Start here — get $15 credit toward your first Getaround trip: Sign up through my invite link: Join Getaround with my invite. You get $15 credit when you sign up through the link, and I get $15 credit after you complete your first trip. Credit is Getaround driving credit only — not cash.

Getaround First-Trip Walkthrough: How to Rent a Car by the Hour and Use Your $15 Credit

Sometimes you do not need to own a second car. You need a car for three hours: a furniture pickup, an airport run, a big grocery trip, or a day trip out of Sacramento. Getaround is built for exactly that gap. It is a peer-to-peer car sharing service where you book a nearby car in the app, unlock it with your phone, drive, and return it — by the hour or by the day, with no rental counter and no paper contract to sign at a desk.

This walkthrough covers your first trip from start to finish: how signup and verification work, how Getaround Connect keyless pickup actually feels, what the trip costs beyond the headline price, and how to make sure your $15 referral credit applies cleanly. I will be direct about the limits too, because a first trip goes best when there are no surprises.

What Getaround Is — and What It Is Not

Getaround connects car owners with drivers who need a car nearby. Cars listed with Getaround Connect can be located, booked, and unlocked through the app, 24/7, without meeting the owner to exchange keys. That self-service model is the whole point: choose a car, verify once, and go.

It is not a traditional rental company or a ride-hailing service — you are the driver. Availability and prices vary by neighborhood and owner. Trip protection, mileage, and fuel rules are shown per booking, so read that screen before you confirm.

Step 1: Sign Up Through the Invite Link

Tap the invite link at the top of this post and create your account as a brand-new driver. The referral terms require a genuinely new account — no existing Getaround account, and not the same household as the person who invited you. When you sign up through the link, you receive $15 in Getaround credit. I receive $15 in credit only after you complete your first trip.

That credit matters, so do not rush past it. Confirm the credit appears in your account before you book, and note its expiry: referral credit is valid for 12 months from issue under Getaround's US referral terms. Credit is personal — it is not refundable, not transferable, and cannot be exchanged for cash. It applies to rentals, not to penalties, incident charges, or options added after booking.

Step 2: Complete Verification Before You Need the Car

License and ID check

On your first Getaround Connect booking, the app asks you to upload photos of your driver's license and ID and verify your profile. Getaround's own how-it-works page says you only need to do this the first time you use Getaround Connect. Do it at home, in good light, a day before you actually need to drive — not in a parking lot five minutes before a pickup. A failed or blurry upload is the most avoidable first-trip delay there is.

Step 3: Choose the Right Car for the Job

Filter by car type, price, and features in the app. Match the car to the task honestly: a compact car is cheaper for errands, a larger vehicle makes sense for a furniture or airport run with luggage. Check the pickup location on the map — the closest car is not always the most convenient if you have to cross a busy road or a gated complex to reach it. Look at the included mileage as well. Getaround notes mileage in terms of miles per hour up to a daily cap, with details shown per trip; if you expect a long drive, confirm the allowance before you book rather than discovering an overage charge afterward.

Step 4: Book, Check In, and Unlock With Your Phone

When your trip window starts, follow the check-in process in the app. You will inspect the car, note its condition, and unlock it in one tap. The keys will be inside. Take clear photos during check-in, including any existing scratches, the fuel level, and the odometer if prompted. Those photos protect both you and the owner, and they take less than two minutes.

During the trip, manage everything in the app. Getaround states that trips are covered by insurance and 24/7 customer support, and you can choose a Plus or Premium protection plan for additional peace of mind. Read what your selected plan covers before you drive — protection choices affect your responsibility if something goes wrong, so this is not a screen to tap through blindly.

Step 5: Return the Car Correctly

Return the car to its designated spot, refill fuel to the level required by your trip terms, remove your belongings, leave the keys inside, and lock the car with your phone to check out and end the trip. Getaround notes the rental price can be adjusted if you drove further than expected or did not refill the fuel tank. A careful return — on time, fueled, and photographed — is how you avoid extra charges and keep your account in good standing for the next booking.

One referral-term detail worth knowing: even when credit covers most of a rental, the renter always pays at least $1 per rental for insurance. So a $15 credit does not make a trip literally $0 — expect at least that small charge, plus anything outside what credit covers.

Hourly vs. Daily: The Simple Math

Hourly booking wins for a single errand, a pickup, or a short airport run — you pay only for the window you use. Daily booking wins when you need the car across a full day with stops, or when hourly pricing for a long window approaches the daily rate. Compare both in the app for your exact times before confirming; prices vary by car and demand, so I am not quoting a rate here — check the live price for your trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much credit do I get with the invite?

$15 in Getaround credit when you sign up through the invite link. I get $15 in credit after you complete your first trip. I re-verified the $15 amount on Getaround's live US how-it-works page on November 1, 2026 — it previously differed in older terms, so always check the live page.

Is the $15 cash?

No. It is Getaround driving credit only — not cash, not refundable, and not transferable.

How long is the credit valid?

12 months from issue under the US referral terms described in my package notes. Confirm the date shown in your own account.

Do I meet the car owner?

For Getaround Connect cars, no — you locate, unlock, and return the car through the app. The keys are inside the car.

What do I need for my first trip?

A new Getaround account, a valid driver's license and ID for the one-time verification, and a payment method for the portion not covered by credit — including at least $1 per rental for insurance.

Final Take

Getaround is at its best for the trips that do not justify owning another car: a few hours, a specific job, a nearby pickup. Sign up through the invite, verify early, photograph check-in and return carefully, and your $15 credit does real work on that first trip.

Ready for your first trip? Sign up for Getaround through my invite link and get $15 credit toward your first trip.

See more referral guides on my companion blog, Sacramento Rewards & Deals on Wix.

This post contains a referral link. I may receive a reward if you sign up through it.

Offer details may change; check getaround.com for current terms.