RVezy vs. Outdoorsy: Which One Should You Choose?

RV rental companies like Outdoorsy and RVezy provide outdoor enthusiasts with a safe and affordable way to rent privately owned RVs. Just like Airbnb, they provide a complete end-to-end system that takes care of matchmaking, communication, bookings, payments, verifications, insurance, and customer support.

When compared to commercial options like Cruise America or dealerships, sharing platforms enable people to find what they want for less. On top of the cost savings, RV rentals by owner offer a much wider selection of RV types and come fully-equipped so you don’t need to pack dishes and linens for your trip. Some rentals even include some cool extras like BBQs and bikes!

Although at first glance Outdoorsy and RVezy look very similar in their offerings, once you go behind the curtains, you discover key differences that impact both renters and owners.

Outdoorsy Review

Founded in 2015, Outdoorsy is the largest peer-to-peer RV rental network in the US (with over 25,000 RVs) and is generally a great platform to consider for your next road trip. Having recently expanded into Canada, they offer a huge selection of RVs, for every budget, all across North America. With tons of user-generated reviews, you almost always know what you're getting into. It’s also important to note that Outdoorsy has a significant number of RVs listed by commercial partners through their fleet management software called Wheelbase. Essentially, Wheelbase offers dealerships additional tools and service fee discounts (5% reduction) when listing multiple RVs. Despite their large company size, Outdoorsy is not known for the best customer service. It can take time to get a hold of someone and the answers you get are not always as clear as they could be. We’ve found this sentiment consistent across multiple reviews found online. Overall, Outdoorsy is a great option for both owners and renters. However, your experience might change slightly if you need to reach out to support. For more information, take a look at our Outdoorsy review.

Outdoorsy Pros

As a renter, the main reasons for choosing Outdoorsy are the selection, reviews, and self-serve features. With more options to choose from, there’s a better chance of finding the perfect RV rental for your next trip. Plus, thanks to thousands of user-generated reviews, you know exactly what you’re getting into. And finally, their website and apps make it easy as can be to turn your road trip idea into reality. As an owner, it’s easy. More people on the platform mean more booking requests for your RV. Pro tip: If you’re listing your RV for the first time, it’s important to fill out your entire description, add several pictures, and list your RV slightly below the market to start as renters tend to favor RVs with more reviews.

Outdoorsy Cons

On Outdoorsy, the majority of issues you’ll run into are related to customer support and insurance coverage. While this does impact renters, it’s more of an issue for owners. Here’s why: Although they are infrequent, accidents and problems do occur. And it goes without saying that the last thing you want when dealing with an issue is unavailable or confusing customer support. Plus, because owners are responsible for handling their own insurance claims, this can result in major headaches and extended periods of lost income. This is very different to RVezy that has an in-house claims team. While Outdoorsy’s Canadian owners pay a higher service fee (20%) than RVezy (15%), the bigger issue is the fact they do not offer insurance to motorized vehicles outside of Quebec, Alberta, and Ontario. When we spoke to them over the phone, their agents were not familiar with this information. More often than not, their support team just refers you back to their help section, which is pretty frustrating when looking for a clear answer.

RVezy Review

Launched in Canada back in 2017, RVezy quickly became the #1 rated RV rental platform north of the border before its recent expansion into the US. With best-in-class customer support and insurance products, they are definitely another viable option for RV owners and renters looking to connect. In Canada, RVezy is king. They have the best selection of RVs, tons of reviews, and lower service fees than their most recent competitor, Outdoorsy. You can find a breakdown of fees below. When it comes to the US, it's a different story, at least for now. RVezy doesn’t have near the inventory nor the reviews of Outdoorsy. However, from what we can see in recent reviews, they've managed to maintain their level of customer service and are making a real attempt at dethroning their US counterpart. For more info, take a look at our full RVezy review.

RVezy Pros

RVezy was built from the ground up with a customer-first mentality. They have dedicated teams to support both owners and renters using the platform. As an example, RV owners joining the platform get a call from an Owner Success Agent in order to walk them through the platform and answer any questions that might come up. Plus, their customer support teams go through extensive training so they are not just pointing you at their knowledge base. RVezy offers owners and renters complete peace of mind on every trip with their amazing roadside assistance and insurance coverage. And, in the rare case that an accident does occur, their in-house claim service and resolution teams are quick to make sure the RV is back on the road as fast as possible and the RV owner is kept informed every step of the way. Overall, despite being a slight underdog in many categories, RVezy is really a great option for those who value customer care and peace of mind. Hey, they're Canadians, after all.

RVezy Cons

Having only expanded into the US in the summer of 2020, RVezy's biggest drawback for renters is the number of RVs and reviews south of the border. While popular locations like California, Florida, Arizona, and Texas have pretty decent selection of RVs, northern states are still pretty thin. Despite their great roadside product, this important add-on can get pricey. We really wished they had basic roadside included in their pricing like Outdoorsy. When it comes to owner reviews, we noticed some mentions of lower demand compared to Outdoorsy and people asking why there is no discount when listing multiple RVs. Finally, RVezy is not quite at the same level as Outdoorsy when it comes to the level of polish on their platform. From the user-experience of their website and app, to the features that are offered, RVezy is still chasing the market leader.

Outdoorsy vs. RVezy Comparison

Number of RVs

Outdoorsy is the clear winner when it comes to selection. However, a couple important notes:Outdoorsy has a large amount of commercial RVs on their platform. From our research, there is roughly a 20% overlap in inventory, meaning that RVs are listed on both RVezy and Outdoorsy, which makes sense when you ask us.

Types of RVs

Both companies have roughly the same offerings. However Outdoorsy listings tend to have more complete information and better pictures.

RV Prices

Both platforms provide owners with pricing suggestions based on local demand. There is no noticeable difference in pricing. However, prices are much higher in the summer and around holidays. This is why it’s always best to do your research and book in advance.

Renter Fees

Renter fees are the same on both platforms. Note: This is the fee you pay as a renter. So if you book an RV for 5 nights at $100 = $500, you will pay a $50 service fee.

Owner Fees

RVezy takes this category for Canadian owners. Outdoorsy takes it by a hair in the US for RV owners with multiple units.

Rental Insurance

While RV insurance is one of the most important parts of the decision process when making an RV rental, it’s not always the easiest to understand.

For both companies, the cost of insurance is a mandatory add-on above your nightly rate (unless the owner has their own commercial insurance and opted out).

Outdoorsy Insurance

Outdoorsy has a sophisticated algorithm that calculates your insurance costs based on many factors so it’s difficult to pinpoint their exact costs. However, they offer four types of insurance: Risk Taker, Essential, Peace of Mind, and Stationary Delivery.

Risk Taker, which is the base coverage, includes the following:

• Liability Coverage: State Minimum
• Comprehensive & Collision Protection: Up to $1M
• Deductibles per loss:
  • Class A = $4,000
  • All other motorized = $2,500
  • Trailer = $2,000

Essential coverage adds $5-10 per day but reduces deductibles by $500.

Peace of Mind coverage adds $10-20 per day, reduces deductibles by $1,000 and includes windshield coverage + accident interruption.

Stationary (delivery only) costs $17-25 per day and has a $1,500 deductible. Note that moving a stationary only rental voids the insurance.

RVezy Insurance

RVezy offers two types of insurance: Standard and Premium.

Standard coverage includes the following:

• $2 Million in Third Party Liability for Canada
• $1 Million Third Party Liability for the US
• Standard Accident Benefits
• Collision and Comprehensive
• Deductible per loss: $1,000

Premium adds $10-15 per day but reduces the deductible to $250.

Outdoorsy vs. RVezy Insurance

In the majority of cases, you will get equal or better coverage at a lower cost on RVezy.

Another reason we choose RVezy is because of their in-house claim service that is there to help you every step of the way if something was to happen.

Note: one area RVezy could improve is offering a dedicated insurance plan for stationary RVs that are being delivered. This is one area situation where Outdoorsy is slightly ahead.

Roadside Assistance

RVezy has a much better roadside assistance product, but it's pricier than Outdoorsy. In the end, you get what you pay for.

Customer Support

While Outdoorsy has more coverage, RVezy has the better service, hands down.

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Outdoorsy

• Phone: 24/7 support is fairly responsive to questions.
• Email: We found they responded to our emails within 24 hours.
• Chat: Also responsive, they mostly guided us to their help pages to answer our questions.

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RVezy

• Phone: 9:00am-9:00pm EST on weekdays and 11:00am-7:00pm EST on weekends.
• Email: We got responses to our emails within 12 hours.Chat: 24/7 online support is also a little slow after hours.
• Chat: RVezy is responsive and very friendly on their online chat and tended to respond right away.

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Website

Outdoorsy has a better website with a better user-experience, more polished design, better selection of RVs, and photos.

App

Slight advantage to Outdoorsy here. However, we like the fact that RVezy only has one app.

Overall

Outdoorsy comes out slightly ahead thanks to a larger number of RVs, reviews, and features to facilitate the rental process. However with best-in-class support, great insurance, and recent improvements in technology, RVezy is a great alternative.

Outdoorsy vs. RVezy Summary

From a renter's perspective, it really comes down to what you’re looking for. For travelers valuing complete peace of mind thanks to best-in-class insurance, roadside assistance, and customer support, RVezy is the way to go (if you can find the right RV). On the other hand, if you want better selection, pictures, and reviews on a great looking platform, Outdoorsy is for you. For owners, you might get more bookings through Outdoorsy, but not get the same level of customer support and insurance when you need it. This is especially true if you need to file an insurance claim. In our opinion, owners should list their RVs on both platforms and make their own opinion. After all, there is no cost, and you always have the ability to accept or decline any booking.

RVezy vs Outdoorsy FAQs