Most of the times there are around 15-30 different suppliers at a single airport. Each of them has different rental conditions and even the same companies can have different deals for the same car class. More often than not you will have hidden fees when choosing the lowest priced offers. So how do we evaluate which deal in the end is the cheapest one? Below we explain how to compare car rental offers by reviews, price, deposit conditions and car categories.
Written by Simas Krasaitis, founder of Autorentwiz and former head of car rental at ADCRent.
Where to book a rental car with a discount
Autorentwiz is a discount car rental booking site: you book the same rental companies for less than booking direct, and car rental experts who once worked behind the rental desk help you choose for free. We can give the discount because our booking partner pays us a commission, and we give part of it back to you.
- Book online yourself: our search shows all the companies at your pick-up location, and the discount is applied automatically.
- Free consultation by car rental experts on Messenger: send us your dates, card and landing time, and we pick the offers that fit. The discount is the same as with the search button.
- Help before, during and after the rental: if something goes wrong at the desk, message us and we help sort it out.
How much does it cost to rent a car in Italy?
In our searches, the cheapest rental car in Italy cost about 5 to 31 EUR a day, depending on the month. Extras such as full coverage, a young driver fee or a one-way fee come on top.
November and December were the cheapest months, at around 5 to 6 EUR a day. August was the most expensive, at around 31 EUR a day. Paying with a debit card raised the price in every month. Method: on 3 October 2026 we searched 7-day rentals for each of the next 12 months at Alghero, Catania and Bari and averaged the cheapest daily price. Prices change daily, and in the off season they are often lower close to the date.
The price for a whole week follows the same pattern. For 10-17 March 2027, the cheapest car cost from 91.96 EUR at Bari to 110.91 EUR at Bergamo. For 11-18 August 2027, it cost from 157.06 EUR at Bari to 309.01 EUR at Alghero. So August cost 1.5 to 3 times as much as March. At Bari and Bergamo, the cheapest March offer that accepted a debit card cost about twice as much: 193.92 and 213.95 EUR. We searched these weeks on 1 October 2026 for a driver aged 30-65.
On 1 November 2026 we compared three prices for the same car for one late-November week, 23-30 November 2026. It was a Locauto Peugeot 2008 automatic or similar, with no deposit. Through our search it cost from 119.77 EUR (for example at Alghero, Olbia, Cagliari, Pisa and Bari) to 167.82 EUR at Milan Linate. On Locauto’s own website, paid in advance, it cost 140.31 to 191.82 EUR, and paying at the Locauto desk it cost 155.90 to 213.13 EUR. In this check, our search was cheaper than both Locauto prices at each airport. All results are on our Why Autorentwiz page.
What costs extra
- Full coverage. Basic collision damage cover (CDW) and theft protection are included, but you still pay the excess if the car is damaged or stolen. Full coverage bought online with your booking usually costs 2-4 times less than the insurance sold at the desk.
- Debit card. Paying with a debit card raised the price in every month we searched. Our guide to car rental in Italy with a debit card lists the companies that accept one.
- Young driver fee. Most companies set the minimum age between 21 and 23 and often charge a young driver fee under 25.
- One-way fee. Returning the car at another location costs from nothing to over 100 EUR extra.
- Fuel option. Offers come with a full-to-full or same-to-same fuel policy. With full-to-full, the desk may offer you a paid full-tank option.
- ZTL fines. Every car that enters a limited traffic zone (ZTL) without a permit gets a camera fine of 83 to 332 EUR. The rental company adds its handling fee, and the fine reaches you months later. Our guide to fines and extra charges after a rental in Italy covers this fee and everything else that can reach your card after the trip.
- Deposit. The deposit is blocked on your card, not charged. It is released after you return the car, usually within a week and at the latest within 30 days.
Our car rental in Italy guide explains insurance and the excess in detail, and on Messenger we help you choose an offer for free.
Most important car rental supplier factors
Customers typically give the cheapest car rental companies the worst ratings, and we recommend you avoid them. Their business model revolves around extra charges and enormous full insurance costs if you do not meet their very specific requirements. On the other hand, there are usually 4-6 companies with amazing review scores. However, they are usually far more expensive than your average company on the market. We made a quick guide on how to select a good offer without overpaying for premium brands.
Reviews and ratings in general
Usually you will see a rating box like this
You can further expand the ratings to see how well the rental company performs in specific areas
Our advice is to pay attention to the following factors:
1) Agent helpfulness: if any problems occur during the pick-up, the rental car agent is your best friend to get you through the issues. This is also an indicator of how hard the rental company will try to sell you their premium insurance and how they will treat you if you refuse it.
2) Car condition: any car breakages during holidays are a big nuisance and a huge time waste. Make sure to pay attention at this rating.
3) Pick-up speed: this can be a tricky one, because queues depends on seasonality and sales. We recommend checking if the selected company has best prices over different car categories in order to get an idea of how busy it will be during your pick-up times.
We find other rating factors easily solvable and less impactful. For example, if ‘ease of finding’ scores poorly, you should check the company’s location on Google Maps or their website for instructions. If that information is not available, a quick phone call or an email can answer your questions.
Autorentwiz tip: Sometimes it is worth checking out car rental companies with lesser ratings. Prioritize companies where Agent Helpfulness, Car Condition, and Pick-up Speed exceed 8, and aim for scores above 8.5.
Price
Make sure to compare final price of the offers. After you select your car rental destination, pick up and drop off times you will see a list of offers and their prices. Different insurance rates apply to each offer, and only selecting the offer reveals the true price. Frequently, people fall for lower prices, only to pay more due to hidden fees at the counter. Make sure to message us if you would like us to give you a second opinion on the offer.
Autorentwiz highly recommends booking through our discount link. The platform we work with looks after its suppliers and customers, and happy suppliers mean happy customers! You will also find full coverage there, which we advise adding to your booking. Full coverage directly from a rental company is usually 2-4 times more expensive.
Disclosure: I (Simas, founder of Autorentwiz) worked with Discovercars as a car rental supplier with ADCRent. They have been the most fantastic partner out of all the platforms we were working with. Autorentwiz earns a small commission at no additional cost to you if you book via our affiliate link. I also encourage messaging us to get advice or a personal offer tailored to your needs. We are always happy to consult you regarding any car rental questions.
Deposit conditions
Some car rental deals can come with zero deposit offers and some might have a deposit of 2000 EUR or USD. Also, in most cases rental companies accept only a credit card in the name of the main driver in the confirmation email. The card must be issued by a bank and it must be a Visa, Mastercard or AMEX card. It cannot be stored on your phone as it must go into a card reader for the rental company to authorise the deposit. To see which companies accept a debit card in Italy, read our car rental Italy guide.
You can use debit cards at some car rental companies, but always verify the rental conditions for their requirements.
In most cases the final price of such deal will be much higher than other alternatives. For Italy, our guide to car rental in Italy with a debit card lists which companies accept a debit card at each airport, and our Sicily deposit comparison shows the deposits at Palermo, Catania and Trapani side by side.
Car categories
Usually you will see this order Mini -> Economy -> Compact -> Intermediate -> Standard -> Full-Size when it comes to choosing a car. The prices will also increase in this order, however, sometimes you can have great deals on Economy or Compact car classes which end up costing less than a Mini car. We advice you to not limit yourself to one category, but expand your categories and see if you can grab a discounted deal for a higher class car than you initially intended to get.
Before you pick up the car, also read our 5 tips for a flawless car rental pick-up.
Are you interested in getting an offer from Autorentwiz? Message us here to start a chat with one of our car rental experts.
Frequently asked questions
Rarely. The cheapest companies usually have the worst reviews, and their model relies on extra charges and expensive full insurance sold at pick-up. Compare the final price you see after choosing an offer, not the price in the list.
Staff helpfulness, car condition and pick-up speed. Look for companies scoring above 8 in all three, ideally above 8.5.
Usually 15 to 30. Typically 4 to 6 of them have excellent ratings but are clearly more expensive than the market average. The trick is finding a good company without paying extra for a premium brand.
Yes. A deposit of zero to as much as 2000 EUR is blocked on your card for the whole rental. On a debit card that is real money from your account, so a company with a low deposit can work out cheaper in practice than a cheaper offer with a high deposit.
Not always. Classes go from Mini through Economy and Compact to Full-Size, but an economy or compact car sometimes costs less than a Mini. Check several categories rather than just one.
In advance. Full insurance bought directly from the rental company is usually 2 to 4 times more expensive than the same cover bought ahead.
Yes. Locauto accepts a debit card with no deposit, only a symbolic 0,01 EUR authorisation at pick-up, and Alamo, Maggiore, Sixt and Centauro accept debit cards too. The card must be a physical Visa or Mastercard in the main driver’s name, and some debit card offers require the rental company’s own insurance at the desk, so check the offer’s terms or message us.
Yes. Pay the deposit with a debit card, or choose a no-deposit offer: Automania needs no card at all at Palermo, Catania, Trapani, Naples, Bari and Pisa. Tell us which card you have and we only send offers that accept it.
Yes, at most Italian airports we cover. Locauto asks for no deposit, only a symbolic 0,01 EUR authorisation on your card at pick-up, and it accepts debit cards. Automania also offers rentals with no deposit at Palermo, Catania, Trapani, Naples, Bari and Pisa.
In our searches, the cheapest rental car in Italy cost about 5 to 31 EUR a day, depending on the month. November and December were the cheapest and August the most expensive. For example, at Bari a week from 10 to 17 March 2027 cost from 91.96 EUR, and 11-18 August 2027 cost from 157.06 EUR. Prices change daily, so check the price for your own dates.
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Sveiki, noriu paprašyti pagalbos su auto nuoma Bario oro uoste 2024-04-26/05-03 (atvykstame 9,35 val /išvykstame 10,25 val).
Keliaujame 3 suaugę ir 1 vaikas (6m). Reikia automobilio su vaikišku sėdynės paaukštinimu (ne kėdutės). Domina ekonomiškas variantas (ne elektrinis auto) su pilnu draudimu (CA ir KASKO), nuline frančize ir minimaliu užstatu. Mielai pasinaudosime Jūsų tarpininkavimo paslaugomis.
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Laba diena, ar galima automobilį išsinuomuoti ir grąžinti Trevizo oro uoste?
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Sveiki,
Domina automobilis laikotarpiu nuo 2026-09-06 iki 2026-09-15. Pasiimtume Bario mieste, ten pat ir grazintume. Domina ekonominis variantas, du suaugę.
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