Broker profile
DiscoverCars
A Swiss-registered online car rental broker that sells rentals from third-party suppliers as part of a 'travel package', with optional Full Coverage and, on some offers, a deposit-free feature.
- Last checked
- Official website
- discovercars.com (opens in a new tab)
What is DiscoverCars?
DiscoverCars.com is an online car rental booking site operated by Travel Drive GmbH, a company registered in Zug, Switzerland.[1] It does not own cars. It arranges rentals with third-party rental companies and, in its own terms, describes what it sells as a "Travel Package" in which the car rental component is outsourced to a network of suppliers.[1]
That legal framing matters. DiscoverCars' terms say it remains the provider of the travel package "as a principal in its own name", even when some or all of the price is paid to the rental company at the desk.[1] The rental agreement you sign at pick-up is still with the local supplier, and the security deposit is taken by that supplier, not by DiscoverCars.[1]
Company and business model
- Operator
Travel Drive GmbH, Zug, Switzerland (CHE-132.261.137)[1]
Payments may also be processed by affiliates including Car Rental Technologies – FZCO (UAE) and Discover Car Hire AS (Latvia), according to clause 3.7 of the terms.
Verified in terms
- Founded
2013 (company statement)[2]
The company says it started in 2013 as a three-person team originally called Discover Car Hire.
Company claim
- Business model
Broker selling a 'travel package'; rental supplied by a third-party company[1]
Clause 1.5: the company "does not operate a car vehicle fleet" and arranges for the rental to be provided by a car rental company. Clause 3.10 says it remains the travel package provider "as a principal in its own name".
Verified in terms
- Where it operates
164 countries, 50,000+ pick-up locations (company figures)[2]
Company claim
- Supplier network
More than 1,000 rental companies (company figure)[2]
Company claim
Booking, payment and cancellation
- Payment options
Partial prepayment, full prepayment or pay on arrival, depending on the offer[1]
Clause 3.8 sets out the three payment types; which one applies depends on the offer (clause 3.9).
Verified in terms
- Payment methods
Credit/debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay (varies by location)[1]
Clause 3.12. Payments to the rental company at pick-up follow that supplier's rules, and some suppliers accept only credit cards (clause 3.11).
Verified in terms
- Cancellation
Up to 48 hours before pick-up, for Booking Credit[1][2]
Clause 6.2: cancelling up to 48 hours before pick-up earns Booking Credit for future bookings. Inside 48 hours, only the cost of Full Coverage (if bought) is returned as credit (6.3). Bookings made less than 48 hours before pick-up are non-refundable (6.6). The company's marketing describes this as free cancellation up to 48 hours.
Verified in terms
- How refunds are paid
Booking Credit by default; cash reimbursement can be requested within one year[1]
Clause 6.16 lets customers request reimbursement in money of leftover credit from the original payment within one year of receiving it. Booking Credit expires after three years (6.14). Refunds are paid by bank transfer or PayPal (6.17).
Verified in terms
- Changes to a booking
Free to request up to 48 hours before pick-up; price may change[1]
Clause 8.1–8.2. Requests inside 48 hours are not processed.
Verified in terms
At the desk
- Driver age
Set by each supplier[1]
Clause 2.5 makes the renter responsible for meeting the supplier's age limits.
Varies by supplier
- Deposit / security hold
Taken by the rental company; amount varies by supplier[1]
Clause 3.15: the supplier holds or takes the deposit; if nothing is owed, a card hold 'usually' lapses within three weeks. Some offers carry a 'deposit-free' feature (section 10), under which DiscoverCars guarantees the deposit to the supplier and the customer must repay any amount claimed within ten business days of an invoice.
Verified in terms
- Damage and excess cover
Optional 'Full Coverage': reimbursement service, not insurance[1]
Section 9: Full Coverage 'is not a financial or insurance product' (9.3), does not replace CDW (9.4) and does not remove the need for a deposit (9.7). Claims are made within 90 days with documents (9.11) and may take up to 28 days, extendable by 28 more (9.16).
Verified in terms
Support and accountability
- Customer support
Help Center and My Booking; '24/7 multilingual help' (company statement)[1][2]
Company claim
- Mobile app
Mobile app referenced in the terms[1]
Clause 1.1 covers the website 'and mobile application'. We did not test the app for this profile.
Verified in terms
- Complaints
Within 90 days of drop-off; decision within 28 days[1]
Clause 13.1–13.3. Cases close automatically if the customer does not reply for 21 days (13.4).
Verified in terms
- Governing law
Swiss law, Swiss courts[1]
Verified in terms
- Reviews the company displays
Company cites a Trustpilot TrustScore of 4.6/5[2]
This is the figure DiscoverCars publishes on its own About page. We could not load Trustpilot directly on 30 September 2026 to confirm it, and it is not a CarRental.news rating.
Company claim
Editorial assessment
What we would tell a friend
- Read the phrase 'free cancellation' alongside clause 6.2: by default, a cancellation more than 48 hours out produces Booking Credit, and getting cash back is a separate request you must make within a year.
- Full Coverage reimburses you after the rental company has charged you. You still need a card that can carry the supplier's deposit unless the specific offer is marked deposit-free.
- The rental conditions shown on the site are informational; the terms say the conditions presented at the desk prevail if they differ (clause 4.3).
This is an editorial assessment of documented terms, not a rating. We do not score companies.
What we could not verify
- Coverage, supplier and customer figures are company statements that we have not independently audited.
- Support availability ('24/7') has not been tested by us for this profile.
Sources
- [1]
Terms and Conditions (Rental Conditions) (opens in a new tab)
Official company information
- [2]
Official company informationCompany-published figures and awards; not independently verified.
More coverage mentioning DiscoverCars
Fees & charges
Car rental deposits explained
Before booking