You’ve decided to rent an RV and explore Canada for a week or two this year.
But before you book a motorhome or camper van you want to investigate whether there are some ways you can save on this classic way of travelling the country.
To help you do just that we’ve put together this list of 11 ways to score a cheap RV rental in Canada.
1. Book your RV early and get a cheaper price
The earlier you book your RV rental the cheaper it will be.
RV rental companies recommend that you book 3-6 months in advance of your trip to ensure you get the best price.
Often they have early bird booking discounts too.
Plus, booking earlier will increase your chances of getting the type of motorhome or camper van you want.
2. Shop around for cheapest RV rental prices using MotorhomeRepublic.com
Many of the RV rental companies in Canada carry the same types of RVs but their prices could be different.
To ensure you’re getting your RV rental as cheap as possible, compare rental company prices.
A quick way to do this is in one place is by using MotorhomeRepublic.com, an RV rental booking website.
You just enter the country, pick up city, type of RV you want to rent, your travel dates and hit return.
In seconds you’ll have a selection of RV rental prices to compare from Canadian companies such as Canadream, CruiseCanada (CruiseAmerica), Fraserway RV and Four Seasons RV Rentals by Fraserway.
MotorhomeRepublic.com also negotiates exclusive deals with Canadian RV rental companies, so often they have a better price than if you were to book directly with an RV rental company.
Another thing MotorhomeRepublic.com offers is a Price Beat Guarantee.
If you see a better price on another website send them the quote, and they will match or beat it.
3. Save big: rent from an RV Owner using RVezy.com
Renting from an RV rental company isn’t the only way you can rent an RV in Canada.
For many people an even cheaper solution is to rent a motorhome or camper van from an RV owner.
How much cheaper is it?
It can be up to 40% less.
The easiest route for renting an RV from an owner is by using RVezy.com.
It’s an online platform that’s been in business since 2016 and has become the largest RV rental marketplace in North America.
RVezy.com is safe and secure, and simple to use.
Just go to the home page and enter the type of vehicle, where you would like to pick it up, your travel dates, and how many travellers you will have.
Click return and check all the available motorhomes, camper vans and tent camper trailers for rent.
4. Travel when motorhome and camper van rates are the cheapest
RV rental prices in Canada are at their highest during the summer tourist season which is the months of June, July and August.
Plan your vacation for the spring or fall, and you’ll be able to book a motorhome or camper van rental at a far cheaper rate than during the peak summer season.
Depending on the type of RV you want to rent, you could save up to 40%.
5. Sign up to receive offers on cheap RV rentals
Throughout the year RV rental companies will promote special discounts and offers on motorhomes and camper vans.
These are a great way to make your RV rental cheaper.
As you would expect, the best incentives are promoted during the winter months when the RV rental companies are trying to encourage customers to book early for their summer vacations.
Don’t miss their best deals.
Add your name to their email lists.
That way every time they produce an offer you will receive an alert in your inbox.
6. Get a 5% RV rental discount just for being a group member or senior
If you’re a member of the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) you can book an RV rental with CanaDream for 5% cheaper.
CanaDream also offers a 5% employee discount for members of the military, medical profession, travel industry, education field, fire fighter profession, and the Canadian Police.
Plus, if you are 65 or older you can get a 5% seniors discount on a CanaDream motorhome or camper van rental too.
7. Remember: the smaller the vehicle the cheaper the RV rental
When it comes to getting a cheap RV rental in Canada size does matter.
The bottom line: bigger RVs cost more to rent.
They are also less fuel efficient which means you’ll have to purchase more fuel than you would with a smaller RV.
That’s why one of the simplest ways to save on an RV rental is to only book the type and size of RV you need.
This can save you $50-$100 dollars a day on your RV rental.
To figure out which RV rental is right for your needs, check out our article “Quick Guide to Renting an RV in Canada”.
8. Plan a circle tour instead of a one-way trip
Often people will book their RV adventure so that it starts in one Canadian city and ends at another.
This is expensive though as it results in a one-way trip fee being applied to your invoice.
The one-way fee is to offset the cost of the RV rental company having to pay to have the vehicle returned to their location.
How much does the one-way fee cost?
For example on Canadream.com, when you rent an MH-A Maxi Motorhome, a trip from Calgary to Vancouver booked in mid-July will result in a one-way fee of $1550 + $77.50 in taxes = $1627.50 total.
If you want to have a cheaper RV rental, it’s better to plan your route so that it starts and ends at the same city i.e., a circle tour. By doing this you will avoid the high cost of a one-way fee.
9. Avoid add-on fees that can turn a cheap RV rental into expensive
RV rental companies try to make their rental experience as convenient as possible for you.
This includes offering add-ons to your rental agreement.
Add-ons can be things like: kitchenware kits, linen kits, coffee machines and pods, car seats, bike racks, lawn chairs, kitchen appliances, wifi, even toilet paper.
Naturally, all of these items cost extra.
Confirm what these items will cost before you book your RV rental.
You may find that most of these items can be purchased for cheaper by making a Canadian Tire or hardware store the first stop on your RV vacation.
10. Return your RV rental on time
If you’ve gone to all the time and effort to ensure yourself of a cheap RV rental, the last thing you want to do is incur a fee for returning it late.
RV rental companies in Canada typically charge $150 for every hour your RV rental is past it’s return time.
If you rent a motorhome or camper van from an RV owner through RVezy.com, the late fee is a flat $150.
Don’t end your vacation on a sour note. Ensure your RV rental stays cheap by returning your vehicle on time.
11. Land a really cheap RV rental: book a “relocation” RV rental
What if we told you that sometimes you can get a cheap RV rental in Canada for as little as a $1 a day?
This is not a typo.
They’re called relocation RV rentals.
So what is a relocation RV rental?
As you know a lot of vacationers choose to book a one-way RV rental for their holiday.
Often afterwards the RV rental company needs to have the vehicle returned to the location it originated from to meet demand or balance their inventory.
To do this someone has to drive the vehicle back.
The RV rental companies could use a service to do this but it’s expensive.
So, instead, they offer deep-discounted rental rates to encourage consumers to do it for them.
The catch with a relocation rental is the motorhome or camper van must be returned within a specific time period.
But if your vacation dates are flexible this is a fantastic way to get a cheap RV rental.
By taking advantage of an RV relocation deal you can enjoy the freedom of the open road without breaking the bank.
Visit the websites of individual Canadian RV rental companies to enquire and review the RV relocation rentals they currently have available:
Getting a cheap RV rental in Canada: so what’s the verdict?
Scoring a cheap RV rental in Canada is definitely possible.
Try to book as early as possible to take advantage of discounts and deals.
Get the best price by using MotorhomeRepublic.com to shop and compare RV rental prices at multiple Canadian suppliers at one time.
Comfortable with renting from an RV owner? Use RVezy.com to find the perfect RV rental and save up to 40%.
If your travel dates are flexible save even more by renting your RV off-season or book a relocation RV rental and save hundreds of dollars a day.
Whatever RV rental route you take, with a little planning and research you can drive away with a cheap RV rental in Canada.
Need help on deciding what type of RV to rent?
Check out our insight-packed “Quick Guide to Renting an RV in Canada”.
Photo Credit: Carolina Rincon
