Funchal is the easiest place to rent a car in Madeira – thirty operators concentrate at Funchal airport (FNC) plus city offices. Daily rates start at 19 euros (about 21 USD) in low season and 38 euros in July-August. Madeira has zero motorway tolls and petrol at about 1.86 euros / litre (August 2026). This 2026 guide uses live rates from Discover Cars, company ratings from Google Maps and Trustpilot, and the Madeira Tourism Board.
Madeira rentals are 25-40% pricier than mainland Portugal due to inter-island car shipping costs. Prices differ a lot between companies, and some local Madeira firms have better reviews than the big chains, so compare before you book.
Funchal Rental Budget Calculator
Rate prefilled with the lowest available low-season figure; change it for your dates.
Funchal airport (FNC) handles 80% of Madeira rentals plus city offices.
Rental hall after exit doors. Desks at the airport include Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt, Guerin and Goldcar. Madeira Rent is in car park P4.
Most local operators have a city office in the Lido tourist district. Bus 30 from FNC, 1.95 euros, 25 minutes. Saves airport surcharge.
Many local operators offer free delivery to central Funchal hotels with 24h notice.
Google Maps scores below are for each company’s Madeira branch, so they reflect customers' experience with the local branch. Trustpilot covers the whole company or one country site, so big chains often score much lower there. Checked on 27 October 2026.
| Company | Google Maps, Madeira branch | Trustpilot, company profile |
|---|---|---|
| Madeira Rent | 4.6 (2,108), airport car park P4 | 4.4 (259) |
| Hertz | 4.3 (1,141), airport | 3.9 (hertz.com, 40,888) |
| Europcar | 4.2 (2,166), airport | 1.5 (europcar.co.uk, 17,496) |
| Centauro | 4.0 (2,805), office outside the airport | 2.1 (centauro.net, 17,718) |
| Sixt | 3.8 (1,902), airport | 2.0 (sixt.pt, 2,099) |
| Guerin | 3.6 (520), airport | 4.5 (guerin.pt, 2,112) |
| Avis | 3.3 (725), airport | 1.3 (avis.com, 5,344) |
| Surprice | 3.3 (2,269) | 3.6 (surpricecars.com, 8,663) |
| Budget | 2.8 (359), airport | 1.2 (budget.com, 6,460) |
| Magic Islands | 2.4 (1,418), airport | 1.2 (magicislands.pt, 522) |
| Goldcar | 1.8 (249), airport | 1.3 (goldcar.es, 54,792) |
Madeira company with a desk in car park P4 at the airport and an office in Funchal. It has the best combination of Google Maps and Trustpilot scores among the airport companies here.
Desk at Madeira Airport and an office on Estrada Monumental in Funchal.
Desk at Madeira Airport. The Madeira branch scores well on Google Maps, while Europcar’s Trustpilot profiles are weak.
The lowest Google Maps score among the airport desks we checked.
Most 2026 reviews describe the 1,500 euro deposit coming back months late or only after a chargeback. Read our Magic Islands review.
Smaller local companies with very high Google Maps scores are based in Funchal or Santa Cruz, not in the terminal: Just Drive Madeira (5.0, 3,200 reviews), RentADrive (5.0, 706), Funchal Easy Rent-a-Car (4.9, 1,106) and Madpoint (4.8, 653). Check where they meet you, the deposit amount and what the insurance covers before you book.
Counter zero-excess waivers run 12-22 euros / day at Funchal. Standalone third-party from RentalCover is much cheaper.
CDW with 700-1500 euros excess. Tyres, undercarriage, windscreen excluded.
Local operators 12-14 euros / day; international chains 16-22 euros / day.
RentalCover or iCarhireinsurance from 4-7 euros / day. Identical coverage.
Madeira fleet is finite (no easy way to ferry extra cars). July-August sells out across all operators.
Compares all 30+ Madeira operators in one search.
Most fleet is manual. Automatic adds 7-10 euros / day.
Save 50-100 euros / week with standalone.
Saves 8% airport surcharge.
Refuel at Galp before drop-off, photograph receipt and gauge.
Madeira's 57 km length makes day trips easy from any Funchal base.
Europe's second-highest sea cliff with glass skywalk. 25 minutes from Funchal.
Drive to Madeira's highest peaks above the clouds. Allow 2-3 hours.
Natural lava rock pools at the northwest. 2-hour drive each way.
Underground volcanic caves plus dramatic north coast roads.
Colorful triangular thatched A-frame houses on the north coast.
Renting for the wider island, not just the city? See our tips on renting a car in Madeira for the mountain-road, insurance and pickup advice that applies beyond Funchal. If you would rather not have money blocked on your card, compare the options in car rental in Madeira with no deposit.
Economy daily rates start at 19 euros low season, 38-55 euros July-August. No motorway tolls in Madeira.
At Madeira Airport, Madeira Rent has the best scores in October 2026: 4.6 on Google Maps (2,108 reviews) and 4.4 on Trustpilot. Hertz (4.3) and Europcar (4.2) also have good Google Maps scores for their Madeira branches. Smaller local firms such as Just Drive Madeira and RentADrive have 5.0 on Google Maps.
Yes, with 24h notice and 35 euros admin fee for the inter-island ferry.
Yes, but mountain switchbacks and rockfalls require slow driving. Include tyre/undercarriage in standalone insurance.
Off-airport at Lido saves 8% airport surcharge but adds 25 min bus ride. Worth it for week+ rentals.
Skip counter Super Cover at 12-22 euros/day. Buy standalone from RentalCover or iCarhireinsurance at 4-7 euros/day. Include tyre/undercarriage.
Petrol about 1.86 euros / litre, diesel around 1.87 (August 2026) – still cheaper than mainland Portugal, though diesel jumped 13 cents in late July 2026.
Disclosure: Auto Jardim earns a commission when readers book through DiscoverCars. We never accept payment in exchange for a positive review.
Fact-checked: Rates verified 1 August 2026 against DiscoverCars and the Madeira Tourism Board. Company ratings checked 27 October 2026 on Google Maps (Madeira branches) and Trustpilot.
Correction: earlier versions of this page recommended Ilha Verde, Atlas and Magic Islands with Trustpilot scores that were wrong. Ilha Verde operates in the Azores, not Madeira.
Primary sources: DiscoverCars, KAYAK, Google Maps, Trustpilot, Madeira Tourism Board (visitmadeira.com), individual operator websites, on-site verification April 2026.
