San Francisco

Cheap Car Rentals in San Francisco from $49

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 San Francisco with a pick-up date of 11/9 and drop-off date of 26/9. 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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San Francisco car rentals in 2025

Get helpful information to start your search for the perfect car hire in San Francisco. The average price data is based on the last 12 months and was last updated on 27 August 2025.

Most popular company

THRIFTY

Price of petrol per litre

$1.97

Average price per day

$81

Cheapest price per day

$49

Popular car types in San Francisco

Explore the most popular car models available for hire in San Francisco and choose the one that suits your needs. The price data is sourced from various car hire companies and was last updated on 27 August 2025.

There are 39 hire agencies servicing San Francisco. These agencies, altogether, have 96 hire locations available. Need an affordable hire? small car is the cheapest car type to hire in San Francisco with prices from $49 a day in the previous 7-day period. Here are 6 car types you can hire in San Francisco:

Economy

Economy

Compact

Compact

Intermediate

Intermediate

Standard

Standard

Full-size

Full-size

People mover

People mover

Full-size SUV

Full-size SUV

Luxury

Luxury

Compare car rental deals in San Francisco by type

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hyundai i30$49/day
4
M
A/C
Hyundai i30
Skoda Fabia$49/day
2
M
A/C
Skoda Fabia
Mitsubishi Mirage$55/day
2
5
M
A/C
Mitsubishi Mirage

Best car rental deals found in San Francisco

Browse through a selection of recently found affordable car hire deals in San Francisco. Plan your trip with ease and find the perfect hire option for your needs. There are currently 8 hire car agencies in San Francisco with an average daily rate of $63. Data was last updated on 27 August 2025.
Hyundai i30$49/day
4
M
A/C
Hyundai i30
Skoda Fabia$49/day
2
M
A/C
Skoda Fabia
Volkswagen Passat$50/day
5
M
A/C
Volkswagen Passat

Cheapflights insights for San Francisco car rentals

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

How far in advance should I hire a car in San Francisco?

For the best savings on car rentals in San Francisco, make your reservation 7 days before pickup. The average price then is just $79/day – about 43% less than the yearly average.

What is the cheapest car hire company in San Francisco?

Looking to hire a car in San Francisco? Dollar had the lowest prices in the past two weeks, starting at only $49.61/day. Thrifty also offers competitive rates, with deals beginning at $51.02/day.

What is the best car rental company in San Francisco?

Based on Cheapflights user feedback, the highest-rated car rental company in San Francisco is Sixt (rated 7.8/10 with 112 reviews). Budget (rated 7.4/10 with 125 reviews) is also highly rated by our users.

What is the cheapest month to hire a car in San Francisco?

The cheapest month to hire a car in San Francisco is January, when you can expect to pay $73/day on average. The most expensive month to hire a car in San Francisco is July ($109/day on average). The average daily car hire price for each month is shown below. Keep in mind that prices will vary based on availability, when you book, and the type of car you hire.

January

$73

February

$84

March

$89

April

$94

May

$97

June

$101

July

$109

August

$108

September

$96

October

$92

November

$80

December

$97

What car do most people hire in San Francisco?

The most popular types of cars to hire in San Francisco are the following: Intermediate cars (Acura TLX or similar), Full-size cars (Nissan Pathfinder or similar), and SUV cars (Hyundai Santa Fe or similar).

Which car hire company has the most locations in San Francisco?

Enterprise Rent-A-Car has 11 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. National has the second-highest number of locations in San Francisco at 7.

Top rental agencies in San Francisco

Explore the leading car hire agencies in San Francisco known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car hire companies in San Francisco. Reviews were last updated on 27 August 2025.

Sixt

7.8
Good
112 reviews6 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8.5

Comfort

8.4

Overall

7.8

Pick-up/drop-off

7.7

Value

7.7

Budget

7.4
Good
125 reviews6 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7.8

Comfort

8.0

Overall

7.3

Pick-up/drop-off

7.5

Value

7.0

Thrifty

5.2
Fair
189 reviews4 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6.7

Comfort

6.3

Overall

5.2

Pick-up/drop-off

5.2

Value

5.3

Dollar

5.0
Fair
116 reviews5 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6.7

Comfort

6.3

Overall

4.9

Pick-up/drop-off

5.1

Value

5.2

Alamo

8.8
Very Good
46 reviews4 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8.9

Comfort

8.9

Overall

8.8

Pick-up/drop-off

8.9

Value

8.3

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

8.2
Very Good
37 reviews11 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8.7

Comfort

8.2

Overall

8.3

Pick-up/drop-off

8.3

Value

8.2

Avis

6.8
Okay
50 reviews6 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7.6

Comfort

7.3

Overall

6.8

Pick-up/drop-off

6.8

Value

6.8

Hertz

6.2
Okay
91 reviews6 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7.6

Comfort

7.3

Overall

6.2

Pick-up/drop-off

6.2

Value

6.2

Car rental FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in San Francisco, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 27 August 2025.
  • What is the cheapest hire car found in San Francisco?

    In the past two weeks, Cheapflights users have found many deals under $81/day when booking a car hire in San Francisco. The absolute best deal a user found was for $55/day from Thrifty, booked on Aug. 24.

  • How much does it cost to hire a car in San Francisco for a week from Thrifty?

    From Thrifty you can hire a car in San Francisco from about $554 per week on average.

  • Can I rent a car for a month in San Francisco?

    Typically, how long you can rent a car for depends on the inventory of the supplier. For San Francisco however, it is certainly possible to rent a car for an entire month.

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

    You can potentially save up to 35% on a month-long rental by booking with Thrifty. Thrifty is the cheapest rental company available within the next few months. Renting a car in San Francisco can cost you on average $2,376 a month or $79 a day. For extended stays in a location, this option will usually save you the most.

  • How much is a car hire in San Francisco for a weekend?

    $0 is typically the average cost for a hire car for the weekend in San Francisco, though this could vary depending on the time of year. If you’re on a budget when travelling to San Francisco, then opt for a Compact hire vehicle - these tend to be the most affordable on weekends. In the month of September, you can expect to find car hire prices on Cheapflights for as low as $59/day.

Car rentals by fuel type in San Francisco

Browse car rentals by fuel type in San Francisco. Currently, Electric cars are the cheapest to rent in San Francisco. Deals were last updated on 27 August 2025.

Browse through car rental deals by fuel type in San Francisco. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Electric being the cheapest ($32+).

Electric

Electric

Hybrid

Hybrid

Petrol/Diesel

Petrol/Diesel

Travelling to a place near San Francisco?

Hire a car at San Francisco if you plan to visit one of these locations
Davis
Burlingame
Palo Alto
Mountain View
Woodland
Sunnyvale

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Airport car hires in San Francisco

Hire a car at one of these airports in the San Francisco area

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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