Disadvantages of ZipcarMembership Fees: To use Zipcar, you'll need to pay either an annual or monthly membership fee. Because of this, even if you're not using the service, you'll be spending some money. Reservations Required: Using Zipcar requires some planning.
In fact, Zipcar is your cheapest option until just after you hit your 12th hourlong trip in a week, when buying a car outright takes over as cheapest. What's consistent in all of these hourlong scenarios? Over the course of a year, Uber is your most expensive choice for getting around.
Zipcar's model really works best for short trips of an hour or two—where it doesn't make sense to pay $35 or so for a car just to run errands. At less than $10 an hour (and without the hassle of dealing with gas), Zipcar's a better choice for a quick outing—and even compares favorably to Uber and Lyft.