoorsy?
Both have claimed that they’re the best platforming when it comes RV renting. Outdoorsy says that they’re the “Largest & Most Trusted” in the world, while RV Share says that they’re the “World’s Largest & First”.
Which platform is better for motor homeowners? Which one is better for renters? Is there one that has the best of both worlds? Let’s check out what each one has to offer in the most important aspects.
What Do They Have To Offer?
Let’s take a look at what both Outdoorsy and RVShare have in common. These include roadside assistance, deductibles, liability coverage and comprehensive and collision. Both RV renting platform also have notable differences regarding coverage of insurance and roadside assistance.
What’s more, one-way, delivery and pet inclusion are all available options for the renter. Renters can also have their trips and motor home rentals cut short or extended, but this should come to an agreement between the RV owner and the renter.
Interested RV owners and renters can take to the RVShare or Outdoorsy website and view the available RV listings in their respective areas. This can be done for free. Both give you more savings and value as compared to going the traditional corporate RV rental route. All in all, both are great platforms for those who are looking to rent RVs and those looking to make extra cash with their owned motor homes.
RVShare.com offers RVs for rent from dealerships and private owners. It’s an online rental marketplace specifically made for renting out RVs of all makes and models. Both owners and renters can sign up for free and create their own listings, which fall into 4 categories- Class A, B, C and Travel Trailer. Expandable Trailers are subdivided into Truck Camper, Fifth Wheel, Toy Hauler, Pop Up Camper and Wheelchair Accessible.
Each confirmed booking on RV Share comes with 24/7 roadside assistance and travel concierge services. There’s no extra charge for them as long as you confirm it on the site.
Roadside Assistance includes the following emergency services:
Free Towing – A call to the RVShare support team enables renters access to the nearest qualified towing company in their current location. The representatives of the roadside assistance service are all qualified RV experts and will help renters every step of the way.
Tire Service – The Roadside Assistance team provides free tire services anywhere in the United States. This includes re-inflation of flat tires and tire replacements plus an inflated spare.
These are great bonuses as they give both renter and owner peace of mind whenever the motorhome is out on the road. You can call RV Share support or Roadside Assistance directly via the number listed on the website.
RV Share rental insurance is provided to trailer owners free of charge. Other owner and renter privileges include no startup fees, no membership costs and renewals. The owner just has to list his or her RV online at RVShare.com and avail of the built-in rental insurance.
Insurance costs are covered by the renter. The deductible for booking is set at $1,500 on a per-occurrence basis and is default payable from the renter’s security deposit. Insurance starts the moment the booking is confirmed and when the renter signs the agreement. Reservations start within 30 days of the official start date.
What Rental Insurance Covers
Reservations with the RVShare.com Rental Insurance give the owners $500,000 of coverage in liability, plus comprehensive and collision for their RV’s value (not exceeding $200,000). The owner of the RV may opt to upgrade to a higher coverage for a nominal fee, which extends the liability coverage up to $1M. For RVs that are 15 years and older and are valued at $200,000 or less are automatically enrolled in liability coverage regardless of whether they’re travel trailers or motorhomes.
Keep in mind that this covers Acts of God instances as well.
RV Share Pros
- You can browse through real listings without having to drive to the nearest dealership or speak with a salesman.
- RV Share has an optional $1M insurance option if they choose to upgrade from the standard policy automatically given by the RV renting platform.
- There’s a cash back program if you’re planning on renting RVs occasionally.
- Renters automatically get a $10,000 peace of mind guarantee if they book the RV via the Share Payment System.
RV Share Cons
- RV availability, especially models and certain types will be limited when you search in remote cities.
- Response time leaves a lot to be desired. This isn’t RVShare’s fault as the owner is responsible for answering any queries they might receive. These owners may have changed their mind about having their RVs rented and forgot to remove the listing from the website.
Outdoorsy Overview
Outdoorsy provides RV rental services in a peer-to-peer marketplace setting as well. There are several rig types ranging from Class A to Class C and everything in between- Truck Campers, Vintage and Stationary Trailers, Park Models, Non-Mobile Destination Campers, Fifth Wheels, Pop Ups and Towing Vehicles.
RV owners get 80 percent of the whole reservation costs and any add-ons such as generator fees and extra mileage. For an idea of the numbers involved, you can check out the listing calculator on their website.
Outdoorsy keeps the 10% of total reservation costs for on-demand insurance purposes and for roadside assistance services. Renters are given several secure partnerships throughout their booking with Outdoorsy.
One edge Outdoorsy has over RVShare is that it offers greater coverage at a lower price. Renters are also subject to a comprehensive background check and a motor history before they can book an RV. Outdoorsy also provides GPS tracking options so the owner knows the location of his or her RV at all times.
Once the RV is handed to the renter the $250,000 comprehensive and collision policy and $1M liability begins. There’s no need to pay extra for this, nor would renters have to sign up an endless number of forms or speak with an insurance agent. More often than not the renter won’t need to make any changes regarding coverage or their own policy, which means you spend less time going through the paperwork and more time for your R and R. Make sure you pass the DMV screening which is submitted online and viewable after 24 hours upon submission.
Keep in mind that personal items aren’t covered in the policy. Personal belongings and convenience items are part of the RV, so renters will have to take care of the coffee maker, toaster, and any add-ons. Missing items will get deducted from the security deposit after the booking is completed.
Coach Net Roadside Assistance
Once the renters have made their choice and the RV becomes booked they go through roadside assistance add-ons provided by Coach Net. When you do opt in, a membership ID is sent within 24 hours via email. In addition, the Vacation Care Plan can be availed of at a price of $15 per day. This includes Coach Net’s Tech Advantage and Technical Support. Technicians who are ASE and RVDA/RVIA certified will be on standby to help you should you encounter trouble. The Service Appointment Assistance expedite repairs, road services and appointments at any pre-qualified service station.
Outdoorsy offers Premier RV Service Network, the largest emergency roadside assistance in Canada and the US has more than 400,000 repair facilities and service providers scattered across the nation.
You get the following conveniences for Emergency Road Service- Lockout Locksmith, Mobile Mechanic, a Jump-Start Battery Boost, Changing of Flat Tires or RV Towing to the Nearest Facility, Emergency Fluid Delivery, Winching and Towing and RV Concierge.
Outdoorsy Pros
- Outdoorsy has a functional website that works great and is pleasing to the eye.
- Paperwork is easier if you do your listings and bookings in Outdoorsy. All the work and money transfers are done by the RV renting platform, which means less fuss and more time spent planning your next adventure.
- Includes optional setup and RV delivery for better convenience.
- Interested RV buyers can use the peer to peer platform to get a feel for the right RV for their needs and before they fully commit to such a large investment.
Outdoorsy Cons
- Not all RVs are pet-friendly. Make sure to check descriptions or send a message to the RV owner.
- RV owners get added mileage along with wear and tear. However, you’re paid for it and any extras.
Once the reservation is accepted the renter gets charged the full amount of the booking. Outdoorsy holds the funds and releases them to the owner after a 24-hour window. RV owners can then wait for 3 to 5 business days for the payment to appear on their bank accounts.
Booking online at the RVShare site gives you the $10,000 guarantee for peace of mind. Owners get the payout for their rentals released at the 1st business day once the reservation is complete. For reservations that took place on Fridays and Weekends, the funds won’t be released until Monday.
Cancellation Policies
Outdoorsy allows the owners to choose from 3 standardized cancellation policies, namely the Strict, Moderate and Flexible, to ensure that both renters and owners are protected.
With RV Share, there are 6 policies owners can choose from- Forgiving, Flexible, Standard, Strict, Very Strict, Most Strict. The cancellation policy applies when the renter initiates it, or when the owner gives notice for it which presents the renter with a full refund.
Final Words
Both these peer-to-peer RV rental services are great for renters and owners looking to rent out their RVs for some extra cash. After reading our in-depth comparison, we hope that you can make the best decision for your situation. Either way you can’t go wrong with these two options.
Every company looks good when comparing their claims of products and services. Here’s what I would consider when comparing these two companies. Why? Your family vacation experience depends on it. You don’t want to be one of those families who had an RV, “Ruined Vacation” vacation :
1. Google reviews (the world’s ‘largest’ or ‘most trusted’ anything should have hundreds, if not thousands of good reviews).
2. YELP Reviews
3. BBB (Better Business Bureau) reviews
4. Glass Door (employee reviews of company)
5. How easy can I reach the company itself if there is a problem or I need a refund? Try to contact them before renting. Why, because so many reviews complain about not being able to reach them.
6. How many newer RVs list with them? An RV that is more than 4 years old is considered ‘older’ in RV life, and 4 years is definitely ‘old’ in RV rental life. You can sort their inventory by age to see about how old their average fleet is in your area.
7. How much experience do the owners of the RVs you are considering have, in case you need their help? Just because they own an RV does not mean they maintain it or know much about it.
My RVs are listed with both websites, there are several discrepancies on this article which perhaps should be edited to be more accurate.
To begin with, both companies Roadside Assistance is NOT available wherever and whenever as claimed, the facts are “Service may be available” if a service provider happens to be available in the area and has the capability to service an RV, more often then not there is a 3-5 hr wait time if someone is available. This has nothing to do with the rental companies but more with the providers.
RVShare will charge between 15%-25% commission on total reservation cost (minus taxes) depending on how many units do we list in their site.
Outdoorsy charges 20% commission to us owners regardless of how many units we have. The only way they will charge less commision is if you join a whole different software program, the details for this program are unknown to me.
RVShare insurance protection for both owners and renters is by far better with subtancial greater benefits for all involved. They provide coverage for everything inside or outside the unit, acts of God, etc. with a deductible of $1,500.00 regardless.
Outdoorsy insurance do NOT provide coverage for anything inside the RV, mechanical, etc Anyone interested should search “What is not Covered” by their insurance provider. The deductible is between $1,500 – $3,500.00 as reported by several RV Owners.
RVShare website is by far superior for user friendly, search filter options, you can find documents very easy, and the renter has the capability to sign their Rental Agreement electronically and both renter and RV Owner can send and receive attachments.
Outdoorsy website does not allow agreements to be signed electronically nor anything can be sent as an attachment. Their search filters are not functional and you will find units or your unit will show at Cities extremely far from current location. As an RV Owner you will get notifications that a customer has requested a quote from us but that is far from reality.
Both companies pay on time and accurately.
One is more popular over the other depending on the City and State they are located. Canadian residents reported struggling with several issues. I’m not familiar with Canada.
Outdoorsy allows older units to be listed in their site, RVShare does not.
None of them has an app yet, everything has to be done on line.
Neither company allows RVs to be taken to Mexico.
Outdoorsy does driver license verification, RVShare does not.
Thanks for the update Karla. I will be sure to update the article soon.