Cheap Car Hire in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA, United States

4 Feb — 11 Feb

Same drop-off

Sat 4/2

Noon

Sat 11/2

Noon

Driver's age:

26-65Other

What is the cheapest time to rent a car in Santa Barbara?

January

AED 224

February

AED 264

March

AED 304

April

AED 286

May

AED 271

June

AED 275

July

AED 279

August

AED 257

September

AED 253

October

AED 271

November

AED 257

December

AED 257

Currently, the cheapest month to rent a car in Santa Barbara is January. The most expensive time to rent a car is March. The cheapest prices for each month are shown above, but prices will vary based on availability, how far out you book your rental car, and of course, car type.

Top rental agencies in Santa Barbara

All major car rental suppliers in Santa Barbara

Enterprise

7.7

Good

40 reviews•3 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

2.0

Poor|Nov 2022

They did not have a car available and we could not reach our destination as scheduled. Our vacation was ruined.

4.0

Mediocre|Oct 2022

The car we had reserved was not available and the only other car was a mini-van. We went to another car rental agency.

6.0

Okay|Jun 2022

Was ok.. was told didnt have a van at first then i got a bit bothered and a van showed up.. lady that helped me at last was nice

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2022

The staff was fantastic! Did not get his name but he was superior! He had been there a year& he us currently assistant manager! Tall very sociable knowledgeable person! Will try to get his name & send in to you!

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2022

Fast service, no hassles, good value

10.0

Wonderful|Dec 2021

Everything was easy.

1 out of 14

Budget

7.4

Good

78 reviews•2 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Dec 2022

It was a very easy transactions picking up and dropping off. Which I appreciated.

2.0

Poor|Nov 2022

There are narrow drop off windows that were not made clear at this location

2.0

Poor|Oct 2022

Nowhere to leave the keys if you drop the car off after hours.

2.0

Poor|Sep 2022

Didn’t honor the reservation from a 3rd party. Terrible customer service

10.0

Wonderful|Sep 2022

Gas prices! 😵‍💫

4.0

Mediocre|Jul 2022

Showed up and they did not have the Ford a mustang car we reserved . At first they tried to offer an “upgrade” but that was a hybrid or Chrysler which is a joke. We ended up taking a Chevy Camaro. Car was filthy and covered in dust and bird poop. I returned the car full but they still charge me for 3 gallons of gas totaling over $35! It was a good deal for a sporty car but not worth the hassle and extra fees.

1 out of 26

Hertz

7.0

Good

80 reviews•3 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2022

Corolla was comfortable and got great Mileage! Also the price was excellent! Great value for the car rental

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2022

One of the best values in car rentals during these outrageous times.

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2022

Clemont, the manager was efficient and made the rental easy.

2.0

Poor|Jun 2022

There was no car available when I arrived. So I rented a car with Budget instead.

6.0

Okay|Dec 2021

This Hertz rental office is not at the airport. The car was rented at an inexpensive price, and we had no trouble with the car. The car had some chips and scuffs, and was not entirely clean. The people at the rental office were friendly, but not super efficient.

2.0

Poor|Dec 2021

Hertz had no cars available to rent in the price range of my reservation. They wanted to put me on a waiting list for a car to come in before completing my reservation (how many hours?). I asked they upgrade me to an available car but they would not do without making me pay for the upgrade. Slimy bait and switch tactic. Not what you'd expect for a class company

1 out of 27

Avis

8.3

Very Good

21 reviews•2 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Sep 2022

Easy pick and up and drop off. New and clean car, gas tank full, great experience as always!

8.0

Very Good|Jul 2022

The pick up line was pretty Long at SBC. Attendant worked as best as able with number of people.

10.0

Wonderful|Jul 2022

Seth was excellent

6.0

Okay|Jul 2022

Loved the Mustang. Perfect car for a California road trip. I had reserved a convertible, however, and because I arrived 6 hours after my reserved pick-up time, I had to settle for a hardtop. My fault (though I really had no idea about timing when I booked the trip months ago), but I felt a bit overcharged paying the same price as a convertible. Sure, Avis puts them in the same class, but obviously, convertibles are far rarer as leased vehicles and should cost more. That's life, I guess. My other comment is I dearly wish Avis rented vehicles with manual transmissions. I realize it's a dying breed because fat, lazy Americans only know how to drive automatics, but why encourage such sloth? Distinguish yourselves in the marketplace by offering a few sticks. At purchase, such cars are a bit cheaper anyway, and you can rent them for the same or more than an automatic, so it's win-win for everyone. Giving in to American tastes is just lowering the bar. These people still buy minivans and eat at McDonald's, and no one ever went broke underestimating consumers in this nation. All of which is to say, offer more manuals, please.

10.0

Wonderful|May 2022

Seats could not be adjusted properly.

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2022

The line at the counter was long but the staff moved it quickly. It didn’t have a car that I reserved, so I took a Frontier compact truck. The price was good and the return at a different location in Southern California was easy and painless.

1 out of 7

Alamo

8.1

Very Good

28 reviews•1 location

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Overview

Recent reviews

2.0

Poor|Aug 2022

Terrible booking , no explanation why I could not book , left counter walked next counter to hertz to get a car … Fk Alamo

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2022

easy processing. great staff.

1.9

Poor|Sep 2021

Despite having a confirmed reservation, there was no cars available to me when I arrived at the counter. I was referred to a competitor at the next door counter where I ended up paying more, but at least I got a car!

5.9

Fair|Aug 2021

My rental car was not clean on the inside or outside. I’m not as concerned with the outside because I understand that’s harder to control, but I expected the inside to be spotless given the current state of the world. Instead, it was dusty, had sticky spots from a spilled beverage (I’m assuming), & dirt footprints throughout the car, such as on the passenger side (where I have not been sitting, or had a passenger). Additionally, there were no disinfecting wipes in the car for me to use to clean, which I’ve received in other rentals during the pandemic, so I had to use the ones I’d packed myself to clean the inside of the car to my comfort. It felt as if the car had just been dropped off by the previous renter, then handed off to me. I know there is a rental car shortage, & cars are in much higher demand right now as travel resumes, but as a renter I would hope that my safety is the highest priority! Adding this on top of what I paid for this rental car, I will not rent from Alamo again.

2.0

Poor|Jun 2021

I only had a debit card, no notes were given on needing a actual credit card online ( unless you are flying into SB airport lol) but was told that the down town location would take debit. ( which makes no sense.) Desk person would not help call downtown location to see if they had any vehicles like I had reserved at the airport location. Not willing to help. Poor customer service.

8.0

Very Good|May 2021

The woman who helped me with drop off was incredibly helpful

1 out of 10

National

2.0

Poor

1 review•1 location

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Overview

Sunnycars

1 location

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Car Rental FAQs

Which car rental company is considered to be the best in Santa Barbara?

Taking our users’ ratings and reviews into consideration, Avis (8.3 rating), Alamo (8.1 rating) and Enterprise (7.7 rating) seem to be the best car hire companies in Santa Barbara.

What are gas prices like in Santa Barbara?

The average price of petrol in Santa Barbara is AED 3.53/litre over the past month, costing you anywhere between AED 159 and AED 229 to fill up a car’s fuel tank.

How much does it cost to hire a car in Santa Barbara for a week from Budget?

Budget is a popular option for travellers looking for car hire in Santa Barbara. You can expect the average cost of car hire to be about AED 1,363 per week.

How far in advance should I hire a car in Santa Barbara for the best price?

Booking early can save you upwards of 4% on your car hire. Booking your vehicle at least 90 days in advance can you get you a great below-average price in Santa Barbara.

Can I rent a car for a month in Santa Barbara?

The length of time you can book a rental for is subject to the inventory of the supplier. When renting a vehicle from Santa Barbara it should be possible to rent a car for a whole month if needed.