out of 5 stars by
AppAppeal Editor
Getaround provides users with a new way to rent a vehicle. Users can post their vehicles as available for rental while others browse to find cars that are available locally. Users rent from real people rather than companies. The user who rents out their vehicle earns money for doing so while those who rent can find better, more flexible deals than a car rental business can offer. Each vehicle rented through Getaround is insured by one of the largest insurance companies in America. The insurance covers liability, property damage, collision and uninsured motorist protection. Getaround puts each vehicle and driver through an eligibility screening to ensure that they meet the site’s requirements. After each rental, each user can rate the other. Getaround supplies those with vehicles with a car kit. The car kit is installed on the vehicle and allows those who rent it to access the vehicle with their smart phone. The entire reservation and rental process can be completed using a smart phone.
The concept for Getaround was created when the founders saw a common problem. Many people purchase vehicles at a high expense, but only use those vehicles 8% of the time. Meanwhile potential vehicle renters pass by the user’s home every day. The creators wanted to build a way for regular people to get more use (and earn some cash) for the vehicle that would otherwise sit in their garage or driveway. Today, Getaround offers many social tools that help users earn cash safely by renting their vehicle to their neighbors.
Many websites provide users with listings for car rental services. However Getaround takes a new approach to this type of service. Rather than go with an expensive commercial car rental, users can rent vehicles that their neighbor’s aren’t using. The site has even added many helpful security features, such as the car kit, insurance and rigorous screening process to protect its users from theft, vandalism and other issues.
The Getaround website uses a rich brown and green color scheme that adds depth to the site. A header at the top of the homepage contains the white Getaround logo, complete with a diamond shape accent. The sign in area and additional links can be found in the header to the right while images of shiny, available vehicles are presented on the homepage.
A new user can join the Getaround community by clicking the blue and white Facebook icon button at the top of the page. Users can also click the blue “Join Now” button found just below it along the right hand side. The registration form requires a username, email address, phone number, zip code and how the user heard about Getaround. The bottom of the form asks for vehicle details, including make, model, year and mileage.
Getaround invites all users to sign up for free. The site is still in beta in most areas, so this could change in the future. There are currently no costs associated with creating or maintaining an account. Of course users will have to pay for any vehicle rentals they book through Getaround, however the amount spent depends entirely on the user’s renting habits.
Two main groups of users can really appreciate Getaround: those with a vehicle they do not or rarely use and those who need to find a ride. The site brings the two groups together in a way that is safe and relatively secure.
English
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