Outdoorsy Vs. RVShare: Where to list your RV for rent

If you own an RV and you wish to make some money from it on the side when you’re not using it, renting it out using a peer to peer marketplace such as Outdoorsy or RVShare is a great idea.

But which of the two companies is better? In this post, we’ll go through Outdoorsy Vs. RVShare and talk about the services, pros, and cons of each one.

The bottom line, however, is that aside from some minor differences, as an owner, it’s actually worthwhile to list your RV on both platforms as that allows you more exposure and more potential earnings!

As a renter, both services are really good and it’s just a matter of finding the right RV closest to you, which is why we suggest trying out both services!

Overall, both are really good platforms that offer conveniences and essential coverage and services to both renters and owners.

Outdoorsy Short Review

On Outdoorsy, there are a wide variety of rigs you can choose to rent(or put on rent).

Some of the classes available are Class A, B, C, 5th wheels, truck campers, trailers, and popups, to name a few. This is really flexible for both renters and owners as owners can manage to put almost whatever type of camper/RV/trailer they have on for rent.

As an owner, you’ll probably be concerned about who is renting your RV – and in some cases, your entire home! Outdoorsy mandates a vehicular background check for all potential renters before they are able to book anything from the marketplace.

You’ll receive 80% of the listed rate, plus any extra charges incurred by the renter such as generator usage.

Outdoorsy provides an optional GPS tracking option so you can simply log into their website and see where your RV is at all times. This can be a huge relief for some people especially if they have a tendency to worry!

They have a tie up with one of the largest coverage companies in the world, and provide their RV owners a free $1 million liability and $250,000 collision policy.

The coverage extends to the US, Canada, the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

This is a list of some of the things covered by their policy:

• Backup accidents
• Vandalism
• Fires
• Stolen RV
• Power surge
• Earthquakes
• Fallen trees
• Windstorms
• Hailstorms
• Animal collision

Interior damage is not covered by the policy, so if any such thing happens, then it must be handled between the renter and the owner and the owner can deduct the amount from the security deposit. Outdoorsy has detailed their whole policy and procedure regarding security deposits and damages here.

There’s also good roadside assistance available for $15 per day, paid by the renter. This is a good deal to get as a renter, since you know help can be on the way if something happens, like a breakdown or a flat tire.

Here’s what their roadside assistance covers:

• Flat tires
• Towing
• Fluid refilling
• Battery boost
• Mobile mechanic

While they say that the coverage is 24/7, if you’re in a very remote area, you’ll have to accept that it will take a bit longer for a technician to arrive on the scene than if you were in a location closer to a populous place.

Once the reservation is finalized, Outdoorsy holds the payment for 24 hours before releasing it to the owner’s bank account. This takes anywhere between 3-5 days depending on the bank you’re using.

There’s also a personal concierge service you’ll get as a renter that will help you find RV campgrounds, restaurant reservations, and other services.

RVShare Short Review

Like Outdoorsy, RVShare also offers you the ability to rent or list RVs across a wide range of makes and models. Class A, B, C, 5th wheels, trailers, and pop-ups are a few of the kinds of RVs you’ll find on RVShare.

There’s also 24/7 roadside assistance and a travel assistance service that comes included with the booking.

Roadside assistance consists of the following:

• Tire replacement: If you end up with a flat tire or need to refill air in your tires, you can call RVShare and they’ll hook you up with a free replacement tire or refilling anywhere in the United States
• Towing service: For some reason, if you need to get the RV towed, you can call RVShare and they’ll send over the nearest qualified person to tow your RV – you’ll have to bear in mind that the key word here is “nearest”, and if you’re in a remote area, naturally, it will take a little longer for help to arrive than otherwise.

Coverage is included for the owner of the RV just by listing their RV on the website. This includes $500,000 liability and $200,000 collision. You have the option to upgrade to $1,000,000, too.

The deductible is $1,500 per occurrence and is taken from the renter’s security deposit.

As a renter, you don’t need to buy anything extra – the amount is already included in your rental quote.

RVShare’s policy covers much of what Outdoorsy’s policy covers, which was stated above:

• Backup accidents
• Vandalism
• Fires
• Stolen RV
• Power surge
• Earthquakes
• Fallen trees
• Windstorms
• Hailstorms
• Animal collision

It should be noted here that RVShare’s RVs are pet friendly – not all of Outdoorsy’s are, though.

Their fee structure is between 15%-25%, depending on the user and how many RVs they’ve listed on the site.

Should you put your RV for rent?

Of course, the thought of renting out your RV – and quite possibly your home – to a complete stranger for a number of days is incredibly scary. Plus, if you’re full-timing, you have to empty out the RV from your personal items and re-stock it every time someone wants to rent, though some people choose to leave appliances and extra furniture in the RV for their renters to use as a convenience.

What if something happens? What will the renters do in your RV? Where will they take it?

As you can see, both Outdoorsy and RVShare have taken plenty of precautions to make sure that you’re well covered in case of any emergency.

Additionally, many folks who have started to use RVShare and Outdoorsy have actually considered buying a second RV and turning it into a business! Some folks even make upwards of $30k a year just by renting out.

However, it should be noted that this will turn into a business for you if you decide to go this route, and as a result, you’ll have to deal with the finer details like making your RV more hospitable(adding creature comforts and conveniences), as well as meeting your renters, briefing them about the RV, and so on.

Even if you don’t want to scale up too much, many owners have found that renting out their RV during the holidays has also been very fruitful. During the holidays, some full-timers might be staying over with friends or family, so rather than keeping the RV unused, they rent it out.

Just by renting it out for a few weeks each year, some owners are able to earn a significant chunk of their yearly payment – almost making their RV effectively free!