Save Serious $$$ with Adobe-Rent-a-Car
Costa Rica Car Rental Discount: Get the Best Deal
Our goal is always to bring you the best info on Costa Rica travel.
That being said, we have partnered with Adobe Rent a Car in Costa Rica, to bring you a 10% rental car discount plus some other great perks!
Car Rental Discount at a Glance
- 10% to 20% car rental discount (fluctuates by season and availability)
- 0% deductible on Liability Insurance
- Free extra drivers
- Discounted Portable Router after 10 days with Unlimted Data
- Discounted GPS Unit
BOOK YOUR CAR HERE
Note: No discount code is needed when you use our booking form. By using our booking form you are getting the best price and the added bonuses.
The Costa Rica Car Rental Discount Details
Adobe has been so generous in giving some amazing perks so you can get the best value. Here are all the wonderful things you get by booking your rental car through our website…..
A 10% Discount
This discount fluctuates by season and demand. It will always be at least 10% but sometimes it is actually more like 15%. Just note this discount is only for the car itself. Unfortunately, Adobe can not give us a discount on insurance.
Free Additional Drivers
You can add any additional driver at no extra cost. Usually, this costs an extra $4 per day. This is added automatically on to your reservation if you book through us. When you, as the main driver, arrive to pick up your car you can specify who your extra driver(s) are.
Free Roof Racks to Use
These are available for free to our readers upon request. If you would like roof racks, be sure to add a comment in your reservation saying that you need them. Adobe will be happy to save some for you.
Free Car Delivery Drop Off or Pick Up
Adobe is happy to drop off or pick up your car for free within 12 miles of any of their office locations.
Just indicate which hotel, resort, Airbnb, hostel etc. you will be staying at in the reservation form. In the comment section of the reservation form, you can add any other details about having your car delivered.
If you are staying over 12 miles away Adobe may charge a small delivery fee.
0% Deductible
This applies to Liability Protection insurance coverage. It is usually a 20% deductible.
Discounted Portable Router with Unlimted Data
Adobe now has routers that you can rent for the duration of your trip. This includes unlimited data and multiple people can use it at once. This costs $11.30. If you book through us you will only need to pay for the first 10 days. Any additional days are free.
Free Booster Seat and/ or Car Seat
Adobe has three versions of seats that are free to our readers; infant car seats, baby car seats, and booster seats. While making your reservation there will be a box to check off what you need.
Free Airport Pick Up and Drop Off
An Adobe rental car office is located less than five minutes away from both the San Jose International Airport (SJO) and Liberia International Airport (LIR). When you make your car rental reservation you can include your flight details. Adobe will then pick you up with their free shuttle service and transfer you to the Adobe office.
Discounted GPS
It usually costs $9 a day to rent a GPS unit. By booking through us you will only pay $6 per day.
Unlimited Mileage
You are welcome to drive as much as you want in Costa Rica with your car rental from Adobe. Just note, that you can not take a rental car over the border into Nicaragua or Panama.
The other bonuses (0% deductible on Liability Insurance, free second driver) are automatically included by booking through us.
Also, if you would like to compare our rate to other rental car agencies make sure that the rate you are looking at with other companies includes the mandatory insurance like Adobe’s rate does.
Often people think another company may be cheaper and then they are hit with the high mandatory insurance costs upon picking up their rental car. We don’t want you to have to go through that.
The Adobe Rent-a-Car Booking Process
We made a step-by-step walkthrough video to show you exactly how the rental car process works. ↓
We will also explain the process here.
Reserving Your Costa Rica Car Rental
You will see a booking form below. Fill in your pick-up location, drop-off location and date details.
Note: Juan Santamaria International Airport also known as the San Jose International Airport is listed as Aeropuerto San Jose (SJO). The Liberia Airport is listed as Aeropuerto Liberia (LIR).
When selecting your vehicle, pay attention to how many people the car can fit and the amount of luggage that can fit.
All prices are in US dollars.
Note: If you are unsure what to rent, feel free to email us. [email protected] We recently had the chance to go through every single vehicle that Adobe currently offers. We have a good idea of what is best for your particular needs.
After selecting your vehicle you will be directed to the Reservation Form. On this reservation form, under “Rate” you will see: “Rate Today Blogger” followed by a number. This indicates you are receiving our discount.
You can then choose which car rental insurance you would like (we get more into that below).
You can also fill in your flight information so that Adobe knows exactly when you will be arriving at the airport.
Keep in mind that you can always change your reservation details later if you need to.
For example, if you would like your car delivered to your hotel but haven’t booked a hotel yet, just leave it blank for now. Adobe is happy to update that for you at a later point in time if you need it.
The extra drivers and 0% deductible are automatically applied to all car rentals through our site. When you pick up your car Adobe will see that you rented through us and automatically add these perks.
If you would like to add in the TRIO smartphone plan for $12 a day, or need a set of free roof racks, please leave a comment in the comment section of the rental form to let Adobe know so they can make sure to set those aside for you.
When you are finished, make sure you click “Reserve” not “Save Quote”.
You should get a confirmation email within a few a few minutes with your rental car reservation.
You are then all set! Your vehicle will be waiting for you when you arrive in Costa Rica! 🙂
Also, just note if you need to change or cancel your reservation you can just reply to your confirmation email to get in touch with Adobe. They are usually very good at responding within 24 hours.
You do not have to pay for anything ahead of time. You pay for your car rental upon pick up.
When You Arrive in Costa Rica to Pick Up Your Car
When you arrive at the San Jose Airport or Liberia Airport, just head outside and look for the Adobe employee. They will be wearing a blue shirt and carrying an Adobe sign. They will have your flight number, so they will be waiting for you.
You will then be transported with a comfortable air-conditioned shuttle to the Adobe office which is located less than 5 minutes from the airport. This is at no additional cost.
At the Adobe office, one of the many excellent Adobe employees will finalize your rental, and help get you on your way. They will see that you booked your car through Costa Rica Vibes and will make sure all discounts are applied.
That’s it! You are now free to explore all that Costa Rica has to offer with the flexibility of a car.
A Few Things to Note
- If you are looking for long term rentals (over a month) it is best to contact Adobe directly for an even more discounted rate. Just say you are coming from the Costa Rica Vibes website.
- You are unable to book less than 24 hours in advance online. If you would like to book last minute, contact Adobe directly. Again, mention Costa Rica Vibes to get our discount.
You can email them at info(at)adobecar(dot)com, contact them via WhatsApp at 506) 8494-5956 (Monday to Friday, 8 am-5 pm Central Time) or if you are in the US or Canada you can call their toll-free number Mon- Fri from 8 am-5 pm Central Time at: +1(855)861-1250
Costa Rica Mandatory Car Insurance
Costa Rica car rental insurance can be a bit confusing, so here is a complete breakdown of how it works.
When you book a car through Adobe you will have three different protection options. Let’s go through each one.
Liability Protection
This insurance covers basic damages to third-party property up to $20,000 and basic coverage of third-party injury or death up to $100,000. With the discount, it also includes a 0% deductible instead of the usual 20%.
This insurance is required by law in Costa Rica. Every single person who rents a car needs to purchase Liability Protection.
The price you are quoted when you book your car through our site includes the third-party Liability Protection fees (you will see it checked off in your rental car booking).
Car Protection
This insurance covers:
-Direct car damages, collisions, and rollovers
-Total or partial theft of the rental car
Car Protection is also required by Costa Rica law. This means when you rent a car with Adobe you need to check off the box for Car Protection.
If you have a letter from your credit card company stating that you are covered for car protection in Costa Rica through your credit card insurance you will NOT need to pay for the Car Protection.
Make sure you bring a letter or email from your credit card company stating you have car protection in Costa Rica to show as proof. Adobe will not accept a basic brochure.
Please note: In the past, VISA offered credit card rental car insurance that would cover you for car protection in Costa rica to Gold and Platinum card members. Unfortunately, they stopped doing this in 2021.
Total Protection Insurance
This is the most comprehensive insurance that is offered. Total Protection insurance covers a tow truck, road assistance, damage to things like windows and tires, and a 4 million dollar coverage for third-party injury or death.
Note: It DOES NOT cover popped tires.
Keep in mind that Total Protection DOES NOT replace Liability or Car Protection. This insurance can be added on top of those if you so choose. It is not a full coverage insurance.
You are NOT required to purchase Total Protection by Costa Rica law. However, it is great if you want to ensure that you are covered more thoroughly in case of an accident.
If you have questions about insurance you should contact Adobe directly (we here at Costa Rica Vibes are not personally experts in insurance). You can email them at info(at)adobecar(dot)com, contact them via WhatsApp at 506) 8494-5956 (Monday to Friday, 8 am-5 pm Central Time) or if you are in the US or Canada you can call their toll-free number Mon- Fri from 8 am-5 pm Central Time at: +1(855)861-1250
Adobe Car Rental Conditions
The main condition is that there is a $1,000 deposit on your car rental. This is standard with every Costa Rica rental car company, but we have heard of some companies charging much more.
We suggest paying this deposit with your credit card because it is just a hold and will be returned immediately to you when you return your car if everything is OK.
You can also do this on your debit card, but it can take a few weeks after you return your car for the bank to process this and refund the $1,000 on to your account.
Note: Please check your credit limit and have it increased if needed. Our friends recently visited from Europe and their card got blocked because the $1,000 hold was over their daily card limit.
– You need to be above the minimum age of 23 years old to rent a car with Adobe.
– You can not rent a car with Adobe if you are over 75 years old.
There are no hidden fees or extra costs with Adobe. The price you are given online is the total price. Just remember the $1,000 deposit.
Why We Love Adobe Rent a Car
We’ve rented cars in Costa Rica several times through many different rental companies and have had some negative experiences (which you can read about here). We really don’t want you to go through the same things we dealt with.
When we started renting cars for vacations with Adobe, that completely changed.
We love Adobe Rent-a-Car because they are a local Costa Rican company, are completely transparent in their fees, and have some of the best customer service we have ever experienced.
Because we think so highly of them, we asked if they would be interested in partnering with us to bring Costa Rica Vibes readers a rental car discount. They said an enthusiastic, “YES!” and here we are!
Keep in mind that we make a commission when you book your rental car through us. However, this is at no extra cost to you. In fact, you save money and get the best deals by booking your car through us.
We also want to stress that we genuinely think very highly of Adobe and they would be our #1 car rental company choice in Costa Rica even if we did not work with them.
We have been partnering with Adobe Car Rental since 2017. Thousands of satisfied customers have booked their car rental through us using this discount.
Adobe Car Rental in Costa Rica FAQs
Drivers in Costa Rica are a bit crazy, but as long as you are a somewhat experienced driver and feel confident in your abilities, you will likely be fine.
We strongly suggest not driving in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica. This area of the country has way too many cars on the road at any given time and people drive like crazy.
Most of the main roads throughout the country are well-maintained. If you’d like to know what the drive is like to your destination just look on our destination page for the area you are planning to visit.
A Few Things to Know Are:
- People drive on the right side of the road like in the USA, Canada, and mainland Europe.
- Gas stations here are full-service. That means, just stay in your car and a gas station attendant will fill your tank.
- If something happens while driving, the emergency number here is 911.
- Speed limits are in kilometers per hour, not miles
- There are some unpaved roads throughout the country. These are mostly in remote towns.
We also have a complete guide to road signs and safety tips while driving.
One of the most common questions we get asked is, “Should I rent a car in Costa Rica?”
Usually, we think that renting a car is the absolute best way to get around. Having a car will give you much more flexibility for exploring all the beauty that this little slice of paradise has to offer at your own pace. Plus, it is often the most cost-effective option for transportation
However, we understand that some of you may not want to drive far distances in a foreign country. In those situations, we suggest a private shuttle or shared shuttle to your destination.
Once you arrive at your destination, you can get a rental car from Adobe for exploring the area. Adobe will happily deliver your rental car within twelve miles of any of their offices for free.
If you are staying at a resort, you most likely do not need a rental car. In that type of situation, we suggest depending on a private transfer to get you to your location and booking day trips through your resort.
One of the many great things about Adobe is that you will not pay for your reservation until you pick up your car to start your vacation.
This means that you can cancel for free at any point.
Adobe understands that travel plans are constantly changing right now. If you need to cancel please just don’t forget to respond in your reservation email and let them know that you are canceling your trip.
If you don’t cancel, a car might be held for you that could have been rented by someone else.
You do not need an international driving permit in order to drive in Costa Rica. Just make sure you have a valid driver’s license from your home country and you will be fine.
Also, don’t forget to bring a letter from your credit card company if you plan to avoid paying for the mandatory Liability Protection insurance.
Adobe has an extensive fleet of brand-new and well-maintained rental vehicles.
We recommend a 4-wheel drive to make things easier on yourself because there are some dirt roads throughout the country, but it is not absolutely necessary in every location in Costa Rica.
Usually, an SUV such as the Hyundai Tucson or Hyundai Creta will be fine for most of the popular tourist destinations.
Keep in mind that the road conditions are sometimes not as good during the rainy season.
If you are unsure which vehicle will be suitable for the areas you are visiting, just check out our destination page. We have a complete breakdown of getting to and driving around in each location in Costa Rica.
Or, just comment below and we will help you out!
We started Costa Rica Vibes after living here for a year because we love this country and wanted to bring the most genuine information on Costa Rica travel to all of you.
Over time, this turned into a business for us. I (Sarah) run this site as my main source of income.
So, we are a blog, but we are also a business. This website is entirely free for you to use to plan your dream Costa Rica vacation, but we need to pay the bills somehow.
One of the ways we make money to keep this site going is by partnering with companies that we really like on an affiliate basis.
This means that we suggest Costa Rican products or services that we love and get a percentage of all sales that come through our site at no extra cost to you.
With Adobe, we also decided to give part of our commission as a discount to you.
So, by booking through us:
You get a discount with our favorite Costa Rica car rental service which you will have a great experience with.
We receive a percentage of all bookings that come from Costa Rica Vibes. This helps us make a living and keeps all info on our website free for you to use.
Adobe gets their company promoted by us and gets to work with great customers like you.
It’s a win-win-win situation!
With Adobe and Costa Rica Vibes, all fees are upfront and completely transparent. We genuinely want you to have the best time in Costa Rica and to love this country as much as we do. That starts with having a great car rental experience with excellent service the second you land in the country.
Yes, Adobe largest local car rental company in Costa Rica. They have rental agency locations at both international airports (San José International Airport and Liberia International Airport) as well as office locations throughout the country.
You can always pick your car up at one location and return it to a different location if you so choose.
Here is a map of all the Adobe rental locations.
If you would like more info, we have a guide to car rentals from San Jose International Airport as well as a guide to car rental from Liberia International Airport.
You definitely need some type of GPS to get around here. Roads are unclear and constantly changing.
You have a few different options for staying connected while driving:
– Adobe offers GPS rentals for $6 per day if you are renting through us. I know this adds up fast if you are traveling for several days.
– Adobe now offers hot spot rentals for $11.30 per day. By booking through us you will only pay for the first 10 days. any extra days are free. This features unlimited data and acts like a WIFI network. Multiple people can connect. You can do this and then use Google Maps or Waze.
– Contact your normal cell phone plan provider before your trip and ask about getting a temporary international plan. For example, I know Verizon offers something called TravelPass that can be added for $10 per day for use in Costa Rica.
– If you have an unlocked cell phone the best and cheapest option is to stop at the Movistar stand in the airport after you get through customs. At the Movistar desk, you can purchase a SIM card for about $4. This money is then added as a credit to your SIM card.
You can buy a top up card at almost all store throughout the country as needed.
Note: This will only work if your cell phone is unlocked for international usage. If you aren’t sure you can ask your cell phone provider.
No matter which way you stay connected, we 100% suggest using the free app Waze for directions. It is the most widely used app in Costa Rica to get around and has helpful features such as people inputting when police are ahead, notifications about things in the road etc.
We suggest renting your car as early as possible to ensure that you can reserve the vehicle you want. Adobe has free cancellation, so if your plans change you can always modify or cancel your reservation at no extra cost.
Keep in mind that during the high season, it is not unusual for Adobe to completely run out of vehicles. So, book as soon as possible to secure your low rates!
If you have more questions, check out our complete guide to car rentals in Costa Rica.
Hopefully, this answers all of your questions regarding our Costa Rica car rental discount. If you have any other questions, just leave them in the comment section below or email us at: sarah(at)costaricavibes(dot)com and we are happy to help you out!
Ready to get the best prices on your Costa Rica rental cars? ↓
BOOK YOUR CAR HERE
Note: No discount code is needed when you use our booking form. By using our booking form you are getting the best price and the added bonuses.
Note: We’ve partnered with Adobe on an affiliate basis to give you this Costa Rica car rental discount. This means that they allow us to give you an amazing discount and promote their business in return for a commission. This allows us to keep making great content on budget travel in Costa Rica for you. By using the form above, you will be taken to the Adobe website. This is a third-party site. Although we absolutely love Adobe, any transactions, agreements, or disputes that happen are between you and Adobe Rent a Car.
Hi! It appears if booking through Adobe now and then paying when we get there. Do you know if the credit card transaction will include foreign transaction fees? I’m assuming yes, but wanted to confirm. Thanks!
Hi Courtney, yes you pay when you pick up your car. I’m not positive about foreign transaction fees. Ive never had any extra transaction fees with my car rentals and my card is from the US, but let me double check with Adobe to make sure. I’ll let you know in the morning. 🙂
Courtney, I just checked in with Adobe and the credit card transaction fee depends on your credit card company, but I did double check to make sure that they charge in dollars rather than converting to colones. You will be all set with that. Your credit card will be charged in dollars so you don’t need to worry about any type of currency conversion fee. Hope that helps! let me know if you have any other questions as you plan your trip.
Hi! Thank s for sharing this valuable information. Unfortunately, Adobe doesn’t have any cars available for the dates we are going to be there. Do you recommend any other rent a car company?
Hi Joha,
I’d try Vamos. They are usually a bit more expensive, but also are upfront with their prices.
Hello,
Thanks for taking the time to write this useful post. I was stressing about the different options.
I tried to book using the link on this page, but I am not getting the 10% or 5% discount. The rate is the same from your website and from Adobe’s. Is there anything else I should do?
Also, as you are more knowledgeable on the subject, I would like to ask you something. I am travelling with my wife. I will book her as the main driver as I left my license back home. Do you know if they would add me as a second driver if I produced a copy of my license?
Thanks!
Hi Jose,
For some reason if you are on our site and look at Adobe’s page at the same time it will replicate the rate so you will see the same price on both sites. Try to check the rate on Adobe’s site while not having our site also open. You will then be able to see that the rate on Adobe’s site is higher.
If for some reason you still are not getting the discount on our site, please email me [email protected] with your dates and which car you would like. I can then check in with Adobe about it.
Hope that all makes sense!
Hello! My husband and I fly out of SJO at 7am. We just reserved a car through your website with Adobe. I’m assuming we would have to drop off the rental car the night before since Adobe doesn’t open till 8am? Does Adobe have a key drop box if the car is returned after closing time or does the car need to be returned by the time Adobe closes? Also, do you have any recommendations on places to stay around the SJO airport that has a shuttle service to the airport early in the morning since we will have had to return our car the night before?
Hi Chelsea, The Adobe office near the airport actually opens at 5am. You will have no problems dropping it off and then having them drive you to the airport with plenty of time. However, if you would prefer to drop it off the night before you can even just email Adobe (just hit “reply” on your reservation) and let them know you would like the car picked up from your hotel. They will pick up the car for free within 12 miles of the airport. I know Adventure Inn near the airport is really great and they have a free shuttle. If you book through their website and pay cash upon arrival they will also give you a 10% discount. https://www.adventure-inn.com/
Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi Sarah!
We’re trying to book a rental car right now from the Puerto Viejo office. Our flight leaves from San Jose at 5:41pm on Friday, July 6th, and the shuttle van that we planned to take from Puerto Viejo to San Jose leaves Puerto Viejo at 7am, but the Adobe site doesn’t have the option to return the car sooner than 8am. Our AirBnB owner pretty much told us we didn’t have any other option besides driving to get to/from the house we are staying at. What would you recommend for returning the car?
Thanks!
Hi Kim,
I think your best bet would be to return the car the night before. Unfortunately, the Adobe office in Puerto Viejo office doesnt open until 8am. However, Adobe will pick up the car from you for free from your Airbnb. When you book your car just leave a comment of where you airbnb is and that you would like the car picked up. Of course, you will then have to find a way to get to the shuttle bus in the morning. There are a lot of little tuk-tuk types of taxis in Puerto Viejo though. You should ask your airbnb owner if they have a phone number for one (most locals have a favorite taxi driver they always use) or if they can arrange a taxi ride for you for that morning.
Your other option is to skip the shuttle entirely (if you can still cancel it) and drive back to the airport. You can drop the car off at the Adobe office (Aeropuerto San Jose is the office name) and they will give you a ride 5 minutes away to the airport. This may actually be cheaper than the shuttle, but I can’t say for sure.
Let me know if you have any other questions as you plan your trip!
Thank you so much! Do you know approximately how much we would be spending in gas to drive from San Jose to Puerto Viejo, and back to San Jose? That was one of our main concerns about renting a car.
Hi Kim, right now it is about $4 a gallon for gas. We went to Puerto Viejo from San Jose a few weeks ago and did the drive there and back on one full tank of gas, but just barely made it on one tank.
Thanks for the tips! We have been wondering about renting a car and your blog laid out all the information so nicely. I tried reserving a car via your link but it doesn’t say how to get the booster and car seat for free?
Hi June! I’m happy we could help you out. When you make a reservation through our site there will be a comment section. Just write in there that you would like the free booster and car seat. Adobe was unable to change their computer system specifically for us, so, for now, this is the way we have to do it. They will then make note of it on your reservation and you’ll be all set!
Feel free to contact us if you have more questions as you plan your trip. We’re happy to help!
I tried to make a reservation but it sends me to a page to enter user name and password when a click on the icon for those that do not have a userid/password it sends me to the main page and I start over under their pricing. What am I doing wrong
thanks
Hi Irene
I think it was a glitch in the Adobe system. I just checked and it seems to be working now. Sorry about that! Let me know if you need any more help. 🙂