Car rental · Spain · File no. 004
Rent a car in Mallorca without getting played
Real deposits observed, per agency
Amounts observed at the counter during my own rental, not the amounts advertised online.
| Agency | Indicative price /day | Deposit blocked | Excess | Counter insurance | Verdict | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wiber (tarif All Inclusive)Top Cover included, Wikey Smart Box kiosk (keys in 60 s), free shuttle at Gate 6. Zero deposit, zero contact. | 18-45 €/day | 0 € | 0 € | Included by default (full coverage) | ✓ My pick | Book |
| Hiper Rent a CarStrong local alternative; deposit 0 to 150 € depending on the pack. | 14-38 €/day | 150 € | 0 € | Included with the full pack | · | Book |
| Goldcar / RhodiumRecord of negative reviews on the forums. | 14-42 €/day | 1,100 € | 1,100 € | Super Relax ~28 €/day | ✗ Avoid |
⏲ Figures collected on 18 September 2025
Average market prices for an economy car (low season to high season), indicative only: they vary with the season, the model and how early you book. This is not the price paid, just a benchmark to compare.
If you book through this link, FirstHand earns a commission from the merchant, at no extra cost to you. That is what funds the on-the-ground checks.
The local alternative: Hiper Rent a Car
If the self-service kiosks put you off and you prefer a real Mallorcan agency well respected on the forums, go with Hiper Rent a Car: excellent service, competitive prices, and their excess-waiver formulas also avoid big deposits.
Do you actually need a car in Mallorca?
100% essential for the real island. Reducing Mallorca to Palma is a mistake: without a car you miss Valldemossa, the cliff roads of Sa Calobra and the eastern coves (Cala d'Or). The no-deposit Smart Box option turns the logistics into pure flow.
When NOT to rent here
If you stay in Palma's old town for a pure beach break: parking runs 25-30 € a night and traffic zones are restricted (ACIRE). For central Palma I did everything on foot and by EMT bus (very efficient). I only started the rental the day I left for the Serra de Tramuntana and Cap de Formentor.
Where you pick up the car
→ Shuttle from PMI airport to the lot
- 01Bags collected at Palma (PMI), I exit via Gate 6 and follow the “Transport meeting point” signs.
- 02The free Wiber shuttle runs every 10 minutes and takes me to the depot, 5 minutes away.
- 03Thanks to online check-in, I punch my code into the Wikey Smart Box: the keys drop in under 60 seconds. Zero contact, zero hard sell.
The fuel trap
Strict “full to full” with Wiber's all-inclusive: the car comes full, you return it full. The most honest system. There is a petrol station right next to the depot to top up before returning.
At the counter: what they will push
To refuse politely
- The low-cost chains' (Goldcar/Rhodium) ~28 €/day “Super Relax” if your rate already includes everything
- The prepaid fuel package, with full-to-full, it is pointless
To insist on
- The petrol-station receipt proving the full tank, kept until return
- The self-service kiosk (Wikey) rather than the desk: no hard sell
What I experienced
Stopwatch in hand, exactly 4 minutes between stepping off the shuttle and starting the SUV. Walking past the classic counter queue straight to the self-service kiosk is an indescribable pleasure.
At return, I parked on the Wiber bay, dropped the keys in the secure box and walked to the shuttle. No agent came nitpicking over a micro-scratch: the included “Top Cover” covers everything.
The anxious questions (the real ones)
+How do you rent a car without a deposit in Palma de Mallorca?
I took Wiber on the “All Inclusive” rate: 0 € deposit, Top Cover insurance included, and keys collected at the Wikey Smart Box kiosk in under a minute, with no counter.
+Do you need a car in Mallorca?
Yes, 100% to see the real island (Tramuntana, Sa Calobra, Formentor, the eastern coves). For central Palma only, the EMT bus and walking are enough.
+Which agencies should you avoid at Palma airport?
Low-cost chains like Goldcar/Rhodium: ~1,100 € deposit, a ~28 €/day “Super Relax” insurance and a record of negative reviews. Prefer a local all-inclusive no-deposit formula.
An agency that is not in this table?
Thinking of booking elsewhere and wondering if it is safe? Give me the agency name and the city: I will tell you straight what I know, and add it to the file if it earns its place.
Ask me what I think