Selfdrive.ae
SelfDrive is a Dubai-based digital car rental and subscription platform operating 6,500+ vehicles across 10+ countries, serving tourists, UAE residents, expatriates, business travelers, and corporate clients via daily, monthly, lease, and rent-to-own plans through its app and AI-powered SIA booking assistant.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersDubai, United Arab Emirates
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Selfdrive.ae does
SelfDrive (legal entity: Selfdrive Mobility Technology FZCO) operates a fully digital car rental and subscription platform headquartered in Dubai CommerCity, UAE, serving 1.5 million+ cumulative customers across 10+ countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkey, the UK, and Singapore. The company runs a fleet of 6,500+ vehicles spanning economy hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs, luxury/exotic models, hybrid, and electric vehicles, and offers daily/weekly rentals, monthly subscriptions, long-term leases, rent-to-own, airport rentals, luxury rentals, and corporate subscriptions. Its primary functional pitch is replacing the friction and capital intensity of car ownership — and the paperwork of traditional rental — with app-based, flexible-duration access targeting UAE residents, expatriates, tourists, business travelers, and corporate clients.
The platform is built around a cloud-based digital mobility stack with iOS, Android, and PWA applications, integrated payment processing, and a proprietary AI-powered booking engine. SIA (SelfDrive Intelligence Assistant), commercially launched in November 2025, is positioned as the region's first multilingual conversational AI for car rentals, supporting 40+ languages and trained on 2.5 million+ user sessions; SelfDrive claims a 25% increase in AI-driven bookings since SIA's soft launch. The platform supports one-time documentation upload with reusable verification, integrates with Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Apple Pay, and is accessible via app, web, call, WhatsApp, and SIA chat.
Revenue is generated across multiple streams: per-day rentals (from AED 69), weekly rentals, monthly subscriptions (from AED 799, insurance and maintenance included), personal leases (12-36 months), rent-to-own (12-month programs with ownership transfer and no bank involvement), luxury and exotic rentals, corporate fleet subscriptions, and brand-specific OEM lease programs (Geely, Lynk & Co, Omoda, Jaecoo). The GTM motion is primarily product-led growth through digital channels and the SIA assistant, supplemented by enterprise field sales for corporate clients and exclusive-offer partnerships with nine brands including Noon, Mashreq, DEWA, IFZA, and OmanAir. The company employs 51-100 staff, operates regional offices in Doha, London, and India alongside Saudi Arabia operations in Riyadh and Jeddah, and is privately held with founder/management ownership.
Selfdrive.ae firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Selfdrive.ae
- Legal name
- Selfdrive Mobility Technology FZCO
- Website
- https://selfdrive.ae
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- SelfDrive is a Dubai-based digital car rental and subscription platform operating 6,500+ vehicles across 10+ countries, serving tourists, UAE residents, expatriates, business travelers, and corporate clients via daily, monthly, lease, and rent-to-own plans through its app and AI-powered SIA booking assistant.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Selfdrive.ae industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Car Rental and Mobility Subscription Services
- NAICS
- Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing (5321), Passenger Car Rental and Leasing (53211)
- SIC
- Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Self-Drive Car Rental (THADAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Luxury Sedan & Executive Car Rentals (THADAMAB), Premium / Luxury & Exotic Car Subscriptions (THADACAH)
Keywords
Where Selfdrive.ae is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dubai
- HQ country
- United Arab Emirates
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices7 records
Markets served
Selfdrive.ae business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Daily/Weekly Car Rentals: Short-term self-drive car rental services with flexible daily and weekly pricing. Customers pay per rental period with options ranging from economy to luxury vehicles.
- Monthly Car Subscription: Subscription-based car rental with monthly billing. Includes insurance and maintenance, offering flexibility without long-term commitment. Starting from AED 799-949/month.
- Car Lease (Personal/Micro Lease): Long-term lease options including 12, 24, and 36-month contracts. Includes full maintenance, comprehensive insurance, and flexible plans.
- Rent-to-Own: 12-month rental program where ownership transfers to customer upon successful completion of all payments. Monthly prepaid payments with additional charges for insurance excess, excess mileage, and non-rental costs.
- Corporate Subscription: Business car rental solutions with long-term lease options, maintenance, insurance, and 24/7 support for companies managing fleet requirements.
- Luxury & Exotic Car Rental: Premium car rental services featuring BMW, Mercedes, Range Rover, and other luxury brands for business events, special occasions, and premium travel.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Economy/Hatchback cars - Daily rental starting from AED 69/day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sedan cars - Daily rental starting from AED 99/day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SUV cars - Daily rental starting from AED 99/day |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Car Subscription - Starting from AED 799/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Subscription - AED 799/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Lease-to-Own - Starting from AED 949/month |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Summer Sale - AED 50 OFF daily and weekly rentals with code SUMSD |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Insurance Excess Fees |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Security Deposit |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Selfdrive.ae product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SelfDrive operates a fully digital car rental, subscription, and leasing platform, providing individuals and businesses with flexible access to a fleet of 6,500+ vehicles across daily, weekly, monthly, long-term lease, rent-to-own, and luxury/exotic categories. Customers browse, book, verify documents, and pay through the SelfDrive mobile app, website, or the SIA multilingual AI assistant, with insurance and maintenance included in most plans. Operations span 10+ countries including UAE, KSA, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkey, UK, and Singapore.
Product overview
Selfdrive.ae is the UAE's largest fully digital car subscription and rental platform offering a comprehensive suite of mobility services. The core platform is built around the AI-powered SIA (SelfDrive Intelligence Assistant) which serves as the primary booking interface. The product portfolio includes short-term rentals (daily/weekly), monthly car subscriptions, airport rentals, personal leasing, luxury/exotic car rentals, rent-to-own programs, and corporate fleet solutions. Exclusive brand-specific lease programs are available for Geely, Omoda, Jaecoo, and Lynk & Co vehicles. The platform operates across a fleet of over 6,500 vehicles including hybrid, electric, and pre-launch 2026 models, serving 1.5 million customers across more than 10 countries with operations spanning UAE, UK, KSA, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkey, and Singapore.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SIA (SelfDrive Intelligence Assistant): Region's first multilingual conversational AI for car rentals, supporting over 40 languages including English, Arabic, Hindi, and Mandarin. AI-powered booking engine trained on more than 2.5 million user sessions.
Products and services
- Daily/Weekly Car Rental Short-term self-drive car rental service allowing customers to rent vehicles by the day or week with flexible pickup and delivery options across UAE emirates. Targets tourists, business meetings, short trips, and everyday city travel with daily pricing starting from AED 69/day.
- Monthly Car Rental & Car Subscription Flexible monthly rental and subscription plans with no long-term commitment, affordable pricing starting from AED 799/month, and insurance and maintenance included. Serves UAE residents, expatriates, and visitors needing vehicles for extended stays.
- Airport Car Rental Car rental service with pickup and delivery at Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah airports enabling travelers to collect vehicles upon arrival or have them delivered to terminals.
- Car Lease (Personal Lease) Long-term leasing service for brand-new sedans, SUVs, and electric vehicles across UAE with full maintenance, comprehensive insurance, and flexible 12/24/36-month plans.
- Luxury & Exotic Car Rental Premium car rental service offering luxury vehicles including BMW, Mercedes, Range Rover, and other high-end brands for business events, special occasions, and executive travel in the UAE.
- Rent-to-Own Flexible rent-to-own program allowing customers to drive vehicles now and take ownership later after a 12-month term, with no bank involvement or credit checks required. Available across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Al Ain, Ajman, and Fujairah.
- Corporate Subscription Business car rental and fleet subscription solutions for companies offering long-term lease options, maintenance, insurance, and 24/7 support for efficient fleet management across UAE and Saudi Arabia.
- Geely Lease Program Exclusive leasing arrangement for Geely vehicles including Coolray, Emgrand, Cityray, Monjaro, and GX3 Pro models with fixed monthly rates and 0 KM mileage for 12-month contracts.
- Omoda Lease Program Exclusive leasing arrangement for Omoda vehicles with flexible subscription terms.
- Jaecoo Lease Program Exclusive leasing arrangement for Jaecoo vehicles with flexible subscription terms.
- Lynk & Co Lease Program Exclusive leasing arrangement for Lynk & Co 2026 models with flexible subscription terms.
Quantifiable outcome
- 25% increase in AI-driven bookings since SIA soft launch
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Selfdrive.ae
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Selfdrive.ae technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
Selfdrive.ae partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- NoonminorBrand exclusive offers partner - Noon customers can access special SelfDrive car rental deals and promotions through the partnership.
- MashreqminorBrand exclusive offers partner - Mashreq banking customers can access exclusive SelfDrive car rental promotions and deals.
- DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority)minorBrand exclusive offers partner - DEWA employees and customers can access special SelfDrive car rental offers.
- IFZA (Dubai Internet City)minorBrand exclusive offers partner - IFZA business ecosystem members can access exclusive SelfDrive mobility solutions.
- OmanAirminorBrand exclusive offers partner - OmanAir passengers and loyalty members can access SelfDrive car rental services.
- BotimminorBrand exclusive offers partner - Botim platform users can access special SelfDrive car rental deals.
- GEMS EducationminorBrand exclusive offers partner - GEMS Education staff and families can access SelfDrive car rental services.
- Dubai CommerCityminorBrand exclusive offers partner - Dubai CommerCity business community members can access SelfDrive car rental services.
- Westford University / Curtin University DubaiminorBrand exclusive offers partner - University students and staff can access SelfDrive car rental services with special rates.
- MastercardcorePayment integration partner - SelfDrive platform accepts Mastercard for secure payment processing including booking payments and security deposits.
- VisacorePayment integration partner - SelfDrive platform accepts Visa cards for secure payment processing including booking payments and security deposits.
- American ExpresscorePayment integration partner - SelfDrive platform accepts American Express for secure payment processing including booking payments and security deposits.
- Apple PaycorePayment integration partner - SelfDrive platform supports Apple Pay for convenient and secure mobile payments.
- GeelycoreExclusive vehicle partnership - Geely vehicles (Coolray, Emgrand, Cityray, Monjaro, GX3 Pro) offered through SelfDrive with fixed monthly rates and 0 KM mileage for 12-month contracts.
- Lynk & CominorExclusive vehicle partnership - Lynk & Co 2026 models available through SelfDrive lease programs.
- OmodaminorExclusive vehicle partnership - Omoda vehicles available through SelfDrive lease programs.
- JaecoominorExclusive vehicle partnership - Jaecoo vehicles available through SelfDrive lease programs.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Selfdrive.ae competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hertz: Global car rental incumbent operating across the UAE and GCC airports with traditional and digital rental offerings. Comparable to SelfDrive in core self-drive rental activity, though operating at much larger scale and as part of a global fleet network.
- Avis Budget Group: Global car rental incumbent with presence across UAE airports and major cities, offering daily, weekly and monthly rentals. Directly overlaps SelfDrive's traditional and subscription rental products, though with broader geographic scope and enterprise-grade fleet financing.
- Sixt: European-headquartered premium car rental and subscription platform expanding in the Middle East, including UAE. Comparable in offering premium and luxury rentals, subscription products, and digital booking, but at significantly larger global scale.
- Careem: UAE-headquartered super-app mobility platform (Uber-owned) offering ride-hailing, car rental and subscription services. Comparable as a regional mobility incumbent with overlapping car rental and subscription offerings, broader product portfolio, and significantly larger scale.
- Uber Carshare (formerly Car Next Door): Peer-to-peer car-sharing service operated by Uber in selected markets. Comparable on digitally-native rental platform model and ecosystem approach, though operates as a peer-to-peer marketplace rather than a fleet operator like SelfDrive.
Emerging players
- Getaround: Peer-to-peer car-sharing platform with digital booking and connected car technology. Comparable on app-based digital rental model and use of technology to streamline booking, though operates a marketplace model rather than owning a fleet.
- Kyte: US-based digital car rental and delivery platform offering app-based short-term rentals with airport delivery. Comparable on product-led, digitally-native rental experience and emphasis on convenience/delivery, though focused on the US market.
Direct peers
- Udrive: UAE-based car-sharing and subscription platform offering hourly and monthly self-drive rentals. Directly competes with SelfDrive in the Dubai/UAE digital car rental and subscription category with a similar app-led, fleet-based model.
- ekar: GCC-focused car subscription and short-term rental platform operating across UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other regional markets. Closely comparable to SelfDrive on subscription-first model, multi-country GCC footprint, and app-based booking.
Regional players
- Theeb Rent a Car: Saudi-headquartered car rental company with strong presence across KSA and expanding into other GCC markets. Comparable as a regional rental operator targeting corporate and individual customers, providing direct competitive context for SelfDrive's KSA expansion strategy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Selfdrive.ae social profiles
Digital presenceSelfdrive.ae financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Selfdrive.ae leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Selfdrive.ae funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Selfdrive.ae M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Selfdrive.ae
What does Selfdrive.ae do?
SelfDrive operates a fully digital car rental, subscription, and leasing platform, providing individuals and businesses with flexible access to a fleet of 6,500+ vehicles across daily, weekly, monthly, long-term lease, rent-to-own, and luxury/exotic categories. Customers browse, book, verify documents, and pay through the SelfDrive mobile app, website, or the SIA multilingual AI assistant, with insurance and maintenance included in most plans. Operations span 10+ countries including UAE, KSA, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkey, UK, and Singapore.
Is Selfdrive.ae a public or private company?
Selfdrive.ae is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Selfdrive.ae founded?
Selfdrive.ae was founded in 2017. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Selfdrive.ae based?
Selfdrive.ae is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East region.
How does Selfdrive.ae make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Daily/Weekly Car Rentals are the primary driver. The others are monthly Car Subscription, car Lease (Personal/Micro Lease), rent-to-Own, corporate Subscription and luxury & Exotic Car Rental.
Who are Selfdrive.ae's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hertz, Avis Budget Group, Sixt, Careem and Uber Carshare (formerly Car Next Door). Emerging players are Getaround and Kyte. Direct peers are Udrive and ekar. Theeb Rent a Car is listed as a regional player.
Does Selfdrive.ae have an API?
No public API is recorded for Selfdrive.ae.
What industry is Selfdrive.ae in?
Selfdrive.ae's product category is Car Rental and Mobility Subscription Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THADAAAF, Self-Drive Car Rental, with a secondary code of THADAMAB, Luxury Sedan & Executive Car Rentals. Its NAICS code is 5321 and its SIC code is 7510.