Comparison
Every option, compared
Subscription, flexible lease, short-term lease, long-term hire, conventional contract hire and PCP. Six ways to have a car, six different shapes of commitment.
There are six mainstream ways to have a car without buying one outright. Daily rental for days. Long-term hire for weeks to a couple of months. Car subscription for a few months where plans might change. Flexible lease where you expect six months or more but cannot commit to a date. Short-term lease for 3 to 24 months with a known end date — the lowest monthly cost in this range. Conventional leasing or PCP for two to four years. The right one is decided almost entirely by how long you need it and how certain you are.
Side by side
The full comparison
| Daily rental | Long-term hire | Subscription | Flexible lease | Short-term lease | Contract hire | PCP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical duration | 1–14 days | 1–3 months | From 1 month | From 1 month | 3–24 months | 24–48 months | 24–48 months |
| Minimum commitment | None | 1 month | From 1 month | From 1 month | Full term | Full term | Full term |
| Relative monthly cost | Very high | High | High | Middle | Low | Lowest | Low |
| Initial payment | None | None | 1 rental | 1–2 rentals | 1–3 rentals | 3–12 rentals | Deposit |
| Maintenance included | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Optional | Optional | No |
| Road tax included | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | First year only |
| Insurance included | Usually | Often | No | No | No | No | No |
| Exit early | Yes | Yes | 5 working days' notice | 5 working days' notice | Settlement | Settlement | Settlement |
| Ends in ownership | No | No | No | No | No | No | Optional |
| Credit check | No | Light | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Choose exact model | No | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Do we offer it? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Shortcut
Decide by how long you need it
- Under 3 weeks
- Daily rental. We do not offer it and will tell you so.
- 3 weeks – 3 months
- Long-term hire or a subscription, depending on whether you want insurance bundled.
- 3 – 6 months, uncertain
- Car subscription. You are paying for the ability to stop, and it is worth it.
- 6+ months, uncertain
- Flexible lease. Cheaper than a subscription, still escapable with notice.
- 3 – 24 months, certain
- Fixed short-term lease. The lowest monthly cost in the short-term market.
- Over 24 months
- Conventional contract hire or PCP. A different product for a different need — we will point you towards a long-term specialist.
Next step
Ask us to price two options side by side
Tell us what you need and when you need it. We will come back with real availability and a written quote — usually the same working day.