Car Sharing in Berlin: Compare Top Providers for 2024

Car sharing has been one of the hottest new trends in Berlin over the past few years. Many car-sharing companies like ShareNow, DriveNow, SIXT Share, Car2go, or Miles offer brand-new cars for short-term rental around town. Finding the best car-sharing company for your needs can be tough, so let's compare them to see which one suits you best.

We only considered ShareNow (the merger of DriveNow and Car2go), SIXT Share, WeShare, and Miles because they offer the most cars in Berlin and operate as so-called free-floating services. This means you can pick up a car and drop it off anywhere you like. For example, Deutsche Bahn also offers car sharing, but you must pick up and return the car at designated parking spots, making their offer less flexible for this comparison.

ShareNow

ShareNow is currently the largest car-sharing company in Germany. This isn't surprising, as it's the result of the merger between DriveNow and Car2go, former competitors owned by Mercedes and BMW. Currently, both companies still operate with their own fleets; in the ShareNow app, you'll see the locations of both Car2go and DriveNow cars. ShareNow is available in many major German cities, including Berlin, Munich, Düsseldorf, Cologne, and Hamburg. Now ShareNow has over 3,300 DriveNow cars and about 3,000 Car2go cars available for rent across Germany. In Berlin, it feels like every car on the street is either a DriveNow BMW 1 Series, Mini (coupe and convertible!), X1, or even ActiveE, or one of Car2go's many Smarts. Many people—especially younger ones—feel there's no need to own a car in Berlin, as signing up with ShareNow or any other car-sharing company is much cheaper.

There are two ways to book a car: use the ShareNow app up to 15 minutes in advance, or walk up to a car and use the app to unlock it. The ShareNow app is available for iOS and Android and shows you all available DriveNow and Car2go cars on a map in your area. Just select the nearest one and reserve it; the reservation is valid for 15 minutes, after which someone else can book it. Registration with ShareNow costs only €19 (instead of about €29), which already includes 30 minutes of driving. The per-minute price depends on the car type you choose, starting at €0.33 per minute. ShareNow covers the most important parts of Berlin, including Berlin Tegel Airport and Schönefeld Airport. You can park anywhere inside the S-Bahn ring, and in some areas like Prenzlauer Berg, even outside the ring. Of course, you can use the car outside this area, but if you park it outside the operating zone, you'll have to pay a fine.

SIXT Share – Berlin

We have to say, this is one of the newest car-sharing services and a great option. SIXT Share has a major advantage: SIXT has been in the car rental business for decades. SIXT is probably one of the largest rental companies alongside Europcar and Enterprise, so it's already a well-known and trusted company. Therefore, the decision to enter the car-sharing market might not come as a surprise. But what is surprising is how SIXT combines car sharing and car rental in one app. So whether you need a car for a quick grocery run or spontaneously want to drive to the coast for three days, you just download the app and start driving. You can pick up a car within its business area or at one of 500 SIXT stations across Germany. As a welcome bonus, your first trip with SIXT Share is free (up to a €10 trip). After that, it costs €0.30 per minute, or €59 for a full day.

WeShare (Volkswagen)

Germany's newest car-sharing company, powered by Volkswagen – if that's not enough to get you excited, we have good news. All cars used by WeShare are 100% electric – brand-new E-Golfs and sometimes even the new ID.3! Nothing is cooler than cruising through Berlin in a brand-new silent e-Golf. Who needs a 600-horsepower tuned Mercedes or Porsche? That's so 90s . Plus, all rides cost just €0.19 per minute, and the WeShare service area covers the most important zones, even far outside the Berlin S-Bahn ring. We might have a new favorite here .

Miles Berlin

What once sounded like something from an 80s gangster movie is the newest player in Berlin's car-sharing scene. Recently renamed from Drive by to Miles, it's a great option for car sharing in Berlin. Miles has a slightly smaller operating area than main competitors DriveNow and Car2go. However, their cars are new, well-maintained, and fun to drive. Also, pricing is a bit different from what you get at other car-sharing companies. Instead of paying per minute, you pay only for the distance you drive. This is much less stressful and can be cheaper in heavy traffic. For us, Miles is an excellent alternative to the well-known car-sharing companies DriveNow and Car2go.

Car2go by Mercedes-Benz

Car2go is a car-sharing company jointly operated by Mercedes-Benz and Europcar. As mentioned, Car2go recently merged with DriveNow and is available on the ShareNow app. In Germany, Car2go operates in 7 cities, offering over 3,000 cars for rent, with a slightly higher density around Berlin. With ShareNow, you can choose from many different cars that also fit 4 people, while Car2go's fleet only has Smart cars. So if you plan to drive to IKEA for some new furniture, Car2go might not be your best bet. But if you just need a car to get from A to B quickly, you'll love these Smarts. Your old excuse of not finding a parking spot won't work anymore because these Smarts fit anywhere. If you compare Car2go and DriveNow prices, you'll find that Car2go is slightly cheaper than DriveNow. Car2go charges just €0.29 per minute. If you plan to stop for a while, you can do so for €0.19 per minute, or a fixed price of €14.90 for an hour. Car2go also offers an app for iOS and Android that lets you book a car online in advance. You can pick up and park cars anywhere inside the S-Bahn ring and in some places like Steglitz or Dahlem even further out.

Car-Sharing Companies in Berlin Compared

For an overview of the four car-sharing companies, we only considered the cheapest options.

Ultimately, the best choice depends on your needs. If you want the largest fleet and coverage, go with ShareNow. For electric driving at a low price, WeShare is unbeatable. If you prefer distance-based pricing, Miles is your best bet. And if you want flexibility with rental options, SIXT Share is a solid choice.