The car rental sector is a booming industry with immense growth potential. With the increasing trend of on-demand services, businesses are investing in car rental apps like Zipcar, which can be a lucrative business opportunity. As per my research, by 2024, the United States car rental market is anticipated to generate a revenue of US$30.44 billion.

The market volume is expected to reach US$32.45 billion by 2028, with an annual growth rate of 1.61% from 2024 to 2028. This data depicts that businesses can tap into a growing market by developing car rental apps in the coming years.

Quote: “It is not the destination, but the journey, that matters.” – T.S. Eliot

Are you looking to build a car rental app like Zipcar? If so, then read this blog without wasting your time. This will provide every detail you must have for developing a successful car rental app.

Quick summary: This blog will provide an in-depth process to create a car rental app like Zipcar, including its cost, key features, and incredible benefits. This will also cover app monetization techniques and the tech stack used for app development.

 

What is Zipcar- A Car Rental App

Zipcar is a car rental app that offers a flexible and convenient alternative to traditional car rental businesses. The app allows customers to reserve vehicles by day or hour, perfect for quick trips or weekend adventures. The service includes maintenance, insurance, and gas, providing a hassle-free experience.

The Zipcar mobile app is focused on car-sharing that supports environmental sustainability by reducing the number of privately owned vehicles and encouraging efficient resource use.

• Founded: January 2000 Cambridge, Massachusett
• Founder: Antje Danielson, Robin Chase
• Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts

 

Future Prediction of Car Rental App

• The global revenue in the car rental market is anticipated to exceed US$102.50 billion by 2024.
• Furthermore, the market volume is anticipated to reach US$116 billion by 2028, with an annual growth rate of 3.14% between 2024 and 2028.
• Further, it is anticipated that the number of users in this market will reach 0.64 billion by 2028.
• The user penetration rate is anticipated to be 7.3% in 2024 and 8.1% by 2028.
• The average revenue per user (ARPU) is anticipated to be US$181.

 

Revenue of the car rentals market worldwide from 2019 to 2028

(in a million U.S. dollars)

Source: Statista

• Between 2024 and 2028, the global revenue generated by the ‘Car Rentals’ segment of the shared mobility industry was anticipated to gradually expand by 13.5 billion United States dollars, representing an increase of 13.12 percent.
• Following the eighth year in a row of growth, the indicator is anticipated to reach 116 billion United States dollars in 2028, marking a new high point.

 

How Do Car Rental Apps Work?

Now that you know about the growing demand for car rental apps. Due to this immense popularity, most businesses have invested in car rental mobile app development. However, if you are thinking the same thing, you must first know how other apps like zipcar work. Here is an explanation to help you understand how the car rental applications works:

• To use a car rental app like Zipcar, users need to download it and create their account with a rental company.
• After logging in, users can browse for viable vehicles based on their preferred dates, locations, and times.
• The app offers various cars to choose from, allowing users to filter by feature size and price.
• Once the selection has been made, users can directly reserve the car through the application. Secure payment options are integrated for a hassle-free transaction.
• Car rental apps allow users to manage their existing rentals, change pick-up and drop-off details, or add features like GPS navigation.

 

Top 5 Car Rental Apps

Numerous apps similar to Zipcar on app stores are gaining huge popularity and practicality. If you have decided to build a car rental app like Zipcar, you must first examine the top car rental apps giant to understand its strengths and weaknesses. It will help you find solutions that boost the download speed of your app.

 

 

Car Rental Apps	Available Platforms	Ratings	Downloads
Bungii	Android |iOS	3.3	10M+
Hertz	Android |iOS	4.7	1M+
Uber	Android |iOS	4.5	50Cr+
Turo	Android |iOS	4.9	1Cr+
Gett	Android |iOS	4.6	1Cr+

 

1. Bungii

If anyone wants to shift or move big items, a truck rental app like Bungii connects them with trucks or drivers to help them haul stuff.

 

2. Gett

It’s another ride-sharing app. A taxi booking app like Gett offers similar features to Uber for getting rides.

 

3. Turo

Customers can rent cars directly from the local owner, often cheaper than traditional rentals. Car rental app like Turo are great for finding unique vehicles.

 

4. Uber

If users are looking for a ride, Uber gets them a driver quickly. The car sharing app like uber also delivers food with Uber Eats.

 

5. Hertz

It’s one of the top car sharing apps like zipcar. The Car rental app like Hertz rent cars across the world, with different locations and options.

 

 

Benefits of Developing the Car Rental Apps

In a mobile-driven era, a car rental app can be a game changer for your business. If you are not able to decide whether to develop a car rental app like Zipcar, look at the following benefits that give you a reason why you must invest in car rental software development.

 

 

• Increased Efficiency and Productivity
• Streamlined Operations and Reduced Costs
• Competitive Advantage
• Valuable Customer Data Insights
• Promoting Sustainability

 

1. Increased Efficiency and Productivity

Zipcar car share app provides real-time inventory management that gives a clear picture of vehicle availability. It enables businesses to better fleet utilization and also minimizes the risk of overbooking. Furthermore, features like GPS tracking help optimize vehicles, further boosting efficiency.

 

2. Streamlined Operations and Reduced Costs

Private car rentals apps are designed to automate tasks, reducing the need for staff interaction and manual paperwork. Its features like digital ID verifiable, e-contracts, and automated booking confirmation save time and resources, allowing the business to focus on other strategic activities.

 

3. Competitive Advantage

In today’s crowded car rental market, it’s very challenging to survive. However, you can set yourself apart with a feature-rich and user-friendly app. With RV rental app development, you can offer a convenient and seamless rental experience, attracting more customers and gaining a competitive edge.

 

4. Valuable Customer Data Insights

Apps like Zipcar NYC collect valuable data on users’ behavior, preferences, and rental platforms. Businesses can then use this data to better understand their user base and provide their offerings accordingly. Hence, this helps businesses develop targeted marketing campaigns and optimize pricing strategies.

 

5. Promoting Sustainability

With a door to door car services app, you can encourage eco-conscious choices by highlighting hybrid or fuel-efficient vehicles. Moreover, it can facilitate carpooling options that promote a sharing economy and reduce overall business emissions. Hence, it also contributes to improving your business image.

When we wanted to hire car rental app developers to bring our dream to life, we found Dev Technosys. Their experience and commitment to mobile app development have streamlined our process, improved efficiency, and delivered high-quality results. So, we highly recommend this company to anyone looking for an innovative or reliable car rental app.

-Will Johnson

 

Key Steps to Build a Car Rental App Like Zipcar

The private car rental app development is an exciting journey. However, it also becomes overwhelming at the same time. If anyone is not familiar with this. So, if you know how to build a car rental app like Zipcar, that’s good. And if you are not familiar with this, here is a step-by-step mobile app development process that you must consider:

 

 

• Conduct Market Research
• Choose the Right Platform
• Craft an Intuitive UI/UX
• Develop the App
• Testing and Quality Assurance
• Launching and Marketing
• Provide Continuous Support and Upgrades

 

1. Conduct Market Research

If you build a car rental app like Zipcar, market research must be your priority. This is because such businesses thrive in and around tourist cities and locations. Hence, identify your target audience, what they need, and how you can meet their ever-evolving demands.

Also, consider how your competitors operate their business and what new they offer to attract customers. It will help you in an on demand car rentals app development accordingly.

 

2. Choose the Right Platform

Now, you must decide which platform you are developing a car rental application for. You can select between a native or cross-platform app. It all depends on your requirements and budget. Native car rental apps are designed for one platform, Android or iOS, offering a seamless user experience with optimal performance.

However, if you want to build a car rental app like Zipcar then go with cross-platform, the apps are built with frameworks like Flutter and Native and can be used on different platforms using a single codebase, saving time and effort.

 

3. Craft an Intuitive UI/UX

Let’s come to the most important phase, where you must stay careful when designing your app. User interface (UI) and user experience (UX) are critical. What if your target audience can easily browse cars, book rentals, and navigate their journey? Well, you can make this possible by creating a clean and user-friendly interface that is visually appealing and easy to use.

For this, you can get help from an iPhone or Android app development company and ensure that features like in-app communication, real-time availability, and many more are included.

 

4. Develop the App

The car or airport car rental app development requires a decision- outsourcing to a development team, in-house development, or using a code development platform. If you want in-house development, you must have the ability to develop an app. It also gives you all control over the work.

On the other hand, if you go with outsourcing development, you have to hire dedicated developers, which can be costly; however, they offer quality work. At last, low-code platforms offer an affordable and quick option, but you might have limitations on complex features

 

5. Testing and Quality Assurance

Once you have developed a Zipcar car rental app, ensure there is no problem with this app and that it is ready to use. For this, with the help of a taxi app development company, you must conduct different testing such as unit testing, user acceptance testing, functional testing, and many more, ensuring everything works smoothly.

Pay special attention to the app’s security for users’ data protection. Additionally, collect feedback from the developers and refine the app accordingly.

 

6. Launching and Marketing

Once you are confident in your app, launch it strategically. However, with your app released, it’s time to attract more and more users. For this, you need to build a marketing strategy that can target the identified audiences.

For a successful car ride sharing app development, you are advised to offer referral programs to incentivize every adapter. You can also use social media marketing and partner with local businesses and influencers to reach a large audience.

 

7. Provide Continuous Support and Upgrades

Remember that developing a thriving car rental app is an ongoing journey. After the app launch, you must provide exceptional customer support through chat, email, and a well-marinated FAQs section.

Also, collect user feedback through reviews and surveys so that you can identify the areas for improvements and implement updates accordingly with new features, security improvements, and bug fixes. Hence, keep your app functional and competitive for the long run.

 

Must-have Features of a Car Rental App

Now that you have learned about the car sharing app development process, you have to learn more. If you want to develop a successful car rental app, you must know its significant and unique features. That’s why we are here to help you understand what features you must consider for your car rental app. Look at the following tables:

• Customer Panel
• Driver Panel
• Admin Panel

 

 

1. Customer Panel

Features	Description
Search and Filter Vehicles	Build a car rental app like Zipcar that lets users easily find cars based on their preferred type, features, and price.
Real-time Availability and Pricing	Ensure your app displays an accurate car availability and updates pricing based on selected dates  and add-ons (child seat, insurance)
Integrated GPS Navigation	This Zipcar car mobile app feature assists users in reaching pick-up locations and navigating to their destinations.
Secure in-App Payment	Create an app like Zipcar that allows secure payment value integrated wallets or credit cards for a smooth booking experience.
Review and Rating System	Ensure that your app allows users to rate and review their rental experience, helping others make informed decisions.

 

2. Driver Panel

Features	Description
Respond to the Request	Enable drivers to check all the details of booking requests and approve or reject them based on availability.
Messaging System	Build a car rental app like Zipcar that allows drivers to communicate with customers regarding pickups and other information.
Trip Details	The best car rental apps let’s drivers check the information regarding location, journey time, and routes with limited traffic.
Navigation	With this feature, drivers can get in the right direction regarding their route to reach customers’ locations quickly without getting confused.
Earning and Payment History	This feature provides a clear breakdown of earnings per trip and access to payment history.

 

3. Admin Panel

Features	Description
Real-time Tracking	Build a car rental app like Zipcar that allows users to track the location of rental vehicles for operational and security purposes.
Manage Users and Bookings	With this feature, users can view, manage, and edit driver and customer information, booking, and cancellations, if any.
Pricing and Promotion	Admin sets pricing strategies, manages discounts, and creates promotional offers for rentals.
Analytics and Reporting	Zipcar android app enables the admin to generate reports on rentals, user behavior, revenue, and other key metrics to optimize operations.
Customer Support Tools	Hire a mobile app development company to insert this feature so that the admin can manage customer requests and inquiries through an integrated messaging system.

 

 

Cost to Build a Car Rental App Like Zipcar

No doubt, developing a car rental app is a wise investment decision. However, you must first know the cost of such p2p car sharing app development. If you are also searching for mobile app development costs, it will be between $8500 and $27000. Moreover, do you know about factors influencing the overall app development cost?

Well, the app’s design, features, functionalities, and development team are some of the factors that significantly influence the cost. Additionally, the app’s complexity affects the cost to launch a car rental app like Zipcar, as mentioned in the table below:

 

Car Rental App Development	Estimated Cost	Time Frame
Simple Car Rental App Development	$8500 – $15000	3 to 6 Months
Medium-Complex Car Rental App Development	$15000 – $22000	6 to 9 Months
High-Complex Car Rental App Development	$27000+	10+ Months

 

If you want to know more about the cost to build a car rental app like Zipcar, it would be better for you to consult an Android or iPhone app development company for better knowledge.

 

Market Trend in the Car Rental Industry

As you know, the car rental industry is witnessing a boom. Therefore, new trends are changing the industry rapidly. If you are curious to know about these trends, have a look at the following points:

 

 

• Gamification
• Virtual Reality
• Artificial Intelligence
• Digitalization and Mobile Apps
• Personalization and Customization

 

1. Gamification

This trend has made the rental experience more engaging for customers. You must also explore ways to gamify the rental experience so that more and more customers can be motivated and engaged.

 

2. Virtual Reality

VR helps customers preview vehicles so that they can make informed decisions. Customers can experience a vehicle’s exterior and interior features in a realistic virtual environment, helping businesses increase sales.

 

3. Artificial Intelligence

On demand car sharing app development using AI helps businesses analyze customer data to make personalized recommendations. Hence, businesses can increase their sales and build strong customer relationships.

 

4. Digitalization and Mobile Apps

As you know, convenience is king. Hence, car rental businesses prioritize user-friendly mobile applications for reservation, in-app payment, contactless pick-up and drop-off, and digital rentals.

 

5. Personalization and Customization

Nowadays, customers want choices. As a result, car rental businesses have started offering various vehicles, flexible rental options (weekly, daily, or hourly), and loyalty programs with personalized rewards.

 

Tech Stack for Car Rental App Development

Behind every successful mobile application is even greater tech. Businesses need technology for infrastructure and operations to survive today’s severe competition. So, if you are not aware of the tech stack used in on demand app development, here is a list you must consider:

 

Component	Technologies
Frontend	React Native, Flutter, Swift, Kotlin
Backend	Node.js,  Java (Spring Boot) Python (Django/Flask),
API Integration	GraphQL, RESTful APIs, SOAP
Database	SQLite, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Firebase
Analytics	Google Analytics, Firebase Analytics
Authentication	OAuth, JWT
Push Notifications	Apple Push Notification Service, Firebase Cloud Messaging
Version Control	Git, GitHub, Bitbucket
Deployment	Apple App Store, Google Play Store, TestFlight, Firebase App Distribution

 

 

Wrapping Up!

With this blog, you may understand how investing in car rental mobile app development can be a game-changer for your business. If you also want to capitalize on the increasing demand for on-demand transportation services, with the right technology, you can change the way how customers rent cars.

It will set you apart from the old rental business.  By offering an efficient, convenient, and seamless user experience, your car rental application can be a market leader and help you generate revenue streams.

So, why are you delaying? Just grab the opportunity with budget car rental app development.  If you need any help, you can easily contact a  Door to Door car service app development company. You can consider Dev Technosys, a well-known app development company that delivers a fully customized and functional car rental app solution.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How Much Does It Cost To Build A Car Pool App?

Based on different factors, the cost to build a car pool app would be between $8500 and $27000. However, the Zipcar app development cost can exceed your expectations if you want to use latest technology or advanced features for your app.

 

2. How Long Does It Take to Build a Car Rental App Like Zipcar?

If you make a car rental app like Zipcar, it takes around 3 to 7 months. However, if you have so many special requirements for your mobile application, the time can go up to 1 year.

 

3. How Can I Monetize My Car Rental App?

As per the Zipcar app development company, to monetize your car rental app, you can adopt the following techniques:

• Commission-based
• In-app purchase
• Freemium model
• In-app advertising
• Subscription model

 

4. What Mistakes A Car-Sharing App Founder Must Avoid?

If you build a car rental app like Zipcar, you must avoid the following mistakes:

• Lack of permission
• Lack-of customer-centric approach
• Lack of sufficient budget for development
• Lack of market and competitor analysis
• Lack of proper strategy for electric and field-powered fleet proportions.