We’re no strangers to how crazy expensive it is to own a car in Singapore. Thankfully, we’re blessed with an abundance of public transport to ease the stress of burning a hole in our bank accounts. But on those special days when we’re racing against time or simply want to avoid the crowds, we may find ourselves forking out a considerable sum on services like Grab and Gojek.
If you’re not quite ready to own a car but want to avoid racking up a huge bill with taxi trips, you can opt for a more practical alternative while enjoying the same convenience with these affordable car rentals and sharing services in Singapore.
Note: This does not cover Changi Airport, where only a select group of car rental companies are available.
While it can be advantageous to own a vehicle, renting a car in Singapore has plenty of benefits. For one, with less commitment comes lesser costs. You don’t have to worry about maintenance costs such as insurance premiums, road taxes, and servicing fees since this isn’t a long-term commitment. Also, the fee for renting a car is generally fixed, allowing you to have better flexibility in your finances.
You’ve probably heard these terms being thrown about but don’t know what they actually mean. Here’s a breakdown to help you know the difference between car rental, leasing, and car sharing.
Car rentals and leases generally involve extended periods of usage, whereas car sharing is suitable for shorter durations. Leasing a car often extends beyond a year, whereas car rentals can be as brief as a few days. Car sharing, on the other hand, allows for usage in periods as short as a few hours.
| Service | Description | Rates | Locations | Vehicles Available |
| Lylo | Pet-friendly, includes insurance for driving in Malaysia | $70/night (U.P. $125/night) | 300 Sin Ming Road | Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid, Toyota Noah Hybrid, Toyota Sienta Hybrid |
| Tribecar | Wide range of vehicles near MRT stations, available 24/7 | $2.18/hour | Multiple locations across Singapore | Motorcycles, vans, standard sedans, SUVs |
| Whizzcar | Collaborates with Grab for car rentals | $10.86/hour | Rivervale Drive | |
| Drive Lah | Peer-to-peer car-sharing service, rent or list your own car | $74/day | Multiple locations including Bukit Batok, Choa Chu Kang, Punggol | Honda Vezel Hybrid, Toyota Vios, Hyundai Avante |
| Car Lite | Short duration rentals perfect for quick trips | $1.00/15 minutes | Boon Keng | Altis (10th Gen) Elantra (5th Gen) Attrage Mazda 2 HB(3rd Gen) Civic (8th Gen) |
| Shariot | Offers affordable private rides with hourly rental service | $3.90/hour | Over 85 locations in Singapore | |
| BlueSG | 24-hour electric car rental with free parking | $0.36/minute | Over 500 locations with charging points in Singapore | Electric cars |
| GetGo | Easy registration with MyInfo, includes insurance and petrol top-ups | $5/hour (Normal Economy) | Over 1,600 locations in Singapore | Honda Vezel Hybrid, Toyota Sienta, Mitsubishi Lancer EX |
| CarClub | 27 years of experience | $2.18/hour | Sedands, SUVs, and MPVs | |
| AKA Car Rental | 24/7 roadside assistance, caters to probationary drivers or customers below 21 years old | $80/day and $1600/month | 1 Commonwealth #02-05, Singapore 149544 | Suzuki Swift 1.3 AT, KIA Cerato Forte 1.6A SX, Toyota Vios E |
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Whether you’re heading on a drive into JB or just cruising around Singapore, you can count on Lylo’s short-term car rental deals at $70/night inclusive of GST (U.P. $125/night), which works out to just $2.92/hour – complete with insurance coverage. 99% of their cars are hybrids, so you can keep it eco-friendly and cut down on fuel costs as well.
The Toyota Corolla Altis and Hyundai Ioniq.
Image adapted from: Lylo
Cruise around in sleek rides, as their vehicles are all under 3 years old. The Toyota Corolla Altis is Lylo’s most popular pick, with a powerful yet comfortable drive and large boot space. Meanwhile, the high-tech Hyundai Ioniq is rich in safety features and comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for seamless connection with your phone.
For greater peace of mind, Lylo offers 24/7 roadside assistance and is transparent about accident excess amounts should you need to file for insurance claims – touch wood. They’re also totally cool with your pets catching a ride in any of their cars, so feel free to bring your furry sidekicks along if you’re renting to run errands in town. Travelling with kids? They offer child booster seats as an optional add-on as well.
Image adapted from: Lylo
Get behind the wheel of your car rental in just 4 fuss-free steps: pick a date, choose a car, place your deposit, and swing by Lylo’s office to sign some papers. Boom, you’re road trip-ready. For greater convenience, you can top up $40 for doorstep delivery.
Rates: From $88/day (U.P. $140/day) – Fixed rate on weekdays and weekends
Cars offered: 30+ models available for rent, including Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid, Toyota Noah Hybrid 2022, and Toyota Sienta Hybrid
Location: 300 Sin Ming Road, Singapore 575626
Contact: Lylo website
Vehicles for rent include motorcycles, vans, standard sedans, and SUVs.
Those looking to cross the border can travel with Tribecar’s range of vehicles for no additional cost. Not only are the vehicles available 24/7, but they are also parked within walking distance from MRT stations and are available for private hire services. One of Singapore’s largest car rental companies, their cars are situated all over Singapore for ease of locating them.
Note: Those with a P-plate (less than 2 years of driving experience) can also drive with Tribecar.
Screenshot from: Drive Lah
For an alternative rental experience, opt for Drive Lah which lets you rent cars from drivers nearby or rent out your Singapore cars at your own cost to others.
This nifty site functions as a car-sharing service where you’ll be able to select which car you want to rent based on the price and model of the vehicle. So select one based on what suits your preference – you’ll also be able to leave a review after the experience.
You can also check whether the owner of the car allows you to drive to Malaysia, and if they do, you get to take a road trip with no extra costs.
Image credit: Car Lite
We’ve all resorted to GrabFood for those acai bowls or boba deliveries that are just a bit too much of a distance to travel for. If you want to save up, Car Lite provides you with 15-minute car rentals perfect for Uber short distances.
For rates as low as $1, you’ll be able to reap all the benefits of owning a car while paying a fraction of what public transportation costs. As a bonus, they allow you to drive the cars into Malaysia for an additional charge of $26.75/day.
Public transport in Singapore is a game-changer, with trips costing less than $5. But for an even better steal, Shariot is one of the best hourly car rental services in Singapore with affordable private rides from $3.90/hour when you opt for a Shariot Saver membership:
With more than 300 cars available across 85 locations in Singapore, you’ll be able to book them within reach of your home and have the flexibility of car rentals for as long as a day or as short as 15 minutes.
Note: Shariot requires a refundable security deposit of $100 when you register. Drivers are required to be at least 19 years old and have 1 year of driving experience. You’ll also need to return the car with at least ¼ tank, or else a $60 penalty fee will be applied.
Operating as the first 24-hour electric car rental company in Singapore, BlueSG has been gaining popularity for quite some time, offering customers an environmentally friendly electric driving experience. Not to mention, they operate on a flexible pay-per-minute basis.
Don’t worry about scouring for parking spots, as there are 500 designated charging points located around Singapore. What’s more, you’ll get free parking and be able to view the number of parking spots available on the app before you drop the car off.
To book this set of wheels, simply filter the search to your location on the BlueSG app (iOS | Android) to see the cars nearest to you. You can then proceed to reserve in advance – or minutes before – and pick up a car, where you’ll need to tap your registered EZ-Link or BlueSG card at the charging kiosk to gain access.
Image credit: @GetGoSG via Facebook
Getting started on a new app can be tedious, and luckily for us, GetGo eases the burden of manually setting up an account with an easy and automatically integrated registration process via MyInfo. Set up via the SingPass app (iOS | Android), MyInfo conveniently stores all your information, from your particulars and CPF contributions to your housing and driving records.
Besides having insurance and maintenance fees covered, GetGo takes an extra burden off your hands by including petrol top-ups in their fees, thus you’ll only need to pay for mileage. Plus, they have a whopping 3,000 electric and regular cars across 1,600 locations in Singapore – so you’ll be able to find a car within your neighbourhood.
Image credit: @carclubsingapore via Instagram
As a longstanding player in the car-sharing sector in Singapore, CarClub boasts over 20 years of industry experience. Recently acquired by Tribecar, CarClub gives its members – and Tribecar’s – access to over 1,300 vehicles that you rent by the hour or the day.
Frequent drivers might want to consider applying for their Season Pass ($10.79 billed quarterly). This pass comes with enticing benefits including monthly discount vouchers, mileage rebates, complimentary Personal Accident Insurance, and a tyre damage waiver (up to $65.40).
Rates: From $2.18/hour
Contact: CarClub website
Image credit: @akacarrental via Instagram
With a starting fee of $1600, AKA Car Rental is one of the best monthly car rentals in Singapore for those looking to improve their driving skills. They also extend their rental and leasing services to probationary drivers or any customer below 21 years old.
In addition to offering comprehensive insurance coverage, each vehicle benefits from round-the-clock roadside assistance to guide you through any procedures calmly in case of an accident.
Rates: From $80/day and $1600/month
Contact: AKA Car Rental website
PSA for those whose licences have been sitting in their wallets for ages: there are plenty of car rental services situated across Singapore that’ll give you the advantage of car ownership without the financial commitment that comes with it.
Whether you’re looking forward to saving up on transport costs or enjoying post-midnight drives with bae, this list of affordable Singapore car rentals will have you covered with flexibility and convenience. If you’re looking for a long-term car rental, do consider car leases, which provide durations of 1 year or more.
Cover image adapted from: @GetGoSG via Facebook, Car Lite
A portion of this content may contain referral links to products. Our opinions remain our own.
Last updated by Joycelyn Yeow and Mae-Z Fam on 10th October 2024.
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