Short answer: an auto rental system is the software a rental agency uses to run each rental from quote to return: online booking, rates, availability, contracts, payments, fleet status and reports, all on one record. Car Rental Solutions starts at $69.95/month plus a one-time $197 setup fee, with a 14-day free trial and no credit card. Option A covers reservations. Contracts, e-signatures and fleet tools start with Option B at $99.95/month plus $297 setup.
What Is an Auto Rental System?
Some operators say auto rental system, others say car rental system or rental software. They mean the same thing. What matters is how much of the rental the product really covers, because some systems stop at the reservation and leave the contract, the fleet and the reports to other tools.
This guide follows one rental through the system, shows what each stage should do and which Car Rental Solutions plan covers it, then adds up the first-year cost. For a definition module by module, read what a car rental management system is. For the pricing models you will see across the market, read how much car rental software costs.
What an Auto Rental System Should Cover, Stage by Stage
Use this table as a checklist when you compare systems. The right column shows where each item sits in our own plans, so you can see what you get before you book a demo.
| Stage | What the system should do | In Car Rental Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Quote and booking | Give quotes by phone or at the counter, take bookings on any device, and keep pending and confirmed reservations in one list | Option A: quick quotes, mobile-friendly reservation form, pending and confirmed reservations |
| Rates and rules | Price by rental length, season, location and driver age, with coupons and blackout dates | Option A: rate chart with tier pricing, seasonal rates, underage driver fees, coupon codes, blackout dates |
| Customer emails | Notify the agency and the customer without anyone typing a message | Every plan: emails to the agency and the customer when a reservation is created, updated or cancelled |
| Payment | Take a payment or deposit at booking and add taxes and fees by location | Option A: online reservation payments. Also documented: deposits and pre-authorizations, taxes by location, custom charges |
| Availability | Show what is free right now and stop two customers from getting the same vehicle | Option B: real-time availability, unit locking on a reservation |
| Renter and license | Keep a profile for each renter and capture license details without retyping them | Option B: renter database with history, driver’s license scanner |
| Contract | Create the agreement from the reservation, get it signed and send a copy | Option B: rental contracts, e-signature agreements, contracts sent by email |
| Fleet | Track each unit’s status, see when service is due and block vehicles for maintenance | Option B: fleet status, fleet dashboards and utilization views |
| Reports | Show bookings, sales and how the fleet is used | Option A: reservation reports. Option B: 20+ sales and fleet reports |
| Website and growth | Take bookings on your own website, in your customers’ languages | Every plan: API access for any website and multiple domains. Reservation website in 2 languages on Option A, 3 on B, 6 on C. Option C adds a custom website, unlimited branches, locations, vehicles and users, and data export |
Plan details come from our pricing and plan comparison pages. Custom websites and extra reservation languages are available on request.
For a small agency, the line that matters most is the one between Option A and Option B. Option A is a reservation system. If you also want contracts, e-signatures, a renter database and fleet tools in the same place, you need Option B.
What an Auto Rental System Costs in the First Year
A fair comparison adds the setup fee to twelve months of subscription. Our plans are a flat monthly fee, with no charge per vehicle or per location, and we can tailor plans and pricing to your agency’s needs.
| Plan | Monthly | One-time setup | First year | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option A | $69.95 | $197 | $1,036.40 | One branch, two locations, 3 users, bilingual reservation website, API access |
| Option B | $99.95 | $297 | $1,496.40 | Two branches, four locations, up to 125 units, 5 users, e-signatures, reservation website in 3 languages, basic website |
| Option C | $179.95 | $397 | $2,556.40 | Unlimited branches, locations, vehicles and users, custom website, reservation website in 6 languages |
First year = 12 monthly payments plus setup. Example: $69.95 × 12 = $839.40, plus $197 = $1,036.40.
Because the fee is flat, the cost per car falls as the fleet grows. The fleets below are examples to show the arithmetic, not customer data.
| Example fleet | Plan | Monthly | Per car, per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 cars, one location, reservations only | Option A | $69.95 | $7.00 |
| 40 cars, two locations, digital contracts | Option B | $99.95 | $2.50 |
| 125 units, the Option B limit | Option B | $99.95 | $0.80 |
| 200 cars, three branches | Option C | $179.95 | $0.90 |
Monthly fee divided by number of cars, rounded to the nearest cent.
What to Budget Outside the System
No rental system covers everything. Check these items before you compare totals, because they stay on your budget whichever system you choose.
| Item | Why it is separate | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Payment processing | Your payment provider charges its own fees on transactions | Ask your provider for its rates |
| GPS trackers | Car Rental Solutions does not include tracking hardware or show vehicles on a map | Read what the software tracks and what GPS adds |
| Accounting | Your books, tax filings and payroll stay in your accounting tool | Read what belongs in each system |
| Insurance | Commercial cover comes from your insurer, not your software | Read our car rental insurance guide |
| Website hosting | Option C includes website design and hosting. If you keep your current site, its domain and hosting stay with your provider | Decide whether to keep your site or get a new one |
| Contract review | You set the wording of your rental agreement | Have your attorney review it |
From Trial to Live in Five Steps
Most agencies go live in about five days. The order below keeps the work simple, because each step feeds the next.
-
1
Start with your own numbers
Begin the 14-day free trial or book a demo and bring your locations, vehicle classes and current rates.
-
2
Set up locations and fleet
Add your locations, opening hours and vehicle classes, then your units.
-
3
Load rates and charges
Enter seasons, rental-length tiers, age groups, taxes by location and custom charges.
-
4
Connect your bookings
Use your reservation website, add the booking engine to your current site, or build on the API.
-
5
Test and go live
Make test reservations, check them in the control panel, then cancel them and open bookings to customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
An auto rental system is software that runs a rental agency's daily work in one place: quotes, online bookings, rates, availability, contracts, payments, fleet status and reports. It is also called a car rental system or car rental software.
Not always. A reservation system handles quotes, bookings and rates. A full auto rental system also covers contracts, renter records, fleet status and reports. In Car Rental Solutions, Option A is the reservation system, and Option B adds contracts, e-signatures, the renter database and fleet tools.
Car Rental Solutions costs $69.95/month plus a one-time $197 setup fee on Option A, which comes to $1,036.40 in the first year. Option B is $99.95/month plus $297 setup, or $1,496.40. Option C is $179.95/month plus $397 setup, or $2,556.40. We can also tailor plans and pricing to your agency's needs.
Not always, so ask before you buy. Car Rental Solutions tracks each vehicle's rental and service status, but it does not include GPS hardware or show vehicles on a map. If you need location tracking, you add a tracker from a GPS vendor and use that vendor's app.
Yes. The reservation system is API-based, so it works on a website hosted anywhere and on multiple domains under one account. Every plan includes API access.
With Car Rental Solutions, most agencies go live in about five days. You can test the system first with a 14-day free trial and no credit card.
