I’ve Rented Campervans in Europe 3 Times, From 3 Companies. Here’s My Honest Comparison

Full transparency: all three companies provided my rentals free of charge for review. Although I have paid for two trips in a Roadsurfer. My opinions, including the complaints, are entirely my own, as you’re about to see.

Over three European trips I’ve traveled in campers from Roadsurfer, Anywhere Campers, and Indie Campers — six weeks through Italy, France, Germany, and Switzerland; a one-way run from Geneva to Stuttgart; and a Dolomites-to-Bavaria loop. Same traveler, same standards, three very different experiences.

If you’re trying to choose between them, this is the comparison I wish had existed before my first trip: not spec sheets, but what actually happened at the pickup counter, on the road, and at the dump station.

Roadsurfer: the reliable all-rounder

Roadsurfer is the biggest name in European camper rental for a reason: 70+ stations across Europe, a wide range of vans, published pricing (campervans from about €65/night), and a smooth video-walkthrough pickup process. We took a Cozy Cottage semi-integrated camper (and later a VW Grand California) through Italy, France, Germany, and Switzerland, and the honest verdict from my full Roadsurfer review stands: we loved it, with hiccups.

What to know before booking: bedding and towels are NOT included, you have to rent or bring your own. We always add two bedding kits to our rental. Roadsurfer’s vans have empty water tanks at pickup, which means you’ll go without water until your first campground. And our rig had its issues along the way (a fridge malfunction; on another trip, a shower leak we reported the same day — always report the same day). None of it derailed a trip and Roadsurfer always responded quickly to our complaints and gave us vouchers for the trouble which I used on subsequent rentals.

Best for: most people, most trips: value, station network, and van variety and price points. Their fall “Rally” repositioning deals ($99 for a week, unlimited miles) are the single best bargain in European camper travel — that’s the deal behind my $99 Switzerland week.

Anywhere Campers: the luxury option that comes to you

Anywhere Campers does things differently: they deliver the van to you at an airport curb and pick it up wherever you want to drop it off. Our brand-new Carado T447 arrived for a one-way trip at a parking lot outside the Geneva airport, and we took it through Germany to Prague. Stepping inside felt like boarding a new yacht: separate toilet and shower rooms, linens and towels included, mountain bikes in the garage, and around 20 mpg on the road. My full Anywhere Campers review has the details.

What to know before booking: pricing is quote-based (no public rate card — request early and compare the all-inclusive total, not the sticker: unlimited mileage, insurance, and delivery are baked in, with a roughly $500 minimum). The fleet is smaller, so last-minute availability is limited. This is a plan-ahead company.

Best for: travelers who’ll pay more for a stress-free, luxurious trip, and anyone wanting a true one-way itinerary without depot logistics on either end.

Indie Campers: the biggest fleet, the bumpiest counter

Indie Campers has the scale — 2,000+ vehicles in 40+ cities — and prices that start low (from ~€33/night in low season, more typically €70–85, with stacking long-trip discounts). Our Comfort Compact out of Venice was newer and comfortable, with a clean leather-and-suede interior we liked a lot.

What actually happened: check-in took about an hour (the app’s code never arrived), the toilet cassette was handed over full and had to be swapped on the spot, and the replacement never sealed right, which we discovered a few days later in the least fun way possible. Our van also had no leveling blocks, no AC, a broken bathroom light, and not a single hook to hang a towel on. The van was good; the operations were the weak link. While we generally had a great time using an Indie camper, there are a lot of bad reviews about the company. When I asked for feedback about the negative reviews, I never got an answer. I know some people love and have had great experiences with this company, though, so do your due diligence before renting.

Best for: budget-focused and last-minute trips where fleet size wins — IF you go in with my pickup checklist below and inspect everything before driving off.

What kind of campers can you actually get?

The three fleets have distinct personalities, and matching the fleet to your trip matters as much as the price. I’d say Roadsurfer and Indie have the most similar fleets, with Anywhere Campers featuring larger, more luxurious rigs.

Roadsurfer: the widest spread, heavy on pop-tops. Their range runs from true campervans — VW California pop-tops (the “Surfer Suite” and “Beach Hostel”), the Mercedes Marco Polo, and Ford Nuggets — up through Sprinter-style vans with wet baths (the “Road House,” the “Family Finca” we rented) to semi-integrated small motorhomes like the “Cozy Cottage,” our first and favorite rig. Most sleep 2–4, some squeeze in a fifth. If you want the classic European pop-top experience, this is the fleet — no one else in this comparison offers it. Note that the smallest campervans have no toilet aboard but you can rent a portable one for that trip; if that matters (and at aires without bathrooms, it does), pick a model with a wet bath.

Indie Campers: the biggest spread of budgets. The “Active” line is their small, simple campervan tier (the Standard sleeps 2, the Bunk sleeps 4) — this is where those €33 low-season nights live. The mid-size “Nomad” fits a family of four in six meters, and the “Comfort Compact” — the newer Class C we rented out of Venice — seats four and sleeps two in twin beds that convert to a big one. It’s an honest entry-level motorhome: comfortable, easy to drive, nothing fancy. Bigger family motorhomes top the range.

Anywhere Campers: motorhomes only, and always new. No pop-tops, no budget tier… their fleet is a handful of current-model coachbuilt motorhomes: a compact two-person Carado, the four-person Carado T447 we drove (with that glorious separate shower and toilet), an Adria for four to five, and a six-person Sunlight for families. Automatic transmissions are available across the range; worth knowing if you don’t drive stick.

Quick matching guide: couple who wants the nimble and affordable van-life experience → Roadsurfer pop-top. Budget-first or big group on a budget → Indie’s Active line. Family or comfort-first couple who wants a new rig with zero hassle → Anywhere.

And if you can’t drive a manual transmission, make sure you look carefully for an automatic before you book.

My favorite camper to rent in Europe

I’ve tried both semi-integrated campers and campervan style campers like the VW California that or mimics the size of our Sprinter.

While the campervan size is way easier to park in crowded areas, I loved the size and amenities of the semi-integrated rigs. More room inside, larger bed, larger bathroom, bigger kitchen. Maybe because its so different than our van in the U.S., but I just love this particular size.

The semi-integrated campers were the Cozy Cottage from Roadsurfer, the Comfort Compact from Indie, or the Carado from Anywhere Campers.

The add-ons and fees: where the real price hides

Here’s the lesson that took me three rentals to fully learn: the nightly rate is the beginning of the price, not the end. The three companies have completely different philosophies about extras, and it changes which one is actually cheapest for YOUR trip.

Indie Campers charges à la carte for almost everything. Bedding kits, outdoor furniture, baby seats — and yes, even the propane bottle that runs your heat, hot water, and stove is a paid add-on (you get a partially filled bottle with the van and pay if you want a full one). There’s also a one-time cleaning and handover fee that varies by location, an insurance fee of about €13, and post-trip charges if the van comes back below their cleanliness bar — with separate fees per area: interior, bathroom, fridge, even the wastewater tank. To their credit, none of this is hidden — it’s all shown at booking — but if you click through checkout fast, a “€45/night” van can quietly become a very different number. Read every line before you pay.

Roadsurfer is more generous than its reputation. The kitchen box (pots, pans, dishes, cutlery) came with our van, along with an outdoor table and chairs, leveling ramps, and the hookup cable — and a second driver is free, which is genuinely rare in this industry and worth real money on a long trip, because sharing the driving changes everything on European roads. The catch to know: bedding and towels are NOT included — bedding kits run about €59 per trip per person, or bring your own linens from home if you live nearby.

Anywhere Campers rolls it all in. One quote covers unlimited mileage, insurance, linens, towels, a fully equipped kitchen, cleaning products, even the delivery to wherever you are. It’s why their sticker price looks higher, and why comparing sticker prices across these three companies is a mistake. You have to compare the final number for your specific trip.

My rule after three rentals: before you book anything, price out YOUR trip’s true total — van + bedding + gas + insurance option + cleaning + one-way fee if any — for each company. I’ve seen the “cheap” option and the “expensive” option land within a hundred euros of each other once everything real was added. (There’s a comparison guide for exactly this in my Europe camper course + toolkit.)

The head-to-head verdict

• Best overall experience: Anywhere Campers: new rigs, everything included, door-to-door service. Worth the premium if the budget allows.
• Best value and network: Roadsurfer: and the best deal in the industry every fall (the Rally).
• Best for cheap and last-minute: Indie Campers: with eyes open and the checklist in hand.
• The tie-breaker question: one-way trip? Anywhere. Tight budget? Indie’s low season. Everything else? Roadsurfer.

The pickup checklist (learned the hard way)

Whichever company you choose: photograph and video the entire rig before driving away — every panel, the fuel gauge, the mileage. Then check what I’ve learned to check: the toilet cassette is empty and seats properly; every light works; leveling blocks are aboard; window screens actually seal (ask me about the mosquito night); bedding and towels are present or you know they’re not coming; and you know the dump-station routine before you need it. Ten minutes at the counter saves days on the road.

Planning Your Own European Camper Rental Trip?

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Planning your own trip? Everything I know is organized in How to Plan an Epic Camper Road Trip in Europe — my course + toolkit with company comparison worksheets, fee checklists, and route-planning templates.

More Europe guides: Renting a Campervan in Europe: Everything I’ve Learned From 3 Trips · 5 Best Rental Companies for a European Campervan Trip