Ace Rent a Car is cheapest for short trips and local rentals, but has real limits on where you can return cars and what happens if you damage them

Ace Rent a Car operates as a budget rental chain with roughly 300 locations, mostly in smaller cities and airport areas across the United States. The company competes on price rather than breadth — you will find lower daily rates than Enterprise or Hertz at many locations, but you will also find fewer cars, fewer locations to return to, and stricter damage policies. Whether Ace works for you depends entirely on what you are renting, where you are renting it, and how much risk you want to carry yourself.

The core trade-off is straightforward: Ace saves you money upfront by operating fewer locations and hiring independent franchisees rather than corporate staff. That savings gets passed to you as a lower base rate. But it also means less flexibility if your plans change, fewer car choices, and damage coverage that puts more of the cost on you rather than the rental company.

Key Takeaways

  • Ace's daily rates are typically 20 to 40 percent lower than major chains for economy and mid-size cars, but this advantage shrinks for premium vehicles and longer rentals.
  • Ace locations are concentrated in smaller cities and airport areas; if you need to pick up in one city and drop off in another, Ace may not have a location at your destination.
  • Damage waivers and insurance work differently at Ace than at major chains — you pay for damage out of pocket unless you buy their collision damage waiver, which costs more per day than competitors charge.
  • Ace does not offer loyalty programs, elite status, or frequent-renter discounts, so repeat customers do not get better rates or perks.
  • Ace works best for local rentals under a week in cities where they have a location, worst for one-way trips or multi-city itineraries.

Where Ace's Price Advantage Actually Shows Up

Ace's lowest rates appear on economy and compact car rentals for three to five days in markets where they have multiple locations. A three-day economy car rental in a mid-sized city might cost $45 to $55 per day at Ace versus $65 to $80 at Enterprise or Budget. That difference adds up to $60 to $105 over the rental period — real money for a weekend trip.

The advantage shrinks as the rental gets longer. Weekly rates at Ace are only 10 to 20 percent cheaper than major chains because Ace does not discount the way larger companies do. If you are renting for two weeks or a month, you may find better pricing through Costco Travel (which negotiates rates with major chains) or through a corporate discount code than through Ace's published rates.

Premium vehicles — SUVs, trucks, luxury sedans — show almost no price difference between Ace and competitors. Ace's franchise model means each location stocks what the local market demands, and in many places that means fewer large vehicles. You may not find what you need, or you may pay the same price as a major chain and get worse service.

The One-Way Rental Problem

Ace has roughly 300 locations nationwide, concentrated in smaller cities and airport areas. If you need to rent a car in Denver and drop it off in Las Vegas, Ace may not have a location in Las Vegas — or if it does, the one-way fee could be $200 to $400 because the company has to move the car back. Major chains have 5,000+ locations and can absorb one-way rentals as part of their normal fleet movement.

Before you book with Ace, search their location map on their website and confirm both your pickup and drop-off cities have an Ace location. If either city does not, or if the one-way fee is more than $100, switch to Enterprise, Budget, or Hertz. The price savings on the daily rate will evaporate.

Damage Coverage and Insurance — Where Ace Costs More

This is where Ace's low daily rate becomes misleading. Ace does not include collision damage waiver (CDW) in the base price. If you damage the car and do not have your own insurance or a credit card that covers rentals, you pay for repairs out of pocket — potentially thousands of dollars for major damage.

Ace's collision damage waiver costs $15 to $25 per day depending on the car and location. That means a three-day economy rental that looked like $135 ($45 × 3) actually costs $180 to $210 once you add the waiver. At that point, you are paying the same or more than Enterprise or Budget, which often include basic coverage in their base rate or charge less for add-on waivers.

Check your personal auto insurance policy and your credit card benefits before you rent. If your credit card covers rental car damage (most premium cards do), you do not need Ace's waiver and the low daily rate is genuine savings. If you do not have coverage, budget for the waiver and compare the total cost to major chains.

What Ace Does Not Offer That Competitors Do

Ace has no loyalty program, no elite status tiers, and no frequent-renter discounts. If you rent from Ace ten times a year, you pay the same rate as a first-time customer. Major chains offer free upgrades, late checkout, and discounted rates to repeat customers — benefits that add up if you rent regularly.

Ace also does not offer the same range of add-ons. GPS rentals, child car seats, and roadside information are available but often cost more than at major chains or may not be available at smaller franchise locations. If you need specific equipment, call the location directly before you book — do not assume it is available.

Customer service is handled by individual franchise owners, not a central call center. This means service quality varies by location. Some Ace franchises are excellent; others have long wait times and limited staff. Read recent reviews for the specific location you plan to use.

When Ace Makes Sense and When It Does Not

Ace works for: Local rentals (same pickup and drop-off location) under a week, in cities where Ace has a location, when you have credit card coverage for damage or your own auto insurance. A weekend car rental in a mid-sized city is Ace's sweet spot.

Ace does not work for: One-way rentals, multi-city trips, rentals longer than two weeks, premium vehicles, or situations where you need to add a lot of extras (GPS, insurance, seats). For these scenarios, major chains offer better flexibility and often comparable or lower total cost.

How to Check Ace Rates Against Competitors

Do not compare Ace's base daily rate to Enterprise's base daily rate. Compare the total cost including all fees and required add-ons. Use a rental comparison site like Kayak or Autoslash, enter your pickup and drop-off locations, and let the site pull rates from Ace, Enterprise, Budget, and Hertz at the same time. Look at the total price, not the daily rate.

If Ace does not appear in the results, it means they do not have a location at your pickup or drop-off point. That settles the question — book elsewhere. If Ace does appear and the total cost is lowest, check the damage waiver cost and confirm your insurance covers it. If the total cost is within 10 percent of a major chain, choose the major chain for the flexibility and loyalty benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ace charge extra fees I should know about?

Ace charges a facility fee (usually $5 to $10 per rental), a vehicle license recovery fee, and taxes on top of the daily rate. These are standard across rental companies. The big variable is the collision damage waiver, which Ace does not include and charges separately. Always ask for the total cost including all fees before you confirm the booking.

Can I use my credit card's rental car insurance with Ace?

Yes. Most premium credit cards (American Express Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture) cover rental car damage at Ace the same way they do at major chains. Call your credit card company before you rent to confirm coverage limits and what you need to do to set up it. If your card covers damage, you do not need Ace's collision damage waiver.

What happens if I return the car late?

Ace charges a late fee, typically $25 to $50 per hour depending on the location. This is higher than many major chains. If you think you might return late, ask about a late return fee when you pick up the car, and consider extending the rental period upfront rather than paying hourly late fees.

Is Ace safe and reliable?

Ace's cars are maintained by individual franchise owners, so quality varies by location. Read recent Google and TripAdvisor reviews for the specific Ace location you plan to use. Most Ace locations maintain their cars adequately, but some franchises have more complaints about mechanical issues than others. If reviews are poor, book elsewhere.

Can I book Ace through a travel website or app?

Ace appears on some comparison sites like Kayak and Autoslash, but not all. You can always book directly on Ace's website. Booking through a comparison site may show you a lower rate if that site has negotiated a deal with Ace, so check both before you decide.