Outdoorsy is a marketplace where owners and local hire businesses list campervans, motorhomes and RVs, and travellers book them online. This review covers how it works for people renting in the UK and for owners thinking of listing a van, including the costs and downsides that listings rarely spell out. It is written by Malcolm Maybury, who runs Campervanhire.com.
What is Outdoorsy?
Outdoorsy is a peer-to-peer and business-to-consumer rental marketplace for recreational vehicles. Its own company information says it was founded in 2014, operates in 14 countries and lists more than 200,000 vehicles. Those are the company's own figures, so treat them as a guide to scale rather than an audited count. In September 2024 trade press reported that the group had passed US$3 billion in lifetime transactions (Insurance Business).
The company began in the United States, and North America is still its core market. It does run a UK-facing site and a United Kingdom rental section, so you can search for vans here, but the choice is thinner than in the US. That matters if you want a specific van type, a pick-up point in a particular town or a last-minute booking in August.
How renting through Outdoorsy works
The process is similar to booking a holiday home. Vans are listed by owners and local businesses, and bookings are made through our partner Outdoorsy. If you want to see what is available, you can search vans on Outdoorsy or use our own search page. In outline:
- Search. Enter your dates and pick-up area, then filter by sleeping capacity, van type, price and extras.
- Check the listing. Read the description, the owner's rules, the mileage terms, the deposit, the cancellation policy and the reviews from past renters.
- Book. Some vans can be booked straight away, while others need the owner to approve your request. Our guide to instant bookings explains the difference.
- Pay. You pay through the platform rather than handing cash to a stranger. The total shows the rental, any extras and a service fee at checkout.
- Collect and go. You meet the owner or business, go through a handover, and take the van. Bring the documents they ask for; our list of what documents you need to rent a campervan covers the usual ones.
What is included
Insurance and payment protection come with every booking made through Outdoorsy. Outdoorsy says its cover is arranged with insurance partners and applies during the rental period only. For UK trips, the exact terms, limits and excess depend on the van and the policy attached to the listing, and I could not confirm UK-specific figures from Outdoorsy's public pages. Read the cover summary on the listing, and note what it says about damage, theft, personal belongings, and the driver age and licence rules. Our guide to insurance for campervan hire sets out the questions to ask.
24/7 roadside assistance is an optional add-on rather than part of the base price. If you are towing, travelling far from home or taking a vehicle you do not know well, it is worth considering. For a wider view of what a hire normally covers, see what is included in campervan hire.
Payment protection is a real advantage over an informal private hire. Your money goes through the platform instead of you sending a bank transfer to someone you have never met.
What it costs
Several parts make up the final price, so compare the total rather than the headline nightly rate.
- Nightly price. Set by the owner or business. It varies with season, van size and length of stay, and many owners set minimum stays.
- Service fee. Renters pay a service fee shown at checkout. I do not quote a percentage for UK bookings, because I could not source one.
- Security deposit and excess. Owners can require a refundable security deposit, and insurance usually carries an excess. Check both before you book, because the amount you could be asked to pay after damage can be more than the deposit. Outdoorsy's own guidance says the deposit is typically used for interior damage, cleaning or broken house rules.
- Extras. Bedding, camping chairs, bike racks, delivery and pet fees are often optional charges set by the owner, and an owner can also add a one-off prep fee that covers standard cleaning.
- Mileage. Some vans include a daily allowance and charge per mile above it. Others have unlimited mileage. It is set per listing.
- Cancellation. Cancellation terms are set by each owner, so a flexible policy on one van does not mean the next one is the same. Read the policy before paying, especially for peak weeks.
For typical price ranges, see how much it costs to hire a motorhome and how much it costs to rent an RV.
Listing your own van
Owners can list a van or a small fleet on Outdoorsy and set their own prices, rules, availability and mileage terms. Outdoorsy says listing is free and that it takes a commission from bookings. The commission is set out in Outdoorsy's host terms, so read those before you commit rather than relying on a figure quoted in a review. Renters are verified and pay through the platform, and the platform pays you out under its own payout schedule, which you should check in the host terms.
Insurance while rented is meant to be built into the booking, but what it covers for a UK-registered van, and how it interacts with your own policy, is something to confirm with Outdoorsy and your insurer before your first rental. Your usual personal policy will not normally cover paid hire. If you want a different route, our pages on private camper van hire from a local owner and RV rental by owner explain how owner hire works more broadly. To get your van in front of our visitors, join and list your campervan.
Be realistic about the work involved. You will answer enquiries, prepare the van, hand it over, check it on return and clean it. Owners who treat it as a small business tend to do better than those who treat it as a way to cover the cost of a van sitting on the drive.
Pros and cons
What works well
- One place to compare many vans, with photos, reviews and owner profiles.
- Payment goes through the platform, and insurance comes with every booking.
- You can find a wider mix of vans, including older and more unusual ones, than a single fleet operator offers.
- Roadside assistance is available if you want it.
- Owners reach renters without building their own booking system.
What to watch
- A service fee is added at checkout, and owners pay a commission.
- Deposits and insurance excess can be significant.
- Owner quality varies. A well-run listing and a poorly run one sit side by side.
- Cancellation terms differ from van to van.
- UK availability is thinner than in the US, so popular dates go quickly and some areas have few vans.
- Roadside assistance is not automatic. You have to add it.
- Support is shared between the platform and the owner, so problems on the road may need both.
Is Outdoorsy reputable?
The signals I can verify are these. It has operated since 2014, it handles very large volumes of rentals, and it has been covered by trade and business press. Its Trustpilot page carries thousands of reviews, with opinions mixed in the way you would expect for a service where the experience depends heavily on the individual owner. Check the current score yourself, as it changes.
The better test is the listing in front of you. Look at how many reviews the van has, whether they are recent, how the owner replies, and whether the photos match the description. Message the owner with a question before you book. A quick, clear answer is a good sign.
Frequently asked questions
Does Outdoorsy operate in the UK?
Yes. There is a UK-facing site and a United Kingdom rental section, with vans from owners and local businesses. The range is smaller than in the US, so book early for school holidays.
Is insurance included?
Insurance and payment protection come with every booking. The detail, including limits and excess, depends on the listing, so read the cover summary before you pay.
Is roadside assistance included?
No, it is an optional add-on. You can choose it when you book.
Can I cancel a booking?
Cancellation terms are set by the owner and shown on the listing. Read them before you pay, because refunds depend on the policy and how close the trip is.
Can I list my own campervan?
Yes. Listing is free to start, and Outdoorsy takes a commission under its host terms. See our join page to get started.
Ready to look? Search campervans and motorhomes near you.