I-VII 08:00 – 20:00
Surprice is an off-airport budget brand at Faro (FAO): after landing you take a free shuttle from the terminal to their depot. Headline rates are genuinely cheap, but Surprice's global Trustpilot score sits around 3.0/5 across roughly 6,845 reviews and DiscoverCars rates the Faro desk 7/10. The recurring 2025–2026 complaints – large deposit holds (renters report up to ~£1,800) unless you buy the counter insurance, pre-paid third-party cover “not accepted”, disputed damage charges, and a €35 out-of-hours fee – make it a higher-risk pick than the Algarve's better-rated operators. This guide covers Surprice's real prices, the traps, and stronger Faro alternatives.
Faro Airport is the cheapest place in the Algarve to rent a car, with the widest fleet. Surprice's headline economy rates are at the bottom of the market – but the all-in cost after insurance and the deposit hold is what matters.
Average daily rates at Faro Airport by season
Economy/compact, booked ~4 weeks ahead, EUR
| Season | Economy | Compact | Automatic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low (Nov–Feb) | €9–20 | €14–26 | €25–40 |
| Shoulder (Mar–May, Oct) | €18–35 | €25–45 | €40–65 |
| Peak (Jun–Sep) | €35–60 | €45–75 | €65–110 |
Surprice does not have a desk inside the terminal. After baggage reclaim you head outside to the meeting point and ride their free shuttle to the off-airport depot (a few minutes away), where the contract and car check happen. Allow an extra 20–30 minutes versus an in-terminal brand, and note the €35 surcharge that applies to pickups and returns between roughly 20:00 and 08:00.
Across Trustpilot, Reviews.io, Tripadvisor's Faro forum and ComplaintsBoard, the same patterns repeat in 2025–2026:
The subject of this guide. Genuinely low prices, but the all-in cost climbs once the desk insurance and deposit hold are added, and the complaint volume is high. Workable for confident renters who film everything and bring a credit card with a high limit – risky otherwise.
A long-running Algarve company with a Faro presence and a reputation for transparent contracts and fair damage handling – the kind of local operator that avoids the deposit games. A safer default than the cheapest broker result.
Guerin is a 100% Portuguese company in the Salvador Caetano group and the official Enterprise Rent-A-Car franchisee in Portugal, so you get Enterprise-standard service. DiscoverCars verified rentals score it 8/10, well above the cheap-broker pack.
Goldcar's Faro operation mirrors its mainland reputation: aggressive upselling, fuel and damage charges, and a Trustpilot score of about 1.6/5 – among the lowest in the industry. The cheap quote rarely stays cheap.
Trustpilot scores: Faro options (2026)
/5, public Trustpilot & broker data
Every rental includes basic CDW with a high excess (often €1,000–€2,500) blocked on your card. Surprice's counter will offer to wipe that excess for a daily fee – and this is where most disputes start, because pre-paid third-party policies are frequently “not accepted” at the desk.
Buy stand-alone excess insurance from a provider like iCarhireinsurance or RentalCover (€4–7/day) before you travel – it refunds your excess directly and covers tyres, glass and undercarriage that counter policies often exclude. Keep the policy on your phone, but expect to still have the full deposit blocked at the Surprice desk regardless.
Insurance options at Faro (7-day rental)
| Option | Daily | 7-day | Refunds excess? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic CDW (included) | €0 | €0 | No – big deposit held |
| Surprice desk insurance | €13–20 | €90–140 | Reduces hold (if honoured) |
| Third-party excess (pre-booked) | €4–7 | €28–49 | Yes, direct refund |
The A22 Via do Infante – the main Algarve motorway past Faro – has been toll-free since January 2025, so day trips to Tavira, Lagos or Albufeira cost nothing in tolls. You only meet tolls if you drive up the A2 toward Lisbon. Fuel in the Algarve in May 2026 runs about €1.85–2.01/L for petrol (95) and ~€1.95/L for diesel; airport-area stations are dearest, supermarket pumps (Continente, Intermarché) cheapest. Always return the car full – Surprice, like most, charges a premium to refuel for you.
Sort by total cost including insurance and check the deposit terms before you book – the cheapest daily rate often hides the largest hold.
It is far cheaper than the desk and covers exclusions counter policies skip.
Off-airport budget brands block large deposits; a debit or low-limit card can mean being refused the car after the shuttle ride.
What a 7-day Faro rental really costs
Economy car, shoulder season
| Cost item | All-inclusive (top-rated) | Typical Surprice booking |
|---|---|---|
| Base rental (7 days) | €175 (€25/day, all-in) | €98 (€14/day headline) |
| Insurance | €0 (included) | €120 (desk insurance after pre-paid refused) |
| Deposit hold | €0–200 | €1,000–2,000 blocked |
| Out-of-hours fee | €0 | €35 (late flight) |
| Tolls (A22 day trips) | €0 | €0 |
| Fuel (week) | €45 | €55 (refuel fee) |
| Cash total | €220 (~$240) | €308 (~$335) + large hold |
No. Surprice is off-airport: you take a free shuttle from the terminal meeting point to their depot, then do the contract and car check there. Budget an extra 20–30 minutes.
It varies by car and the cover you take, but renters report large holds – up to around £1,800 – blocked on a credit card unless you buy Surprice’s own insurance at the desk. Bring a credit card in the main driver’s name with enough available limit.
You can still use a stand-alone excess policy (it refunds your excess directly), but Surprice frequently does not waive the deposit for it, and complaints describe pressure to buy the counter product. Keep your policy documents and expect the full hold regardless.
An out-of-hours surcharge that applies to pickups and returns roughly between 20:00 and 08:00. If your flight lands late, factor it in.
No on the main Algarve route – the A22 Via do Infante is toll-free since January 2025, so Tavira, Lagos and Albufeira day trips cost nothing in tolls. You only pay tolls heading up the A2 to Lisbon.
It can work for confident renters who film a walk-around video, pre-book excess cover and have a high-limit credit card. If you want a quieter experience, a top-rated local or Guerin (Enterprise’s Portuguese franchisee, DiscoverCars 8/10) is usually the safer choice – compare the all-in price first.
Disclosure: Auto Jardim participates in the DiscoverCars affiliate program. Reviews are based on Trustpilot, Google Maps, traveller forums and direct experience. We only recommend companies we would use ourselves.
Last updated: May 2026. Prices and policies change – always verify directly with the rental company.
