auto europe eu
Auto Europe is a privately held international car rental broker, founded in 1954, that compares and books rental vehicles from major suppliers (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Enterprise, and others) at 28,000+ pickup locations across 190 countries for consumer and small-business travelers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1954
- HeadquartersMunich, Germany
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What auto europe eu does
Auto Europe is a privately held international car rental broker founded in 1954, operating through Auto Europe LLC (Delaware, USA) and Auto Europe Deutschland GmbH (Munich, Germany). The company runs a price-comparison and booking platform that aggregates inventory from major rental suppliers — including Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Enterprise, Alamo, Budget, Sixt, National, and Dollar — and resells it at 28,000+ pickup locations across 190 countries. Its core product is the Mietwagen (car rental) booking flow, supplemented by motorhome (Wohnmobile) and luxury (Luxusmietwagen) rental categories, ancillary insurance/protection products (deductible reimbursement and full damage protection), and convenience features such as one-way rentals, free cancellation up to 48 hours before pickup, no credit card fees, and a Best Price Guarantee.
The underlying platform is a multilingual online booking engine with real-time pricing integration from supplier inventory systems, supported by localized country-specific websites and a consumer mobile app. Auto Europe supplements this transactional surface with a sizable content-marketing layer — a travel blog, destination/road-trip guides, and infographics — aimed at organic search acquisition across European, North American, and other travel-source markets.
Auto Europe earns revenue primarily as a broker, taking commission/transaction-fee spreads on rental bookings it mediates between consumers and rental companies, with incremental revenue from ancillary insurance and protection products. Go-to-market is product-led growth through self-serve online booking, augmented by an inside-sales phone reservation team available seven days per week. The customer base is consumer and SMB: individual vacation travelers, family and group travelers, road-trip enthusiasts, and business travelers — with no disclosed enterprise or B2B anchor contracts.
auto europe eu firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- auto europe eu
- Legal name
- Auto Europe Deutschland GmbH
- Website
- https://autoeurope.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1954
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Auto Europe is a privately held international car rental broker, founded in 1954, that compares and books rental vehicles from major suppliers (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Enterprise, and others) at 28,000+ pickup locations across 190 countries for consumer and small-business travelers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
auto europe eu industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Car Rental Brokerage
- 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
- Corporate & Government Contract Car Rental (THADAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Luxury Sedan & Executive Car Rentals (THADAMAB), Luxury SUV & Performance SUV Rentals (THADAMAC)
Keywords
Where auto europe eu is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Munich
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
auto europe eu business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Car Rental Brokerage/Commission: Auto Europe acts as a wholesaler and broker, aggregating car rental inventory from major suppliers (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, etc.) and reselling to customers at competitive prices. The company earns margins on bookings as a intermediary between customers and rental companies. Being a wholesaler allows them to pass on prices that are often cheaper than booking directly with the rental company.
- Additional Services and Insurance Products: Revenue generated from ancillary products including deductible reimbursement coverage, comprehensive damage protection, and other travel-related add-ons. The company offers collision damage waiver (CDW) and theft protection products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Dynamic daily rates by destination and vehicle category |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
auto europe eu product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Auto Europe operates an online car rental brokerage platform that aggregates inventory and pricing from major rental suppliers (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Enterprise, Sixt, Alamo, Budget, National, Dollar, Sicily by Car, Maggiore) and resells vehicle rentals to consumers at wholesale-derived rates across 28,000 pickup locations in 190 countries. Core revenue is generated as a broker on each booking, supplemented by ancillary protection products such as deductible refund insurance and full damage coverage. Additional offerings include motorhome and luxury car rentals, one-way rentals, free cancellation, and a Best Price Guarantee.
Product overview
Auto Europe is a car rental broker offering a platform that compares and books vehicles from major rental companies (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Alamo, Budget, Sixt, National, Dollar) at 28,000+ locations across 190 countries. Founded in 1954, the platform operates as a comparison and booking service rather than a direct rental provider. The core offering is the Mietwagen (car rental) service, supplemented by Wohnmobile (motorhome rentals), Luxusmietwagen (luxury car rentals), and various add-on protection products including Erstattung der Selbstbeteiligung (deductible refund) and Rundum-Schadenschutz (full damage protection). Additional services include an online booking engine, fleet overview tool, vehicle category guides, one-way rentals, best price guarantee, and free cancellation. The platform also provides travel information resources through its Reiseblog and Reiseinformationen modules.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mietwagen (Car Rental Booking) Online car rental brokerage platform that aggregates inventory and pricing from major rental suppliers (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Enterprise, Sixt, Alamo, Budget, National, Dollar) and enables consumers to search, compare, and book vehicles at 28,000 pickup locations across 190 countries.
- Wohnmobile (Motorhome Rental) Motorhome and recreational vehicle rental service offered through the same Auto Europe platform for travelers planning road trips in supported destinations.
- Luxusmietwagen (Luxury Car Rental) Premium and luxury vehicle rental category offered through the Auto Europe platform for customers seeking high-end automobiles.
- Erstattung der Selbstbeteiligung (Deductible Refund Insurance) Standalone insurance product that refunds the deductible amount in case of damage to a rental vehicle, covering scenarios outside standard rental protection packages.
- Rundum-Schadenschutz (Full Damage Protection) Comprehensive damage protection plan that refunds deductible amounts and covers elements not included in the rental supplier's standard package, including collision damage waiver and theft protection extensions.
- Einwegmiete (One-Way Rental) Rental service allowing customers to pick up a vehicle at one location and drop it off at a different location, supporting cross-border and multi-city travel.
Quantifiable outcome
- Best Price Guarantee - if lower price found for same offer, Auto Europe promises to offer even lower price
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use auto europe eu
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
auto europe eu technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
auto europe eu partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- AviscoreMajor international car rental company with extensive global network. Auto Europe maintains close relationships with Avis and offers their vehicles through the booking platform at competitive wholesale prices.
- HertzcoreOne of the world's largest general car rental companies. Auto Europe has long-standing partnerships with Hertz for vehicle rentals across their global network.
- EuropcarcoreMajor European car rental provider with strong presence across continental Europe. Auto Europe maintains close contacts with Europcar for vehicle availability and pricing.
- EnterprisecoreMajor car rental company particularly strong in North America with extensive network of pickup locations.
- AlamosupportingCar rental company partnered with Auto Europe for vehicle availability in Olbia, Sardinia and other destinations worldwide.
- BudgetsupportingValue-focused car rental brand available through Auto Europe platform, particularly in Italy including Olbia location.
- Sicily by CarsupportingItalian car rental company available through Auto Europe, operating at Olbia airport and other Italian locations as a reliable low-cost option.
- MaggioresupportingItalian car rental company partnered with Auto Europe for vehicle rentals in Italy including airport and city locations.
- National Car RentalsupportingCar rental brand available through Auto Europe booking platform with global pickup network.
- DollarsupportingBudget-focused car rental brand partnered with Auto Europe for value-conscious travelers.
- SixtsupportingGerman premium car rental company with extensive European and international presence, available through Auto Europe.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
auto europe eu competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rentalcars.com: Owned by Booking Holdings, Rentalcars.com is the largest dedicated car rental aggregator globally, offering price comparison across major suppliers. It is Auto Europe's most direct competitor in the same product category with similar supplier relationships and customer base.
- DiscoverCars: A fast-growing car rental comparison platform specializing in international rentals with global supplier integrations. It competes head-to-head with Auto Europe for cross-border leisure travelers booking in foreign destinations.
- AutoSlash: US-focused car rental discount and comparison platform that aggregates rates and applies coupons/codes from major suppliers. Targets the same leisure and business rental customer base as Auto Europe, though primarily in North America.
- EconomyBookings: International car rental aggregator offering comparison across global suppliers with a focus on budget-conscious travelers. It directly competes with Auto Europe for value-oriented international leisure rentals.
Broad incumbents
- Kayak: Meta-search engine owned by Booking Holdings that includes car rental comparison among flights, hotels, and packages. Overlaps with Auto Europe on the car rental product but operates as part of a much broader travel portfolio.
- Expedia: Major online travel agency offering car rental booking alongside flights, hotels, and vacation packages through CarRentals.com. A broader incumbent whose car rental offering competes with Auto Europe for booking share.
- Skyscanner: Travel meta-search engine owned by Trip.com Group that has expanded into car rental comparison. While broader in scope, it competes for the same international leisure traveler's car rental booking.
- Trip.com: Global OTA owned by Trip.com Group with car rental booking as part of an integrated travel platform. It overlaps with Auto Europe in international leisure rentals, particularly for Asia-Pacific travelers.
Emerging players
- QEEQ: A growing car rental aggregator focused on international markets with technology-forward comparison features. An emerging player competing for the same cross-border rental customer, though smaller in scale than Auto Europe.
- AutoRentals.com: Online car rental booking platform aggregating suppliers for international leisure and business travelers. Smaller and emerging, but directly comparable in offering and customer profile to Auto Europe.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
auto europe eu social profiles
Digital presenceauto europe eu financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
auto europe eu leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
auto europe eu funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
auto europe eu 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 auto europe eu
What does auto europe eu do?
Auto Europe operates an online car rental brokerage platform that aggregates inventory and pricing from major rental suppliers (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Enterprise, Sixt, Alamo, Budget, National, Dollar, Sicily by Car, Maggiore) and resells vehicle rentals to consumers at wholesale-derived rates across 28,000 pickup locations in 190 countries. Core revenue is generated as a broker on each booking, supplemented by ancillary protection products such as deductible refund insurance and full damage coverage. Additional offerings include motorhome and luxury car rentals, one-way rentals, free cancellation, and a Best Price Guarantee.
Is auto europe eu a public or private company?
auto europe eu is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was auto europe eu founded?
auto europe eu was founded in 1954. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is auto europe eu based?
auto europe eu is headquartered in Munich, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does auto europe eu make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Car Rental Brokerage/Commission is the primary driver. The others are additional Services and Insurance Products.
Who are auto europe eu's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rentalcars.com, DiscoverCars, AutoSlash and EconomyBookings. Broad incumbents are Kayak, Expedia, Skyscanner and Trip.com. Emerging players are QEEQ and AutoRentals.com.
Does auto europe eu have an API?
No public API is recorded for auto europe eu.
What industry is auto europe eu in?
auto europe eu's product category is Car Rental Brokerage. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THADAAAJ, Corporate & Government Contract Car Rental, with a secondary code of THADAMAB, Luxury Sedan & Executive Car Rentals. Its NAICS code is 532111 and its SIC code is 7510.