So the whole reason I even got into this topic is because my neighbor randomly knocked on my door the other day and asked, “Hey, should I buy a car or, like… subscribe to one?” And I swear, for a second I thought he was messing with me. Subscribe? To a car? What’s next—monthly fridge membership? Streaming service for toasters?
But nope, he was dead serious. He’d seen all these services—Autonomy, Clutch, Canvas (I think Canvas shut down or changed or something? I can’t keep track), even Porsche Passport for people who have money to burn—and he was genuinely considering it. Monthly fee, insurance included, maintenance included, sometimes they even register the car for you. You get bored? You swap it. You need to leave town? You cancel.
At first I laughed. Then I thought about it for five minutes. Then I fell into a 3-hour rabbit hole reading way too many online forums with people arguing about it. And most of them clearly didn’t know what they were talking about, but—here we are.
Anyway, after digging through all this, I realized something kind of weird:
For some people, a car subscription actually makes more sense.
For others it’s basically setting money on fire.
So here’s the “messy human version” of everything I learned.
What Even Is a Car Subscription? (Quick-ish because no one likes long definitions)
Okay, let me try explaining it the way I understand it—because the official explanations all sound like they were written by lawyers who needed a nap.
- Buying: You pay a ton of money upfront or take a loan. You own it. Congrats, it’s your problem now forever.
- Leasing: Cheaper monthly, locked in for 2–3 years, can’t drive too much, give it back when you’re done.
- Subscribing: Kinda like renting long-term but with insurance and maintenance wrapped into one chunky monthly payment. You can often cancel or switch cars with 30–60 days’ notice.
It’s like:
Buying = owning a house
Leasing = renting an apartment
Subscribing = staying in an Airbnb with free cleaning
Companies doing it (as of… honestly I lose track every year):
- Autonomy (mostly Teslas)
- Clutch
- Porsche Passport
- Flexdrive (rideshare drivers love this one)
- Driveflow
- A couple of boutique ones that disappear every other year
They’re saying the market might hit ~$12 billion in a few years. I have no idea if that’s true, but sure, sounds big enough.
Upfront Costs: Subscriptions Destroy Buying Here
This part shocked me a little.
When I bought my last car, I think I paid:
- $5,000 down
- $400-something for registration
- $1,500 in random dealership nonsense
- First month insurance
- Taxes (the painful kind)
Total—around $7,000 before I even drove off the lot.
My neighbor hit “subscribe” on a website, paid $895 for the first month, and had a car delivered to his house three days later. No loan. No credit union. No sitting at a desk for four hours while someone tries to upsell you on nitrogen tires and “magic paint coating.”
Subscriptions win this round. No contest.
Monthly Costs: This Is Where Things Get Messy (and I confused myself a few times)
So here’s the thing. When people compare monthly costs, they always forget something important… like repairs, or depreciation, or the fact that tires cost the same as a small microwave these days.
Here’s an example using my own car (2021 Honda Accord):
- Loan: $458
- Insurance: $140-ish
- Gas: ~$130 (I drive too much)
- Maintenance: let’s say $60
- Repairs I pretend won’t happen: $30
- Registration averaged: $10
Total: about $830–$870/month
A subscription for a similar sedan?
- Base fee: ~$795–$900
- Gas: same $130
Total: ~$925–$1,030
So subscriptions look more expensive monthly… until:
- Your tires wear out
- A sensor dies
- Brake job
- Some mystery rattle appears
- You lose resale value without noticing
When you add all that, ownership isn’t actually as cheap as people claim.
Flexibility: Subscriptions Destroy Buying (Again)
This was the biggest “aha” moment for me.
If your life changes—job, baby, move to a new city, whatever—owning a car is like dragging a suitcase full of bricks behind you. You can’t get rid of it without losing money.
Subscriptions? You can be like:
“Hey, I need an SUV now.”
And three days later you’ve got one.
Or:
“Actually I don’t need any car for the next two months.”
Cancel. Done.
You try doing that with a car you financed. Spoiler: the bank doesn’t laugh, they just say no.
Mileage & Hidden Fees (This Is Where Subscriptions Punch You in the Knees)
Most subs include something like:
- 1,000–1,500 miles per month
- $0.25–$0.45 per extra mile
- Some have swap fees ($200–$500)
- Some charge more if you’re under 25
- Some charge if you breathe near the car too much (okay joking, but you get it)
My neighbor literally paid an extra $200 one month because he took a random road trip.
Buying a car = drive as much as you want
Subscription = careful, careful… too much fun costs extra
Long-Term vs Short-Term Thinking
This is the biggest difference:
- Ownership gets cheaper the longer you keep the car
- Subscription never gets cheaper—ever
My dad buys cars, maintains them himself, keeps them 12 years, then sells them for $3,000, and calls it “good value.” And he’s right. If you keep a car that long, nothing beats ownership.
But most people my age (and probably yours) don’t keep cars 10 years anymore. We switch jobs, cities, whole lifestyles every 2–4 years.
So it depends on… well, who you are.
Who Should BUY a Car?
You should buy if:
- You drive more than 15k miles/year
- You love owning things
- You keep cars forever
- You want to modify it
- You have stable life circumstances
- You’re good with maintenance (or don’t mind shops)
If you’re like my dad, who literally said:
“Why would I pay for a new car when mine still starts?”
—then ownership wins.
Who Should SUBSCRIBE?
You should consider subscribing if:
- You move a lot
- You’re not sure you’ll need a car in a year
- You hate surprise repairs
- You don’t want a $5k down payment
- You just want the convenience
- You value flexibility more than long-term savings
If you’re 25, new city, new job, no idea what’s happening next year… subscription honestly might be the smartest thing you can do.
Random Things Nobody Told Me (So I’ll tell you)
- Subscriptions sometimes require high credit, sometimes literally none
- Repairs being included is extremely underrated
- You don’t realize how annoying resale is until you actually try it
- Insurance being bundled saves your brain from exploding
- Some subscription companies disappear overnight, which is… not ideal
- Subscriptions are usually month-to-month but read the fine print (seriously)
Oh, and this one:
Many young people choose subscriptions because they can’t get a decent loan.
Not because they’re “bad with money,” but because credit scores are a joke half the time.
Where Can You Actually Subscribe (as of 2026-ish)?
- Autonomy – mostly Teslas, big in CA/TX/FL
- Clutch – mainstream brands, southeast US
- Porsche Passport – fun if you have $3k/month lying around
- Flexdrive – Uber/Lyft
- Driveflow – some East Coast cities
These change constantly. Some shut down quietly. Some new ones pop up. It’s like the early days of food delivery apps.
My Completely Biased, Human, Probably-Flawed Verdict
If I’m being brutally honest?
- Buying is cheaper long-term IF you keep the car.
- Subscription is easier short-term IF your life is chaotic.
It’s really that simple.
People on the internet will scream “OWNING IS ALWAYS RIGHT!”
But those same people also tell you to stop buying lattes because “that’s why you’re poor,” so… yeah.
Meanwhile, subscription critics say it’s “renting forever” (and they’re kinda right). But they ignore how many people hate dealing with car crap.
If I were 25 again? I’d 100% subscribe.
Now? I own a car and will probably keep it until the wheels fall off—because I’m old enough that stability feels nice.
Anyway… the point is:
Neither option is perfect.
It’s just about what fits your actual life—not what some finance guru thinks you should want.
Would you subscribe to a car?
Or does the idea stress you out?
