What Thrifty does

Thrifty Car and Van Rental is a UK-based vehicle rental company founded in 1971 and headquartered in Exeter, operating 88 nationwide locations across airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds) and regional centers. The company offers a full-spectrum rental portfolio: short-term daily car and van hire, the FlexiFleet long-term subscription rental program (1+ month commitments with mileage allowances and BIK/CO2 banding), the FlexiConnect connected pool car solution with smartphone keyless entry and telematics, prestige and luxury vehicle hire, commercial van rentals, and adapted vehicles for accessibility. Its primary customer segment is corporate and business accounts, which account for over 95% of bookings, with individual leisure and commercial van customers as secondary segments.

The underlying technology consists of the proprietary THOR online reservations portal (with dual-level authorization, PO format recognition, company policy display, and real-time management reporting) and the FlexiConnect telematics/keyless platform. Thrifty holds no public API, no consumer mobile app, and discloses no AI/ML capabilities; integrations are limited to standard OEM fleet sourcing relationships (BMW, Ford, Hyundai).

The business model is hybrid: transaction-fee revenue from short-term daily rentals (economy to Elite tiers with damage liability deposits ranging £1,000 to £5,000) layered with subscription-style recurring revenue from FlexiFleet monthly rentals and FlexiConnect 12-month pool car contracts. Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer online booking with sales-led corporate account management. Thrifty operates as a UK subsidiary of Hertz Global Holdings (NASDAQ: HTZ) via Scot Group Ltd, which also owns the Switch Car Rental brand, providing brand-portfolio backing and parent-level capital without external venture funding.

Name

Thrifty

Legal name

Thrifty Car and Van Rental

Website

https://thrifty.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Thrifty Car and Van Rental is a UK vehicle rental company operating 88 nationwide locations, offering short-term car and van hire, FlexiFleet long-term rentals, and FlexiConnect connected pool cars, primarily serving business and corporate customers as a Hertz Global Holdings subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vehicle Rental Services

NAICS

Passenger Car Rental (532111), Passenger Car Rental and Leasing (53211), Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing (5321)

SIC

Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)

akta.pro primary industry

Long-Term Car Rental (Monthly/Extended Hire) (TLABAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Sedan & Executive Car Rentals (THADAMAB), Corporate Car Sharing (Round-Trip/Station-Based) (TLABALAA), Long-Term / Fixed-Term Car Subscriptions (6–36 months) (THADACAD)

Keywords

• Car rental services
• Van rental services
• Corporate fleet solutions
• Long-term vehicle hire
• UK vehicle rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Exeter

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Short-term Vehicle Rentals: Daily rental of cars and vans with mileage limits, insurance included in pricing, and damage liability varying by vehicle category
2. Long-term Fleet Rentals (FlexiFleet): Monthly rentals for 1 month+ with mileage allowances, CO2 and P11d value banding for BIK management, without insurance included
3. Corporate/Business Fleet Solutions: Fleet vehicle rentals with dedicated account management, bulk vehicle requirements, pre-contract and lead-in requirements service, with FlexiConnect pool car management
4. Prestige and Luxury Vehicle Hire: Premium vehicle rentals including BMW, Range Rover, Volvo with higher damage liability deposits and age requirements (30+)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Thrifty Car and Van Rental is a UK-focused vehicle rental company operating 88 nationwide locations, offering daily car and van rentals (including prestige, 4x4, and adapted vehicles), long-term FlexiFleet monthly rentals, and corporate fleet services. For business customers the company provides the THOR online reservations portal with dual authorization and real-time reporting, the FlexiConnect connected pool car solution with keyless entry and telematics, and dedicated account managers supporting fleet management, EV transition, and bulk vehicle deployments.

Product overview

Thrifty Car and Van Rental operates as a UK-focused car and van hire company offering short-term daily rentals and long-term flexible rental solutions through its FlexiFleet program. The product portfolio includes economy vehicles (Ford Fiesta), intermediate models (Ford Puma), full-size vehicles (Hyundai Tucson), luxury sedans (BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series), premium 4x4s (Volvo XC60, BMW X5, Range Rover Sport), and commercial vans (Citroen Berlingo, Transit Custom, Ford Transit 350). For business customers, Thrifty provides corporate account services through THOR (online booking portal) and FlexiConnect (connected pool car solution with keyless entry via smartphone app). The company also offers prestige car hire, adapted vehicle hire for disabled customers, and operates 88+ nationwide UK locations with online booking capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FlexiFleet: Long-term car hire program allowing monthly commitments with generous mileage allowances
• FlexiConnect
• THOR

Products and services

• Short Term Rental Daily car and van hire from 88 UK locations with options across vehicle categories, available through online booking.
• FlexiFleet Long-Term Rental Monthly vehicle rental with a 1+ month minimum commitment, mileage limits, CO2 and P11d value banding for BIK management, without insurance included. Targets businesses and individuals needing flexible longer-term rentals.
• Car Hire Standard car rental across multiple vehicle categories including economy, compact, intermediate, and full-size vehicles such as Ford Fiesta, Ford Puma, and Hyundai Tucson.
• Van Rental Commercial vehicle rental including compact vans, short wheelbase vans, and long wheelbase vans (Ford Transit Custom, Ford Transit 350) for business and personal use.
• Prestige and Luxury Car Hire Premium and luxury vehicle rental featuring BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, Volvo XC60, BMW X5, and Range Rover Sport, targeting customers seeking high-end vehicles.
• 4x4 Vehicle Range Four-wheel-drive vehicle rental including Land Rovers, Range Rovers, Volvos, Volvo XC60, and BMW X5 for off-road and premium SUV requirements.
• Business Accounts (Corporate Fleet) Corporate fleet rental services with dedicated account management, priority vehicle availability, bulk vehicle requirements handling, and management information reporting for business customers.
• FlexiConnect Connected Pool Cars Connected pool car solution with keyless entry and ignition managed via smartphone app, RFID card access so a company ID badge acts as a car key, telematics and reporting capabilities, and EV transition support on a 12-month commitment basis.
• Adapted Vehicle Hire Specialist vehicle rental for customers with accessibility requirements, providing adapted vehicles for disabled drivers and passengers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, primary and core.

• UNICEF UKminorOthers · 14 March 2022Thrifty donated £100,000 to UNICEF UK in March 2022 to support children affected by the Ukraine crisis. This continues a legacy of charitable fundraising.
• Hertz Global HoldingsprimaryOthersThrifty is owned by Hertz Global Holdings, a major global car rental company. The brand operates as part of the Hertz portfolio of brands.
• Scot Group LtdcoreOthersThrifty UK (thrifty.co.uk) is operated by Scot Group Ltd, which also owns Switch Car Rental brand. The company offers options to receive information from brands within Scot Group Ltd.
• My Name'5 Doddie FoundationminorOthersThrifty donates £1 from every retail rental to the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation which funds research into Motor Neurone Disease treatments and provides grants to MND patients.
• HospiscareminorOthersThrifty donates £1 from every retail rental to Hospiscare which provides specialist care to patients and families with life-limiting illnesses across Exeter, Mid and East Devon.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Enterprise Flex-E-Rent: UK commercial and specialist vehicle flexible rental arm targeting business fleets, directly comparable to Thrifty's flexible van and FlexiFleet propositions.
• Avis Budget Group: Global rental brand offering daily and long-term car/van hire and corporate accounts across UK airports and cities, a direct competitor in the same category.
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Global car and van rental operator with an extensive UK branch network serving both leisure and corporate/replacement customers, directly competing with Thrifty across the same segments.
• Northgate Vehicle Hire: UK flexible commercial vehicle and van rental specialist focused on business fleets, overlapping strongly with Thrifty's FlexiFleet and van rental corporate offering.
• Sixt: Rental company with premium and prestige fleet focus and UK corporate mobility services, competing directly with Thrifty's luxury hire and business rental lines.
• Europcar: Major car and van rental brand with UK airport and city locations offering short- and long-term hire and business accounts, mirroring Thrifty's core offering.

Others

• Zenith: UK fleet leasing and vehicle management provider serving corporate clients; adjacent to Thrifty's corporate fleet solutions but focused on leasing rather than short-term rental.

Emerging players

• Zipcar: Car sharing operator with app-based keyless access, comparable to Thrifty's FlexiConnect connected pool car solution for corporate and urban mobility use.

Broad incumbents

• Hertz: Thrifty's parent brand and a global rental incumbent operating a wider portfolio; competes in the same category while providing scale and fleet procurement backing.

Regional players

• Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental: UK-based car and van rental operator offering short- and long-term hire from a national branch network, closely comparable to Thrifty's domestic model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thrifty_uk
• Facebookfacebook.com/Thrifty-Car-and-Van-Rental-UK-1077645139044463

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Thrifty