What Payless Car Rental does

Payless Car Rental, founded in 1971 in Spokane, Washington, is a discount vehicle rental brand and wholly-owned subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAR). The company operates approximately 120 rental locations across the United States, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East, and Oceania, including many major airports, and employs 501–1,000 people. Its corporate headquarters is located at 379 Interpace Parkway in Parsippany, New Jersey. Payless serves price-conscious leisure and business travelers through a hybrid operating model of corporately operated and franchisee-operated locations, supplemented by digital and partner channels.

The core offering is a per-rental vehicle rental transaction model (daily, weekly, monthly) augmented by an integrated set of add-on modules: the Payless Perks Club loyalty program, Extended Roadside Assistance, an e-Toll electronic payment program, protection plans (loss damage waiver, personal accident insurance, supplemental liability), and specialty programs for groups/conventions and small businesses. The technology stack is built on a web-based reservation platform protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise, with GDS integration for travel agents and corporate travel managers. Payless shares Avis Budget Group's QuickPass/Avis First biometric facial-comparison identity-verification system for contactless rentals. Marketing partnerships include AARP (5% discount plus free upgrade and additional driver for members), USAA, and Fuel Rewards.

Revenue is generated primarily through vehicle rental transactions on a per-rental basis, with pricing varying by location, date, vehicle class, and duration; the Pay Now prepay option offers customers up to approximately 20% savings versus counter rates. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer via website, phone (1-800-PAYLESS), and walk-ins at corporately operated and franchise locations, supplemented by partner referrals and GDS distribution. As a subsidiary, Payless does not publicly disclose standalone financial results, and its figures are consolidated within Avis Budget Group's financial statements.

Name

Payless Car Rental

Legal name

Payless Car Rental, Inc.

Website

https://paylesscar.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Payless Car Rental is a discount vehicle rental subsidiary of Avis Budget Group (NASDAQ: CAR) operating approximately 120 locations across the US, Canada, Europe, and other regions, serving price-conscious leisure and business travelers through daily, weekly, and monthly rentals, partner programs like AARP, and add-on protection and roadside services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Rental Transactions: Payless generates revenue primarily through vehicle rental transactions charged to customers on a per-rental basis. Pricing varies by location, date, vehicle type, and rental duration (daily, weekly, monthly). Additional charges apply for optional products such as Extended Roadside Assistance, insurance protections, GPS, and toll programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Payless Car Rental provides discount vehicle rentals on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis at approximately 120 airport and off-airport corporate and franchise locations across the US, Canada, Europe, and South America. Customers can reserve online, by phone, or via GDS channels, and add optional protection products such as Extended Roadside Assistance, loss damage waiver, supplemental liability, and the e-Toll electronic payment program.

Product overview

Payless Car Rental is a value-focused vehicle rental service operating as a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group. The company offers a single integrated rental platform with several complementary add-on modules: core car rental services (daily, weekly, monthly rentals), loyalty rewards through Payless Perks Club, protection products (roadside assistance, loss damage waiver, insurance), and specialty programs for groups, small businesses, and partner organizations (AARP, USAA). The platform also includes prepay discounts (Pay Now and Save), an e-Toll electronic payment module, and weekend upgrade promotions. The company operates approximately 120 corporate and franchise locations across the US, Canada, Europe, and South America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Payless Car Rental (Core Vehicle Rental Service) Daily, weekly, and monthly discount car rentals for price-conscious leisure and business travelers at approximately 120 airport and off-airport corporate and franchise locations across the US, Canada, Europe, and South America.
• Payless Perks Club Free loyalty rewards program allowing members to earn points on rentals, access exclusive deals, member-only discounts, free upgrades, and additional driver benefits.
• Payless Extended Roadside Assistance Optional daily-priced protection product providing 24/7 emergency roadside assistance including battery jumpstart, lockout service, flat tire service, fuel delivery, and towing or winch service.
• Payless e-Toll Program Electronic toll payment service enabling rental customers to use toll roads without carrying cash, with toll charges automatically billed to the rental agreement.
• Payless Protection Plans Vehicle protection products available for purchase with rentals, including loss damage waiver, personal accident insurance, and supplemental liability protection.
• Convention and Group Event Rentals Group rental program offering discounted rates for conventions, corporate events, and large group travel needs with dedicated support for event coordinators.
• Small Business Rental Program Discount program designed for small business travelers offering special rates on vehicle rentals for business purposes.
• AARP Member Benefits Program Partnership program offering AARP members a 5% discount on rentals in the US and Canada, plus free upgrades and free additional driver benefits.
• USAA Member Benefits Program Partnership program providing USAA members with special rental rates and benefits on Payless rentals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Save up to 20% with Pay Now prepay option vs counter rates
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AARPcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAARP partnership offers members 5% discount on car rentals in the U.S. and Canada, plus a free upgrade and free additional driver. This is a significant marketing partnership targeting the 50+ demographic through AARP's membership base.
• USAAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUSAA partnership providing member benefits to USAA members who rent from Payless. Logo displayed on website indicating partnership status.
• Fuel RewardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFuel Rewards partnership offering discounts or benefits related to fuel purchases with Payless rentals.
• Avis Budget Group, Inc.coreOthersPayless Car Rental is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAR), a leading global provider of vehicle rental services. Avis Budget Group provides corporate infrastructure, technology platforms, and brand umbrella.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Thrifty Car Rental: Thrifty is the value/discount car rental brand under Hertz Global Holdings, directly comparable to Payless as a sister value-tier brand within a major global rental group. Both target price-conscious leisure and business travelers at airport and off-airport locations.
• Dollar Car Rental: Dollar is also a value-positioned brand under Hertz Global Holdings and operates a similar airport-centric, franchise-hybrid model targeting budget-conscious travelers. Directly parallels Payless's market positioning and operating structure.
• Budget Rent a Car: Budget is the value brand within Avis Budget Group and a direct sibling to Payless under the same parent. It operates a larger, more established value-tier rental network serving airport and leisure customers with comparable product structure.
• Alamo Rent A Car: Alamo is Enterprise Holdings' value-positioned leisure brand focused on airport customers, closely comparable to Payless in customer segment and pricing tier. Direct head-to-head competitor at U.S. and international airport counters.

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Enterprise is the largest rental car company in North America by fleet and revenue, operating across value, mid-tier, and truck rental segments with an extensive off-airport branch network. Competes with Payless for price-conscious travelers, especially in local-city markets.
• Hertz: Hertz is a global premium rental car brand that increasingly competes on price for leisure travelers. Overlaps with Payless at airports and overlaps with Payless's value-oriented customer base when premium brands run promotional rates.
• Sixt Rent a Car: Sixt is a rapidly growing European-headquartered rental car operator with expanding North American presence, competing on price-value combinations. Comparable international footprint and overlap in airport and leisure customer segments.
• National Car Rental: National, owned by Enterprise Holdings, primarily serves business and premium leisure travelers from airports. Competes for adjacent airport demand and shares Avis Budget Group's distribution infrastructure comparison dynamics.

Emerging players

• Turo: Turo is a peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace that allows private vehicle owners to rent directly to consumers. Targets the same price-conscious leisure traveler with often-newer vehicles and flexible pickup, increasingly competing for Payless's core customer.

Regional players

• U-Save Car & Truck Rental: U-Save is a smaller franchise-based value rental brand focused on local and off-airport markets across the U.S. and select international regions. Comparable franchise-hybrid operating model and discount positioning, though smaller in scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/paylesscar
• Facebookfacebook.com/paylesscar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/payless-car-rental-system-inc-

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Payless Car Rental