Our success guide for new Getaround owners

Make your listing stand out

Upload quality photos

The easiest way to capture the attention of potential guests is to take good photos of your car. We've highlighted a few of our favorite photography tips below, but be sure to check out our complete guide to uploading car photos in the Help Center.

• Clean the exterior and interior of your vehicle prior to the car photo shoot. Remove all personal belongings from your car.
• Take all photos horizontally, with a 4:3 aspect ratio in mind.
• Ensure there are no visible parking restrictions, people, or other cars in the background.

Park your car in a high-demand home location

Proximity is one of the primary determining factors for guests searching for cars to book. Consider locating your vehicle near a transit center, in a downtown area, dense neighborhood, or other areas with high foot traffic. Guest often choose the car that is most accessible to them.

Make your vehicle available during busy times

In general, the more hours your car is available to be booked, the greater that vehicle's carsharing earning potential. It's more likely your car will show up in guest searches when you make it available for long, uninterrupted chunks of time.

Remember: There is more rental demand for shared cars on weekends, holidays, and commuting hours.

Deliver a great guest experience

Keep your car clean and safe

Check your car after each rental, and clean the interior if necessary. Little things go a long way — shake out the floor mats, wipe down the dash board, etc. On the occasion a guest fails to return your car in a reasonably clean condition, you can request cleaning fees from your owner dashboard.

It's also important to regularly perform routine maintenance and safety checks. Whenever possible, inspect the tire pressure, check fluid levels, and confirm no warning lights are on inside the vehicle.

Click here to learn more about how maintaining your vehicle can help you earn repeat bookings from guests.

Make it easy for guests

Minimize confusion among guests by providing clear and detailed instructions for accessing and returning your car. If you drive your car between bookings, be sure to park it at the exact address mentioned in your listing (or within a quarter mile radius for on-street parking).

Honor your commitments

Keep your availability calendar up to date to avoid having to cancel any bookings. You can also set personalized rental conditions — such as a minimum booking lead time of 24 hours or a maximum booking notice of 3 months — to make it easier for you to manage your car's schedule.

At Getaround, we want all our hosts to provide a quality experience for our guests. Click here to view our Host Policy.

Getaround Connect®: Effortless carsharing for both you and guests

App unlock

Guests start and end their rentals autonomously, unlocking and locking your car with the Getaround app on their phone.

GPS location

The Connect® allows verified to drivers see the exact location of your car one hour before their rental starts. After their rental, you’ll know exactly where the guest parked your car.

Mileage tracking

Miles driven during each rental are recorded, so you'll be compensated when drivers exceed their mileage limits.

Fuel tracking

When guests return your car with less fuel than the start of their rental, you'll be reimbursed for the difference.

Immobilizer

Your car stays safe, even between rentals. Learn more about Enhanced Security with the Getaround Connect®.

Connect® safety in 1-2-3

1. Keep the keys in the glove box

With Getaround Connect®, guests will be able to securely unlock your car using only the Getaround app. Once inside, they’ll need the keys to drive during their rental.

2. Lock your car with your phone

Do not use your keys to lock your vehicle. Doing so will prevent guests from starting their rental with the Connect® unlock feature.

3. Unlock your car with your phone

If you need to use your car after a rental, you first need to unlock it with your phone to disable the immobilizer. After the initial app unlock, you'll be able to use your keys to lock and unlock the car. Just remember to lock it using the Getaround app for the final time before the next rental.

Use the app to lock and unlock your car as much as possible to avoid any potential problems for guests who rent your car.

What to expect before and during a rental

Before the rental

• For every new booking, you’ll receive notifications via email and in the Getaround app.
• We carefully verify each driver’s identity before their booking. Thanks to our integration with your local DMV, we're able to automatically run a secure driver record check in real-time for every new guest. We also use advanced technology to help prevent fraud.
• Owners who have Getaround Connect® installed benefit from immediate booking. Once verified, guests can instantly reserve your car whenever you have it marked available in your calendar.

When the trip is about to start

• The guest can locate your car with the app up to one hour before the rental.
• Before unlocking your car, the guest will take photos of the interior and exterior, from all angles.
• Once they’ve uploaded the photos, they’ll be able to unlock the car with their phone.
• With the key in the glove box, they’re ready to go.

If something happens during the rental

• During your guest's trip, your car and its occupants are covered by our insurance, with a range of protection plans available to the guest at checkout.
• Guests can also use their own insurance for their trip, thanks to our recent partnership with Axle.
• In case of an incident, the guest can contact our roadside assistance. Our Trust & Safety agents are available 24/7.

When the trip is about to end

• Guests should follow your detailed instructions to return your car and leave the keys in the glove box.
• To lock the car and end of each rental, guests are required to take the same photos they did during their check-in.
• If a guest returns your car with less fuel, or exceeds mileage limits, you'll be reimbursed for the difference. If the car is returned with more fuel than the beginning of the trip, the cost difference is deducted from your earnings so the guest can be refunded.
• If a guest needs to extend their trip, they can send a request directly in the Getaround app. If your Connected car is available for that time, the extension request will be automatically accepted.

What to expect after a rental is complete

Getting paid

• For quick and easy earnings payments, ensure your PayPal account is linked to your Getaround account.
• From there, transfers to your bank account are automatic. If you select daily payments, the transfer delay is three days; if you opt for monthly payments, you'll receive your earnings at the beginning of each month.
• If you earn enough through carsharing, you may receive a 1099 tax form from Getaround. Learn more about taxes.

Reporting claims and requesting additional charges

• If your vehicle is damaged during a trip, follow these steps to use the in-app form to report a claim. Your claim must be supported with check-in and check-out photos.
• You have 48 hours after a trip ends to request compensation for cleaning fees, excess mileage, or late check-out. This can be done directly from the app.
• If you request compensation for cleaning, make sure to clean the car before your next rental. If the compensation request is for distant check-out, make sure to move the car back to the listing address before your next rental.

For more tips on achieving success on Getaround, check your monthly email newsletter and bookmark our blog in your web browser. You can also join our owner Facebook group, where veteran Getaround owners share their favorite tips and best practices.

Happy carsharing!