Being a student in Boston means juggling tight budgets with big dreams. Between tuition, rent, groceries, and those ever-growing textbook costs, every penny seriously matters. So when you suddenly need a car, the idea of renting shouldn’t feel like a wallet punch. If you are wondering about the cheapest car rentals for students in Boston, this guide is made just for students like you, showing smart, practical ways to score cheap car rentals around the city. From knowing the right timing to finding student discounts and avoiding hidden fees, all details are essential before renting a car. Therefore, it’s all about helping you hit the road when you need to-without breaking the bank.
Top Car Rental Options for Students in Boston:
When searching for the cheapest car rentals, students should consider not only the daily rate but also additional fees, mileage limits, and age surcharges.
Zipcar:
Zipcar stands out as a highly student-friendly option, with a strong presence on university campuses. They offer flexible hourly or daily rates, which typically include gas, insurance, and maintenance.
Zipcar often has specific university programs, allowing students as young as 18 to join, bypassing the usual under-25 rental age restrictions that many traditional car rental companies impose.
Students join Zipcar through Boston University and snag up to $55 off your annual membership! Whether you’re a student, alum, or BU faculty/staff, there’s a discounted plan just for you.
Students and staff can join for just $35/year, while alumni get in at $55/year. Every membership includes free gas, secondary insurance, maintenance, and 24/7 roadside help-plus 180 miles per day (extra miles are $0.67 each).
Rates start at $10.50/hour or $91.25/day. Just make sure you’re eligible in terms of age (students should be 18+, others must be 21+) and have a school-issued email to verify. Real talk-rates may shift depending on demand, holidays, or age fees. But you’ll see the full cost before booking.
This makes Zipcar a convenient and often cost-effective choice for short-term rentals. You can find more details on their student-focused programs and pricing on the Zipcar website and their universities page.
Hertz Rent a Car:
Hertz is one of the big names in car rentals, and while they don’t have a blanket “student discount,” they do have some perks that can work in your favor.
If you are minimum 20 years of age, you may rent from several location of Hertz in the United States (some states even allow 18- or 19-year-olds). Moreover, if you’re under 25, there’s usually a young renter fee-about $25 a day.
Still, students can sometimes score deals through their school’s partnerships or other affiliated programs.
Some universities offer corporate codes or special rates that reduce or waive extra fees. It’s worth checking if your student email gets you access to any exclusive Hertz offers.
Before booking, swing by the Hertz website or their corporate shopping page to see if your college or organization is listed. With a little digging, you might land a better deal than expected!
Enterprise Rent-A-Car:
Enterprise Rent-A-Car is another popular company in the car rental world, and while they don’t shout about student discounts for all Boston students on their website, there are some special perks tucked away.
For example, students in the Boston University Los Angeles Program (BULA) get a pretty good deal-like waived young driver surcharges and specific discounts at certain Southern California locations.
But heads up: this is only for BULA participants, not for all BU students or Boston colleges in general. Enterprise’s age rules are pretty standard, similar to Hertz-they usually rent to anyone 21 and up, but expect an extra fee if you’re under 25.
While a general student discount was not found on their main Boston pages, it’s always worth checking with your specific university for any exclusive partnerships.
Budget Rent a Car:
Budget Rent a Car, part of the Avis Budget Group, has seven rental spots around Boston, including several downtown and a 24/7 setup at Logan Airport. There’s a free shuttle that runs from the airport to the Rental Car Center where Budget is located.
If you’re a student looking to rent, you’ll need to be at least 21 and if you’re under 25, there’s an extra fee about $30/day in Boston. A valid driver’s license is required, and you’ll also need a credit or debit card. Just a heads-up: using a debit card might lead to a credit check or extra ID requirements, plus they’ll likely put a $500 hold on your account.
The Budget doesn’t list rental prices until you start booking, but third-party sites like Kayak estimate economy cars at $37–$46/day and midsize options at $41–$44/day. SUVs go up to $86/day. No official student discounts are provided, but Budget does run promotions that can knock 30–35% off.
Payless Car Rental:
If you’re planning to rent a car in Boston and want something easy and budget-friendly, Payless Car Rental might be worth checking out. It’s part of the Avis Budget Group and has a main spot at 15 Transportation Way, just a quick shuttle ride from Boston Logan Airport.
The standard rental age is 25, but if you’re between 21-24, you can still rent certain car types like economy or compact models, though you’ll get hit with a $25/day underage fee. Heads up-this extra charge might not show up in the total when you book online.
You’ll need a valid U.S. driver’s license and a credit card or a debit card at select spots. If you’re using a debit card, you might need to go through a credit check or show an extra ID like a return ticket, utility bill, or passport. They’ll also place a hold on your card-up to $250 for credit or $300 for debit. Prepaid cards only work when you’re returning the car.
If you need to cancel your car booking, make sure you do it at least 48 hours before your scheduled pick-up. You’ll get your money back, minus a $50 processing fee. But if what you paid is less than $50, you won’t get anything back.
If you wait too long or skip the rental completely, you lose the full amount. However, if you come back early, Sadly, no refund for unused days.
When you want to cancel or change your booking, keep your reservation number handy, it’s a must. Just head to PaylessCar.com to cancel and request your refund directly through your reservation-it’s the only way it works.
North Shore Car Rental:
Looking for a no-fuss car rental? North Shore Car Rental has been around since 2002 and is a small, local business that’s all about making rentals simple and affordable. Whether you need a ride for a day, a week, or longer, they’ve got a clean and reliable fleet ready to go. They even deliver cars based on your location and offer Logan Airport pick-up/drop-off service-super convenient if you’re flying in or out. Plus, they’ve got vehicles for driving tests too!
If you are 21 or older, you’re good to rent. However, if you are under 25, you’ll need to call them-no automatic surcharge here. To rent, bring your valid driver’s license, full coverage insurance, and a credit card. If you are planning a long road trip or only have a debit card, make sure you call ahead.
Students interested in North Shore Car Rental would need to directly contact the company to confirm the total cost, including any potential surcharges or specific insurance requirements, to ensure it aligns with their budget and coverage.
What Are The Required Documentation?
Renting a car as a student isn’t always as simple as flashing your license and grabbing the keys. First off, you’ll need a valid driver’s license with a photo. But things can get tricky with payment. Most rental companies prefer major credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, or AmEx for deposits. Moreover many students only have debit cards, some places like Budget or Payless do accept them, but they usually dig a little deeper, think credit checks or extra ID like a passport, utility bill, or round-trip ticket.
So, it’s smart to plan ahead, bring extra documents, or look into other rental companies that are more student-friendly. A little prep goes a long way.
Smart Strategies for Students to Save on Car Rentals:
Besides picking the right company or other option, students can use a bunch of clever tricks to cut down their car rental costs in Boston even more.
- Comparison Shopping Across Platforms and Direct Bookings:
If you want the cheapest car rental, don’t just pick the first deal you see. You must compare prices on sites like Kayak and Priceline, then check the rental company’s own site-“Pay Now” deals can be cheaper but nonrefundable. Don’t assume budget brands are always cheapest, big names like Hertz or Enterprise sometimes beat them.
- Leveraging Student and Other Memberships:
To save on rental cars, using memberships you already have can really cut down costs. For example, AAA can waive underage fees (ages 20–24) with Hertz, which saves a lot. Costco often has better rental rates than travel sites and includes a free extra driver. USAA, AARP, and airline programs like AAdvantage also give discounts. Therefore, don’t skip checking your memberships before booking a rental!
- Choosing the Right Car Class (Economy):
Going with an economy or compact car is usually the smartest way to save cash. In Boston, for instance, Budget and Payless offer compact options that are about 15% cheaper than bigger cars. If you’re between 21 and 24, heads up, there might be limits on what you can rent. You’re generally looking at Economy, Compact, Intermediate, Standard, Full Size, and maybe a few vans or SUVs.
- Minimizing Additional Drivers:
If you want to skip those annoying extra driver fees, try to stick with just one driver if possible. That’s usually the easiest way to save a few bucks each day. But here’s a bonus: if you’re a member of Costco, AAA, USAA, or AARP, you might not have to pay extra at all, some rental companies waive the fee for folks with those memberships.
- Declining Unnecessary Add-ons:
Skip the extras they try to sell you-like GPS, satellite radio, or roadside help. Use your phone for directions (Google Maps or Waze work great) instead of paying $15+ a day. And if you already have roadside coverage, no need to double up.
- Understanding Fuel Options:
Don’t fall for the prepaid fuel trap unless you know you’ll bring the car back running on fumes. It’s usually cheaper to just fill it up yourself before dropping it off. That way, you skip the crazy high per-gallon fees and don’t end up paying for fuel you didn’t even use.
Conclusion:
It takes more than just choosing the cheapest daily rate if you are a student in Boston looking to rent a car without going over budget. Unexpected expenses can mount up quickly, particularly those pesky under-25 fees. Although popular companies like Budget or Payless can initially appear to be reasonably priced, young renter surcharges often double the cost. If you are below 21, Zipcar would be a great choice indeed.
Younger drivers are welcome, and a single membership price covers both gas and insurance. Remember to look at nearby locations like North Shore Car Rental; occasionally, they have more accommodating regulations for students. Compare the entire cost rather than just the advertised price. When you want to cut costs without sacrificing convenience, a little research goes a long way.
FAQs:
Most car rental companies set a minimum age requirement of 21. However, Zipcar offers a more flexible option, allowing students aged 18 and above to rent vehicles, particularly when they’re enrolled in affiliated university or campus-based programs.
Some companies offer student-friendly rates or university-specific deals. Zipcar often partners with colleges, while Hertz and Enterprise may honor school-affiliated discount codes. Always check with your university.
Yes, most companies add a “young renter” surcharge of around $25–$30/day for drivers under 25. Some programs waive this fee for eligible students, such as BULA participants with Enterprise.
Yes, but there may be extra conditions. Companies like Payless, debit cards are accepted for booking Economy, Compact, Intermediate, Standard, Full-size, Premium cars, SUVs, and Minivans.
However, policies may vary by location, so it’s essential to verify in advance. At pickup, your debit card will be charged for the rental cost plus a hold of up to $300. This hold is released upon vehicle return but may take up to 14 days to reflect in your account, depending on your bank. We are not liable for overdraft fees or returned checks. A credit check may also be conducted, possibly affecting your credit score. A credit card might be required if criteria aren’t met.
You’ll require a driver’s license, alongside a debit or a credit card and in some cases, an insurance proof. Some companies may also ask for student ID or a return travel ticket.
Zipcar is ideal for short-term rentals, offering hourly rates that include gas, insurance, and maintenance. It’s especially convenient for quick errands or weekend trips.
Yes, companies like North Shore Car Rental offer flexible, affordable options and may not impose harsh underage fees. It’s best to call ahead to confirm student-specific terms.