Zipcar
Zipcar operates the largest North American car-sharing network, offering hourly and daily on-demand vehicle rentals via a mobile app to urban consumers, university students, and corporate accounts across 500+ cities in the US and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Zipcar does
Zipcar, Inc., founded in 2000 by Robin Chase and Antje Danielson in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the largest car-sharing network in North America, operating hourly and daily on-demand vehicle rentals accessible via a mobile app (iOS and Android). The platform uses connected-vehicle telematics — on-board devices that monitor location, fuel/charge state, vehicle condition, and driver behavior — to enable remote lock/unlock, engine disable, and round-trip reservations from designated parking spots in neighborhoods, campuses, and airports. Identity verification at signup is performed through third-party facial recognition (Onfido). Zipcar serves three primary segments: individual urban consumers seeking an alternative to car ownership, university students and campuses via Zipcar for Universities, and corporate accounts via Zipcar for Business; an Uber Driver Program adds a ride-share income-generation use case.
Revenue is generated through a layered model: usage-based hourly and daily rates that include gas/charging, insurance, designated parking, and 200 km/day of mileage; recurring monthly ($9 in Canada) and annual ($90 in Canada) membership subscriptions; a non-refundable $25 application fee; and optional add-ons including Damage Fee Waivers and Supplemental Liability Insurance. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer through zipcar.com and the mobile app, with dedicated sales channels for university and corporate accounts. Zipcar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avis Budget Group (NASDAQ: CAR) following a 2013 acquisition for $500 million; in late 2025 and early 2026, Zipcar exited the UK market, closed its Boston headquarters, and consolidated operations into Avis Budget Group's Parsippany, NJ offices as part of a broader parent restructuring.
Zipcar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zipcar
- Legal name
- Zipcar, Inc.
- Website
- https://zipcar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Zipcar operates the largest North American car-sharing network, offering hourly and daily on-demand vehicle rentals via a mobile app to urban consumers, university students, and corporate accounts across 500+ cities in the US and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zipcar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Car Sharing Services
- NAICS
- Passenger Car Rental (532111), Passenger Car Rental and Leasing (53211)
- SIC
- Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Car Rental & Mobility Booking Platforms (Carshare/Rideshare/Micromobility) (THALAFAE)
Keywords
Where Zipcar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Zipcar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Hourly/Daily Car Rentals: Members reserve cars by the hour or day. Rates vary by vehicle type, location, and membership plan. Gas, insurance (standard damage protection), and 200km per day are included. Mileage overage charged at $0.50 per km. Young driver fees (under 25) apply per reservation.
- Monthly Membership Fees: $9/month (Canada) or equivalent monthly plan (US). Auto-renewed monthly via credit/debit card. Non-refundable. Provides access to member rates and reservation system.
- Annual Membership Fees: $90/year (Canada) or equivalent annual plan. Refundable within 30 days of membership approval if cancelled. Provides access to member rates and reservation system.
- Application Fee: One-time non-refundable $25 application fee charged when submitting a Zipcar membership application. Applied regardless of acceptance outcome.
- Damage Fee Waivers (DFW): Optional add-on purchased per reservation, monthly, or annually to reduce or eliminate the Member's damage fee responsibility (up to $2,500 per incident in US). Cost varies by term, buy-down amount, location, and driving experience. Non-refundable.
- Additional Liability Protection (US): Optional Supplemental Liability Insurance available for purchase for hourly or daily trips in the United States. Purchased at time of reservation via app or website.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly membership - access to member rates for hourly/daily car reservations with gas, insurance, parking, and maintenance included. |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual membership - same benefits as monthly with annual billing and 30-day refund window upon initial approval. |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Hourly and daily reservation rates - varies by vehicle type (sedan, SUV, luxury) and city. |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Optional Damage Fee Waiver (DFW) - reduces or eliminates Member's damage fee for vehicle damage during reservation. |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Application fee - one-time charge to process membership application. |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Zipcar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zipcar operates a self-service car-sharing platform that allows members to reserve vehicles by the hour or day, unlock them via a mobile app, and return them to the same designated parking spot. The service includes gas, insurance, designated parking, and maintenance in the rate, and offers specialized programs for businesses (Zipcar for Business), universities (Zipcar for Universities), and Uber drivers.
Product overview
Zipcar is a car-sharing platform offering on-demand access to vehicles by the hour or day. The core product consists of a round-trip car sharing service where members book, unlock, and return vehicles to the same location. The platform includes specialized offerings for universities (Zipcar for Universities with student discounts) and businesses (Zipcar for Business with corporate rates), all accessible through a mobile app for iOS and Android. Optional add-on products include Damage Fee Waivers and Additional Liability Protection for enhanced coverage.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Zipcar for Business: Business car sharing with low weekday rates and dedicated support.
- Zipcar for Universities
- Students with Drive
Products and services
- Zipcar Core Service On-demand car sharing service offering hourly and daily vehicle rentals. Members book vehicles through a mobile app, unlock cars with their phone, and return vehicles to the same pickup location. Available in 500+ cities across North America.
- Zipcar for Universities Car sharing service tailored for college and university students, offering discounted rates for campus communities with vehicles located on or near campus.
- Zipcar for Business Corporate car sharing solution offering low weekday rates and dedicated support for business transportation needs, including fleet management and employee mobility.
- Damage Fee Waiver (DFW) Optional protection product that allows members to reduce or eliminate their financial responsibility for vehicle damage, available as annual, monthly, or per-reservation options.
- Additional Liability Protection Optional supplemental liability insurance available for purchase for hourly or daily trips in the United States, providing additional coverage beyond standard third-party liability.
- Uber Driver Program Dedicated program that provides Uber drivers access to Zipcar vehicles for ride-sharing income generation without the capital cost of owning a car.
Quantifiable outcome
- $1,000/month savings potential vs. car ownership (gas, maintenance, insurance, parking included)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Zipcar
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Zipcar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Zipcar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC)minorMassCEC, a Massachusetts state agency, partnered with SparkCharge and Zipcar to fund and support the first off-grid EV charging hub for shared mobility in East Boston. MassCEC's InnovateMass program provided funding for the project supporting equitable access to clean transportation in Environmental Justice communities.
- UberminorZipcar has a dedicated Uber Driver Program allowing Uber drivers to use Zipcar vehicles for ride-sharing earnings. The partnership enables drivers without personal vehicles to access the Uber platform through Zipcar fleet vehicles.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Zipcar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Zipcar social profiles
Digital presenceZipcar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zipcar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Zipcar subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Zipcar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zipcar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zipcar
What does Zipcar do?
Zipcar operates a self-service car-sharing platform that allows members to reserve vehicles by the hour or day, unlock them via a mobile app, and return them to the same designated parking spot. The service includes gas, insurance, designated parking, and maintenance in the rate, and offers specialized programs for businesses (Zipcar for Business), universities (Zipcar for Universities), and Uber drivers.
Is Zipcar a public or private company?
Zipcar is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Zipcar founded?
Zipcar was founded in 2000. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Zipcar based?
Zipcar is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Zipcar make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Hourly/Daily Car Rentals are the primary driver. The others are monthly Membership Fees, annual Membership Fees, application Fee, damage Fee Waivers (DFW) and additional Liability Protection (US).
Does Zipcar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zipcar.
What industry is Zipcar in?
Zipcar's product category is Car Sharing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THALAFAE, Car Rental & Mobility Booking Platforms (Carshare/Rideshare/Micromobility). Its NAICS code is 532111 and its SIC code is 7510.