When Carvolution launched the car subscription on the Swiss market in 2018, the competition was not long in coming. Carvolution has grown enormously fast. Other providers have also entered the car subscription market. This blog post shows you the similarities and differences between Gowago, a leasing provider, and Carvolution.
All inclusive
Both Gowago and Carvolution offer an all-inclusive solution in which insurance, taxes, regidtration, tyre change and service are included in a fixed monthly price. With the leasing provider Gowago, this only applies to the most expensive package "Premium". In the Packages "Essential" and "Light", some additional costs such as maintenance, tyres or taxes are not included. With Carvolution, on the other hand, you are truly free, because apart from fuel, you don't have to worry about the car.
Direct comparison All-in-one leasing vs All-inclusive subscription
If you take the Ford Puma ST-Line X with a list price of around CHF 37’500.- for a comparison, you will find (as of 10 January 2023) online, for example, a leasing offer from Gowago for CHF 620.- / month. If, in addition to leasing, you choose the package "Premium", which is comparable to the all-inclusive subscription from Carvolution, the costs for the leased car rise to a total of CHF 962.- per month. With the Carvolution subscription, on the other hand, the car is available for the same three-year period for less than CHF 600.- per month. In this simple example, customers save over CHF 400.- per month with the car subscription.
Business Model
Carvolution generally focuses on new or very new vehicles and offers you attractive subscription prices. The mostly lower prices are the result of an uniform vehicle fleet, high order volumes, and a highly digitalised, lean fleet management. Gowago, on the other hand, is a platform for leasing new and used cars with a wide selection of models. Gowago acts solely as an intermediary between the Migros Bank and the Lessee.
Made in Switzerland
Both, the car subscription pioneer Carvolution and Gowago, are Swiss companies. Carvolution is headquartered in Bannwil, an idyllic village in the canton of Bern, while Gowago is based in the city of Zurich.
Variety of offers
The brands and models of Gowago and Carvolution partly overlap to some extent, with Gowago offering the larger selection with the help of its partner garages. Since the partner garages advertise for example vehicles that they do not want to sell in their dealerships, this also includes some older vehicles. Overall, you should pay close attention to the different technical data, equipment (all-wheel drive, parking sensors, model year, cruise control, blind spot assistant, etc.) and especially the age of the car models between providers.
Subscription configuration
It is important to know that Gowago is a leasing provider. This means that a larger down payment, usually 10% of the vehicle value, is usually required at the beginning. Customers can also choose not to make a down payment, but this increases the leasing rate further. The leasing period is usually 24 - 48 months, far less flexible than Carvolution's subscription periods, which are 3 - 48 months. The KM packages of Gowago (833 - 3'333 KM) and Carvolution (850 - 3250 KM) are similar. At the end of the leasing period, Gowago gives you the option to buy the car at the defined residual value. Just as with leasing, with the Carvolution car subscription you can request an offer for the purchase at the end of the term.
At Gowago there are also different leasing packages to look at. The standard "Light" package only includes comprehensive insurance and maintenance. If you want additional costs covered, the monthly leasing rate increases accordingly. Depending on the model, this can cost you between CHF 40 - 150.- / month extra. For a term of 36 months, you as a customer will pay between CHF 1’440.- and CHF 5’400.- extra. Carvolution, on the other hand, offers you a real all-inclusive package that covers all additional costs in the monthly price. Optional insurances for various damages or lower deductible costs (CHF 500 - 1'500.-) are available individually, exactly according to your needs. For a comparison between the offers, it is extremely important that you select comparable subscription configurations.
Book a car
Gowago does not allow cars to be booked more than a few days in advance as they are a platform and partner garages want to pass on their advertised cars in a timely manner. Carvolution allows you to book your car further in advance if it is available. This gives you flexibility and planning security when choosing your car. Still need to sell your car or let your lease expire? No problem with us. If you are still looking for a suitable place to sell your old car, you can find more information on this page.
User friendliness
At Carvolution, you benefit from our friendly and competent customer service or the Carvolution app, where you can solve your concerns easily and flexibly. Whether you want to report a claim, adjust the kilometre package, view the terms and conditions and invoices, or call up information about your own tyre garage, everything can be found quickly. With Gowago, you receive a physical card, which you can show at garage and tyre partners, moreover customer service can be notified. With Carvolution, monthly adjustments to the KM package are always possible on the next invoice, while Gowago does not currently offer a flexible solution, as there is no app for subscription management. With Carvolution, you can adjust your KM package both upwards and downwards. In addition, Gowago insists on the KM package booked at the time of leasing, which can lead to considerable costs depending on the annual mileage. The leasing bank charges CHF 0.30 to 0.70 per additional kilometre, depending on the model, which means an additional cost of CHF 1’500 - 3’500.- for 5’000 additional kilometres per year. If you buy the car after the lease, the fee for additional kilometres is waived. However, you will be charged for service and tyres as soon as the annual mileage is exceeded.
Additional benefits
Carvolution relies on partnerships with AVIA (fuel card with 5 Rp. / litre discount) and evpass (charging card with free membership in the 1st year, 5 Rp. / kWh discount). Through our partnership with myclimate, our customers also have the opportunity to use the fuel discount for CO2 offsets. Delivery to your home costs CHF 350 for pure leasing with Gowago, but is free in the all-in-one leasing packages. Carvolution charges a flat rate of CHF 195 for home delivery, but loads your car professionally so that your car arrives at your home safely and in the best condition.
What suits your needs better - leasing or subscription?
In conclusion, you have to decide for yourself whether the all-in-one leasing from Gowago or the all-inclusive subscription from Carvolution suits you better. How important is the variety of the selection to you? Do you want to drive a new car? How flexible do you want your KM package to be? How important is a digital solution for you to clarify your car concerns? If you decide to join Carvolution with a car subscription, you will find an overview of our cars here. You can also find an overview of Carvolution and the car subscription here.
Deals with down payment
With our down payment deals, you benefit from an even lower car subscription price. Discover various brands and receive your non-binding offer!
