RVs are gaining in popularity, especially renting RVs for a road trip holiday. Why settle for a holiday in one place when you can travel across the company on the wide-open road. Because of the freedom and adventure an RVing road trip offers, people are renting them out for a change of pace. But, how much does it cost to rent an RV for a week?
On average for a week’s rental of a class C RV that sleeps at least 4 people, you will be looking at a price average of $2,365. This is for a collection and return at the same place and during August (peak season), so this is at the higher end of the scale.
To help you find the best rental prices I have compared the prices of the biggest RV rental companies in the US. All quotes are based on pickup and dropoff in Seattle, and rental days August 7th to August 14th 2021. All for class C campers that sleep a minimum of 4 people.
Review of RV Rental Companies
Cruise America
Cruise America is an employee-owned company based in Mesa, AZ. It was founded in 1972 by Floridian Robert Smalley, since then it has grown and is now the largest RV rental firm in the USA with 132 locations and 300 employees.
RV Rental – Standard Class C motorhome, sleeps 5, generator, gas cooktop, refrigerator, microwave, toilet, shower, outside storage space: 51ft3/1.44m3.
RV rental weekly cost – $1,638.00
Insurance and fees – $759.93 – this includes supplemental liability insurance, Zero damage plan, environment fee, state tax, and rental tax.
Extras – $350 – for kitchen kit and personal kit (bedding).
Total including extras – $2,747.93
Total with no extras – $2,397.93
Notes – This includes 700 miles extra miles are charged at $0.35 per mile. You will also have to pay a $500 deposit, this is repayable at the end of the trip. Also if the RV has a generator the vehicle generator hours are charged at $3.50 per hour.
Outdoorsy
Outdoorsy was founded in 2014, and is a peer-to-peer marketplace connecting RV owners with RV renters. It doesn’t have a standard fleet of RVs, so every RV you rent from here will be slightly different.
Like you would on Airbnb, read the reviews from previous renters before you go ahead and rent an RV from this site as every experience will be different.
RV Rental – 2018 Dynamax REV, 24ft, sleeps 6, Includes Main Bedding, Sleeping Bags & Compact Pillows, Quick Dry Towels, Kitchenware, Cookware, Kitchenware, Dinnerware, Hot Water Maker, Toaster, Coffee Maker, Coffee Press, Coffee Grinder, Rice & Oatmeal Cooker, Personal Blender, Ice Maker, Waffle Maker, Grill and Panini Press, Air Fryer, Stove Top Griddle, Outside Table & Chairs.
RV rental weekly cost – $1,925.00
Insurance and fees – $996.98 – this includes insurance, state and local tax, cleaning fee, and service fee.
Extras – N/A everything is included in the price above.
Total – $2,921.98
Notes – This includes 125 miles per day, extra miles are charged at $0.79 per mile 126 to 200 over 200 miles are charged at $0.99. You will also have to pay a $1,500 deposit, this is repayable at the end of the trip. The RV has a generator which the first 3 hours per day are free, hours after are charged at $3.50 per hour.
RV Share
RV Share was founded in 2012, and is the world’s first and largest peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace. There are more than 60,000 RVs for rent on the platform, spanning across the US.
Make sure that you check the previous reviews of the RV before you commit to renting it, as every RV and owner will have their own terms and conditions.
RV Rental – 2020 Coachmen RV Coachmen Prism 2150, sleeps 5, generator, gas cooktop, refrigerator, microwave, stove, toilet, shower, and slide out.
RV rental weekly cost – $1,599.00
Insurance and fees – $681 – this includes insurance, state and local tax, cleaning fee, and service fee.
Extras – N/A everything is included in the price above.
Total – $2,280.00
Notes – This includes 100 miles per day, extra miles are charged at $0.49 per mile. You will also have to pay a $500 deposit, this is repayable at the end of the trip. The RV has a generator which the first 3 hours per day are free, hours after are charged at $3.00 per hour.
Road Bear
Road Bear has been in the RV rental business for more than 30 years. They have 7 locations across the US, and pride themselves on having the most modern fleet of RVs available.
RV Rental – A compact Class C motorhome, sleeps 5, generator, gas cooktop, refrigerator, microwave, stove, toilet, and shower.
RV rental weekly cost – $1,750.00
Insurance and fees – $413.65 – this includes insurance, damage liability and preparation fee.
Extras – $300 – for convenience kits these contain the kitchen equipment, dishes, cups, glasses, silverware, bedding, linens, towels etc. The convenience kit includes a generic GPS system with North American maps. Kits are charged once per rental and per person. Children up to 6 years of age are free when purchasing convenience kits for all other travelers.
Total including extras – $2,163.25
Total with no extras – $1,863.25
Notes – Mileage is charged at $0.45 per mile, you can prepay for mileage which can work out slightly cheaper.
How Much Does It Cost To Rent An RV For A Week?
From the above companies the prices for weekly hire of a class c RV ranged from $1,863 to $2,922. This might seem surprisingly high.
However if you think about the cost of flights, car rental, and hotel fees it’s substantially cheaper to rent an RV for a week. Also remember that I have received these quotes for the peak season so if you opt to rent an RV out of season the prices will come down significantly.
If you are unsure as to which kind of RV type will suit you best I have written an article about RV types that will help you understand the differences and pick the one that will suit you best.
Hidden Fees to Watch For When Renting an RV
Life is never as simple as it should be, the same can be said for renting RVs. The cost per night is rarely the actual cost per night. These are the fees that can be hidden and you need to keep an eye out for when pricing your trip.
Mileage
Mileage included or not included was different with every RV I looked at, some had a free limit per day and miles were charged if you went over that and others charged per mile as soon as you drove off the drive.
If you have your trip planned out, work out the rough mileage and add that into the cost for the RV. Some RVs charged as high as $0.99 per mile where others had 700 miles per day free.
Insurance
Check what insurance is included with the rental and how much it is, some charged a fee per week and others per night.
Check if you will be covered by the insurance policy for the RV, and what happens if you do have an accident or damage the RV. You might even be covered on your own policy or via a credit card.
Amenities Included
Check what amenities are included and how much extra they will cost. You will want to make sure that you have bedding, camping equipment and kitchen utensils. Whether you bring your own or pay extra for them.
Generator
Most RV rentals will come with a generator, but will charge per hour for the usage of it. Some of the RVs I found had 3 hours free per day and then charged per hour, others had a charge per hour from the start.
If you are going to a campsite with an electricity hook up then this is not too important, but if you are boondocking you’ll need to factor this cost in.
Propane
Rvs use propane to power appliances when there is no electricity hookup. You can fill up the propane tanks at the gas station and it is fairly cheap, however you’ll still want to factor this in as a cost.
Deposit
You will usually be asked for a deposit incase of damage, this varies from $500 to $1,500. Make sure you know how much it is as you’ll have to pay this before your trip and will be refunded when you return the RV in good condition.
Final Thoughts
The average cost to rent an RV for a week is about $2,365, this is for a class C RV in high season. Prices will vary depending on the RV type, location and season.
It’s always best to have a budget in mind when planning your trip and sticking to it, otherwise the extra add ons can all mount up.
