California

Cheap Car Rentals in California from $31

This price is the cheapest per day rate found by a Cheapflights user in the last 48 hours by searching for a car hire in California with a pick-up date of 10/9 and drop-off date of 17/9. Fares are subject to change and may not be available at all agencies or on all dates of hire. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
Driver's age: 26-65
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California car rentals in 2025

Get helpful information to start your search for the perfect car hire in California. The average price data is based on the last 12 months and was last updated on 31 August 2025.

Most popular company

Dollar

Most common car type

Standard

Average price per day

$70

Cheapest price per day

$31

Popular car types in California

Explore the most popular car models available for hire in California and choose the one that suits your needs. The price data is sourced from various car hire companies and was last updated on 31 August 2025.

There are, in total, 17,613 car hire locations in California that are operated by 359 companies. In the past week, small car is the cheapest car type users can hire (cheapest price last found: $31/day). Explore 6 car types currently offered from California hire providers:

Economy

Economy

Compact

Compact

Intermediate

Intermediate

Standard

Standard

Full-size

Full-size

People mover

People mover

Full-size SUV

Full-size SUV

Premium

Premium

Luxury

Luxury

Premium SUV

Premium SUV

Compact SUV

Compact SUV

Intermediate SUV

Intermediate SUV

Supplier choice

Supplier choice

Standard SUV

Standard SUV

Compare car rental deals in California by type

Here are the best California small car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best California medium car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best California large car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best California SUV hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best California van hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best California luxury car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Toyota C-HR$31/day
4
M
A/C
Toyota C-HR
Toyota Yaris$49/day
2
M
A/C
Toyota Yaris
Mitsubishi Mirage$50/day
2
5
M
A/C
Mitsubishi Mirage

Best car rental deals found in California

Browse through a selection of recently found affordable car hire deals in California. Plan your trip with ease and find the perfect hire option for your needs. There are currently 8 hire car agencies in California with an average daily rate of $69. Data was last updated on 31 August 2025.
Toyota C-HR$31/day
4
M
A/C
Toyota C-HR
Toyota Corolla$34/day
5
M
A/C
Toyota Corolla
Hyundai Accent$35/day
5
M
A/C
Hyundai Accent

Cheapflights insights for California car rentals

Get relevant, data-driven information to help you hire a car in California, including pricing trends, ideal booking times, and more.

How far in advance should I hire a car in California?

Book your rental car in California 7 days before your pickup date to maximise your savings. Car rental prices are around $70/day on average when booked 7 days ahead, which saves you 32% off the average price.

What is the cheapest car hire company in California?

Ace is currently the cheapest car hire company in California with deals as low as $42.34/day found in the past two weeks. Hertz is another inexpensive option with rates as low as $47.09/day.

What is the best car rental company in California?

Based on Cheapflights user feedback, the highest-rated car rental company in California is Budget (rated 6.3/10 with 1,137 reviews). Hertz (rated 6.1/10 with 1,237 reviews) is also highly rated by our users.

What is the cheapest month to hire a car in California?

Planning to hire a car in California? January is the cheapest month, costing about $74 per day. In contrast, July is the most expensive, with an average daily rate of $102. Monthly average car hire prices are listed below. Remember, prices can change based on when you book, the type of car, and availability.

January

$74

February

$75

March

$83

April

$87

May

$90

June

$94

July

$102

August

$98

September

$88

October

$90

November

$84

December

$95

What car do most people hire in California?

Intermediate cars (Toyota Camry, for example) are the most popular in California. SUV (Chevrolet Equinox) and Full-size (Toyota Camry) cars are also often chosen by our users when visiting California.

Which car hire company has the most locations in California?

Enterprise Rent-A-Car has 108 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. Hertz has the second-highest number of locations in California at 84.

Discover the price range for hiring a car in popular cities across California, helping you budget and make informed decisions for your upcoming travel. There are 399 pickup locations in California to choose from. Price data has been averaged over the last 12 months and was last updated on 31 August 2025.

Top rental agencies in California

Explore the leading car hire agencies in California known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car hire companies in California. Reviews were last updated on 31 August 2025.

Budget

6.3
Okay
1137 reviews57 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7.1

Comfort

7.1

Overall

6.3

Pick-up/drop-off

6.4

Value

6.4

Hertz

6.1
Okay
1237 reviews84 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6.9

Comfort

6.8

Overall

6.1

Pick-up/drop-off

6.1

Value

6.2

Alamo

8.5
Very Good
206 reviews14 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8.9

Comfort

8.8

Overall

8.5

Pick-up/drop-off

8.6

Value

8.2

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

7.5
Good
433 reviews108 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7.9

Comfort

7.8

Overall

7.5

Pick-up/drop-off

7.5

Value

7.5

Sixt

7.4
Good
337 reviews17 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8.0

Comfort

7.9

Overall

7.4

Pick-up/drop-off

7.4

Value

7.3

Avis

6.2
Okay
661 reviews57 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7.0

Comfort

7.0

Overall

6.2

Pick-up/drop-off

6.2

Value

6.4

Midway

6.2
Okay
487 reviews16 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7.1

Comfort

6.8

Overall

6.2

Pick-up/drop-off

5.8

Value

6.7

Dollar

5.6
Fair
540 reviews46 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6.9

Comfort

6.6

Overall

5.6

Pick-up/drop-off

5.6

Value

5.9

Car rental FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in California, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 31 August 2025.
  • What is the cheapest hire car found in California?

    In the past two weeks, Cheapflights users have found many deals under $67/day when booking a car hire in California. The absolute best deal a user found was for $56/day from Ace, booked on Aug. 24.

  • How much does it cost to hire a car in California for a week from Dollar?

    Dollar is one of the most popular car hire companies in California, offering car hire for around $1,233 per week on average.

  • Can I rent a car for a month in California?

    Yes, cars are available to be rented out for an entire month in California.

  • How much does it cost to rent a car in California for a month?

    The monthly cost of a car rental in California is $5,283 ($176/day) on average.

Car rentals by fuel type in California

Browse car rentals by fuel type in California. Currently, Hybrid cars are the cheapest to rent in California. Deals were last updated on 31 August 2025.

Browse through car rental deals by fuel type in California. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Hybrid being the cheapest ($31+).

Electric

Electric

Hybrid

Hybrid

Petrol/Diesel

Petrol/Diesel

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

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Best Car Hire Deals

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Free cancellation

Plans change — we get it. And that’s why you can search and book car hire on Cheapflights from agencies that offer free cancellation