Welcome to FairCar — how the platform works
FairCar is a peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace built on flat fees. Here's how guests and hosts move through the platform.
The short version
FairCar connects guests who need a car with hosts (individuals and small fleets) who own one. Hosts list a vehicle, set their price, and choose pickup details. Guests search, book, and pay through FairCar. We handle payments, inspections, messaging, and disputes.
Unlike most marketplaces, we do not take a percentage of host earnings. Hosts pay a small flat subscription only in months where they actually book a trip — never up-front, never on idle months. Guests pay a 10% service fee with a $9.99 minimum.
Roles on the platform
Guest — books a car and drives it for the trip dates.
Host — lists one personal vehicle and earns from rentals.
Fleet — manages multiple vehicles (small commercial operators) under one team account.
Admin — FairCar staff who handle escalations, payouts, and safety reports.
A typical trip end-to-end
1. Guest searches a city and dates, picks a car, and checks out. Card is authorized for the trip total plus a refundable security deposit hold.
2. The host gets a booking notification. The guest verifies their identity if they haven't already.
3. Both sides complete a pre-trip inspection with photos, odometer, and fuel/battery readings.
4. The guest drives. Messaging stays in the FairCar inbox so we have a record if anything comes up.
5. After return, both sides complete a post-trip inspection. Toll charges, fuel reimbursement, or damage claims are filed through the trip page — never asked for over the phone.
6. Once the trip is closed, the host's payout is queued; the deposit is released.
Sign in and message the FairCar admin team from your in-app Messages — a real person replies within one business day. We don't outsource support.