A 1.2 Trustpilot score and an F BBB letter grade sit beside the brand’s published fee schedule
Parsippany, NJ – September 10, 2026 – Payless Car Rental reviews sit low across the public records read this month, and the fee schedule the company publishes itself explains part of what renters describe. Travellers can compare prices on CarRentalMatch before they book.
For this report we read the public payless car rental reviews on Trustpilot and BBB in September 2026, and set them beside the rental rules Payless publishes on its own site.
What is Payless Car Rental
Payless says it was founded in 1971 in Spokane, Washington. It now lists approximately 120 rental locations across the United States, Canada, Europe and South America, including many at major airports. It is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAR), which acquired the brand in 2013 and lists it beside Avis, Budget and Zipcar. Payless describes its market as price-conscious travellers, served through a hybrid of company-operated and franchised locations.
Fleet, locations and rental policies
Because the brand sits at the value end, the published rules matter more than the headline rate. Payless states that a renter “must be 25 years of age with a valid driver’s license and a major credit card in his/her own name.” Renters aged 21 through 24 may take economy through full-sized cars and minivans with an added surcharge of 25 dollars a day. Additional drivers cost 13 dollars a day each, with a maximum of two, and the fee is waived for a spouse or domestic partner, for a fellow employee on company business, and for the companion driver of a renter with a disability.
The holds are published as well. A credit card is authorised for the estimated rental plus up to 250 dollars, and a debit card for the estimated rental plus up to 300 dollars. On cancellations, Payless states that notice must be received one hour before the scheduled arrival time unless the confirmation says otherwise, and that charges on some vehicles may apply if a booking is not cancelled 24 hours before pickup.
What payless car rental reviews say about the counter and the total
On Trustpilot, read September 9, 2026, Payless held 1.2 out of 5 from 475 reviews, with 89 percent at one star and 6 percent at five. Renters posting there report totals at the counter above the figure quoted online, waits of two hours or more at busy airport desks, cars handed over in poor condition, and damage charges raised after the return. Several also describe slow replies to queries.
The BBB record points the same way. The Las Vegas file for Payless Car Rental carries an F letter grade, is not accredited, and records 259 complaints closed in the past three years, while the customer reviews on that file average 1.01 out of 5 across 68 posts. BBB notes that “Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of the BBB Letter Grade Rating.” The grade measures complaint handling, and the star average measures how the rentals felt.
The published policy is the counterweight. The age surcharge, the additional driver fee and the deposit holds above are printed before booking, and reading them next to the quoted total closes much of the gap renters describe.
How to get the best price
Comparing the full total rather than the daily rate, with identical pickup and drop times at every supplier, is the starting point. A free tool such as CarRentalMatch checks offers across suppliers for one trip, which shows whether the value positioning holds once fees are added.
Payless publishes discounts that cost nothing to take. AARP members save 5 percent on rentals in the United States and Canada, with a free upgrade and a free additional driver, though the 5 percent applies to time and mileage only and not to taxes, airport fees, damage waivers, underage surcharges or refuelling. Adding a spouse rather than a friend avoids the 13 dollar daily driver fee, and a credit card rather than a debit card lowers the hold by 50 dollars. Photographs at pickup and return, kept until the final charge clears, give renters a record if a charge is queried.
Verdict on payless car rental reviews in 2026
Read together, payless car rental reviews describe a budget brand where the quoted rate and the final total often part company, with counter waits the other recurring theme. The published fee schedule accounts for much of that difference, so pricing a trip with the surcharges included is the useful test. A cancellable rate, photographs at both ends and a careful read of the receipt cover the rest.
About CarRentalMatch
CarRentalMatch is a free car rental price comparison website. It shows rates from a range of suppliers for the same pickup point and dates, so travellers can see the spread. It does not rent vehicles itself. CarRentalMatch does not own, operate or represent any rental brand named in this release.
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