The best car subscription providers

One of the fastest-growing segments of the consumer automotive market is car subscription services. An enormous amount of investment is going on, with multiple car subscription providers entering the market in the expectation of considerable growth over the next few years.

Subscription schemes go under many different names: flexible lease or rental; long-term rental or long-term hire. The essential idea is that you have a car for as long as you like; from one month to several years. There is either no fee or a small charge to sign up and you can end the contract or swap the car when you feel like it, subject to conditions.

For a full explanation of all the pros and cons of subscription services, have a read of our comprehensive guide:

• Car subscription services explained

What kind of subscriptions are on offer?

The offerings are changing all the time, but car subscription providers can be divided into those from car makers, independent providers and rental companies.

Many car manufacturers and subscription providers also see a subscription service providing a gateway to electric car ownership, giving customers the opportunity to live with an electric vehicle for a few weeks or months before making any major financial commitment. So far, EV customers have been one of the biggest adopters of car subscriptions, with the vast majority continuing to drive an EV long after their initial subscription period ends.

These are the top UK-based car subscription services available as of August 2023.

• Looking for a van subscription? The Van Expert has compiled the UK’s top van subscription services

Multi-brand subscription providers

Independent car subscription providers are taking the lead on subscription services while car manufacturers are scrambling to sort themselves out. They offer vehicles from a number of brands, with various different offers and restrictions.

All of the subscription companies below include road tax and breakdown cover in their pricing. Most also include servicing and wear-and-tear costs for things like tyres, as well as MOT costs if the vehicle goes beyond its third birthday while you have it.

Look out for differences in mileage allowances (you can pay extra if you need more), delivery and collection charges, and up-front admin or joining fees. Some providers will include comprehensive insurance, although terms and conditions will apply so check the fine print thoroughly.

At this stage, the number of different models available on a subscription service are more limited than your choices with leasing or traditional dealer finance, but the choices are growing all the time. We keep this list up to date on a regular basis.

Mycardirect*

URL: mycardirect.co.uk

Mycardirect is an online car subscription service that offers both fossil-fuel and electric cars from a number of different brands. The company has four locations in England and offers free delivery to anywhere in mainland GB.

As well as cars, Mycardirect also offers vans. This is handy for small businesses that may not need a van all-year-round, or may need an additional vehicle for a short-term contract.

Insurance isn’t included in the advertised prices – Mycardirect can help you with that or you can sort it out yourself if you prefer. As of January 2024, prices kick off at £439/month for a SEAT Ibiza on three-month contract.

• The Car Expert interviews Mycardirect CEO, Duncan Chumley
• Have a look at the range of cars that Mycardirect currently has available*

Wagonex*

URL: wagonex.co.uk

Wagonex was one of the UK’s first car subscription providers, founded in London in 2016 and now based in Cardiff. As well as its own operations, Wagonex also provides a lot of the tech for some other subscription providers.

The Wagonex site presents vehicles and subscription packages from a range of subscription providers (a bit like Auto Trader offers used cars from many different sellers), so the terms and conditions for each vehicle will vary. This can make it a bit more confusing when looking at different vehicles on the site as the up-front deposit, mileage allowance and other terms won’t necessarily be the same.

Insurance is not included in the monthly fee. Terms can be anything from one month to two years.

As of January 2024, prices start at £355/month for a Citroën C3 on three-month contract. But it’s not just family runabouts on offer – Wagonex can help you out with a Ferrari Roma (£8k/month), Lamborghini Urus (£12k/month) or a Maserati MC20 (a snip at just £7.8k/month) if you’d like a supercar for the summer…

• Have a look at the range of vehicles Wagonex currently has to offer*

Cocoon*

URL: cocoonvehicles.co.uk

Cocoon Vehicles operates short-term leases from one to three months or subscriptions. It doesn’t sell insurance and you can rent convertibles and performance cars.

There’s quite a range of vehicles on offer, and the company uses actual humans on phones rather than chatbots or messaging services, which is becoming a rarity these days.

A minimum of 833 miles/month (10,000 miles/year) is included and the lowest monthly subscription starts at £529 for a Volkswagen Polo on a minimum 90-day contract (as of January 2024).

• Have a look at Cocoon’s range of vehicles currently available*

Drive Fuze*

URL: drivefuze.com

Drive Fuze is a start-up car subscription provider offering rolling-month subscriptions so you don’t need to worry about being locked into a longer contract. It offers both fossil-fuel and electric cars, so you should be able to find something just right for your needs.

All vehicles include a 1,000 mile per month driving allowance, as well as insurance and scheduled servicing.

As of January 2024, prices start at £419/month for a Fiat 500 or MG 3 on a rolling monthly contract. Drive Fuze does charge for vehicle delivery and collection, unlike some other providers, and you have to hunt through the FAQs for some approximate guidance (from £199 for certain parts of England on weekdays, more for everyone else and on Saturdays).

• Have a look at the range of vehicles Drive Fuze currently has available*

Elmo

URL: elmodrive.com

Elmo is a specialist electric car subscription service. Open to drivers aged 25 or over, all advertised prices include the monthly cost of the vehicle as well as comprehensive insurance,.

Elmo divides its subscription offerings into two products – Flex and Save. Flex is aimed at customers who want a car for a shorter term – there’s a minimum 60-day term – or want to change their car regularly. Save is a minimum 12-month agreement, which allows you to save about 10% on the monthly fee.

Elmo also provides a charging card so you can use more than 20,000 charging points with one card and a single monthly invoice, rather than needing multiple apps or cards for different charging networks.

A total of 23 different EVs from ten manufacturers is currently available, including popular models like the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2. As of January 2024, the MG ZS EV is advertised from £386 a month on the 12-month Save plan. Elmo has also branched out into salary sacrifice, which is an increasingly popular way to drive a new electric vehicle.

EZoo

URL: www.ezoo.uk

Formerly known as Electric Zoo, EZoo is another EV-only pay-as-you-go subscription scheme like Elmo.

The family who run the business used to sell high performance Porches, but now they concentrate on finding suitable electric cars for their customers, from the tiny Renault Twizy quadricycle to larger models such as the Tesla Model Y.

Terms start at just one month and rise to up to two years. Sign up, and after that, you simply make arrangements to collect your car. Delivery is not included in the price – it’s quoted as £1.80/mile from either Coventry or Glasgow, depending on where your car is coming from.

As of January 2024, EZoo offers cars from 13 different EV manufacturers. Prices start at £299 a month for a Renault Twizy – although if you want a proper car, the Renault Zoe starts at £475 – and run to more than £2,000.

Flexed

URL: flexed.co.uk

Flexed can offer subscription terms from as little as four weeks and as much as a year, with a choice of both fossil-fuel and electric vehicles.

There’s a wide choice of makes models available from 16 different brands, with more than 2,000 vehicles currently on the fleet. That gives Flexed one of the best choices for whatever sort of vehicle you need.

As of January 2024, prices start at £350 for an MG 3 on a 28-day rolling contract, and cars can be delivered to your door – although delivery costs extra, with the company charging £1.07 per mile from its York HQ.

Flexigo

URL: flexigocars.uk

Flexigo is also part of the Cocoon group, and offers another alternative for subscriptions. Most of the prices quoted on the site are for a three-month period, but terms as low as 28 days are available if you contact the company directly. The company offers next-day delivery to anywhere in the UK (at extra cost) or you can collect the vehicle from the Fleixo office in Derbyshire.

As of August 2023, prices start at £599/month for a petrol Nissan Juke or an electric MG 5 estate on a three-month contract, which doesn’t include insurance.

Car manufacturer subscription services

There are only a few subscription services currently run directly by car makers, but more are set to join in coming months. Here are some of the biggest players, but we have put together a comprehensive round-up in a brand-new article:
All the latest providers: Car manufacturer subscription providers 2023

Jaguar Land Rover: Pivotal

Volvo: Care by Volvo

Genesis: Flexibility

Hyundai: Mocean

Dealer-driven car subscriptions

The car subscription sector may still be in its infancy, but it’s already evolving as new technology and new players look to disrupt the status quo.

One area that looks like it is going to be a real growth area over the next year is car dealers offering subscriptions. There are plenty of benefits for dealers in being able to operate in this area, and additional flexibility for customers.

Technology platforms are now available that car dealers can use to manage their own subscription programmes, giving customers the opportunity to take a subcription on any car the dealer has available. We expect to see this area grow significantly through 2024 and beyond.

Van subscriptions

It’s not just cars that are in demand on subscription. Businesses are now turning to subscriptions to enable them to run additional vehicles for seasonal work or specific jobs, where they want a vehicle (or a few vehicles) for a few weeks or months rather than three or four years.

If you’re looking for a new or used van on subscription, our sister site The Van Expert has compiled a list of the UK’s best van subscription providers.

More car subscription information

• More car buying news and advice at The Car Expert

Additional reporting by Stuart Masson, Sean Rees and Tom Johnston. This article is regularly updated to ensure it remains accurate. Last updated January 2024.

* The Car Expert has commercial partnerships with Cocoon, Drive Fuze, Mycardirect and Wagonex. If you click through to their websites and/or proceed to take out a subscription contract, we may receive a small commission. This does not affect the price you pay.