We were exploited by the owner to replace a visibly worn and perished handle after it broke THE FIRST time we opened the door less than one hour into our hire. When we questioned the responsibility falling to us he said “are you being righteous or are you guys short on money?!”. Camplify was absolutely no help although no instructions on handover… Read more
were given not to use the handle to open the door. Although we reported this to Camplify with receipts and pictures we were told we have to seek compensation through the owner, who is clearly the reason we had to reach out to camplify at all. They also don’t mind that we were threatened with drop off fees because the van was not located in the same city it was listed as NOR that the owner wanted us to pick it up a day early AND pay extra insurance costs because it was more convenient for him due to personal commitments on our first hire day.
Site is not easy to navigate, when you eventually find a caravan you are interested in and want to look at it before hiring , they have long list of requirements lol , one wanted all my personal details before hiring, nope not happening, security wise, isn’t the idea of hiring before you buy the idea, they want you to have full cravaning experience lol, isn’t that their neiche? lol useless site lol
Camplify are not a reason company to deal with. The website isn’t the best to navigate, but you put up with it. They are fine until there is a potential problem then they don’t listen to reason and you’ll be unfairly treated. There are better peer to peer company’s out there that service fees are less. We have used them and are a lot better.
Reviews with attachments
Cancelled at Pickup: Partial Refund Only and the Customer Carries the Consequences I recently booked a campervan through Camplify for a weekend trip and unfortunately had a very poor experience when things went wrong. On the way to pickup, the owner cancelled the booking due to a vehicle issue. The hire never commenced because the campervan was… Read more
not in a hire-ready condition at the time of pickup.
To be fair, the owner handled the situation responsibly and eventually covered the additional out-of-pocket costs caused by the cancellation. I appreciate that.
Camplify also refunded the booking amount itself, which is expected. However, what became very clear throughout the process is that when a last-minute owner cancellation happens, the customer carries almost all the disruption, stress, and financial risk.
What made the experience worse was the refund process itself. The refund took far too long to be processed. On business day 13, I spent over an hour dealing with customer support through their messaging system, and it was only after an exhaustive conversation and repeated follow-ups that the refund was finally prioritised. Had I not continued chasing the matter, I genuinely believe the process could have taken much longer.
During the process, support advised me to remain patient as their team was handling a “high volume of refund requests.” Hearing this did not inspire confidence in the platform experience or support system, especially in the context of a cancelled booking at pickup.
The support process felt slow, fragmented, and heavily policy-driven. There was no real-time assistance available during the failed pickup situation, and no meaningful customer protection for consequential losses or trip disruption caused by a vehicle issue on the owner’s side.
What concerns me most is the imbalance in accountability. If a customer cancels, fees and penalties apply. But when an owner cancels at pickup due to a vehicle problem, the customer is largely left to manage the consequences themselves.
My issue is not with the owner, who ultimately acted reasonably. My concern is with the platform model and the lack of safeguards for customers when a booking fails at the point of pickup.
If you’re considering booking through Camplify, just understand that a refund of the booking itself may not protect you from the wider costs, disruption, and time spent resolving a last-minute cancellation.
We had similar experience like all other reviewers with Camplify. We hired a caravan from Alora Mckinley for their Ezytrail Parkes 15 Quad for 5 days. During the pickup, Alora told us fallen tree damages to one side of their caravan and we could see that there were scratches on that side as well. Alora said they were aware of the damages and… Read more
said we did not have to worry about the damages. But when we returned the caravan at their property in Murrindindi, she refused to check the caravan with us while we were there. We had voice recording from the owner that she said she would do the inspection after.
Later she filed a post-hiring report saying we caused excessive scratches on that side of their caravan and there was also rear lighting bar bent and she said she assumed it was caused by driving close to a tree. Based on this, Camplify charged us $500 from our bank account without notification to us prior and without seeking for evidence from our side. We then checked the photos we took at the time of pickup. Some of the scratches were clearly shown but some of the scratches were very hard to see under certain light and weather conditions. The owner took the photos of the caravan at early morning or late afternoon when it was dark and the body of the caravan was covered by morning drew, which completely missed the details of the scratches and the bent rear bar. The bent rear bar was also hard to notice as it was not fallen off and could be bent outward so they could take the photo in the post-hiring report. It was clear in our photos taken during pickup that the left end of the rear bar was flipped up and not aligned with the caravan. We have submitted the photos to Camplify and have not yet heard from them since.
In the meantime, before seeing report, I put 5 star rating and very positive comments for this hire. Later after the claim against us happened, we contacted Camplify consumer support and requested to delete or edit our rating and comment to reflect our complete hiring experience, Camplify refused to do so and said that the rating and comment can only be removed if the owner agrees as well. This is review manipulation to only allow to include positive comments or to allow the owners to approve what is written and what can be deleted in the reviews. When I asked to include negative comments in our original reviews, they refused. We have reported this to ACCC.
If you have similar experience, do report this to ACCC as well. The reviews on Camplify do not necessarily reflect the whole story of the users from my experience. In this case, this might apply to other reviews on their website.
So I booked a van (van owner lovely) on 30th July using Camplifys SAVE 150 T&Cs state must be booked by 31st July. Payment was rejected day later as I moved house a week ago and driver licience did not match. Payment was made x2 days later when I figured it out and Camplify now saying code does not apply as it was not paid. T&Cs say nothing about payment before 31 July. Not happy!
The campervan we hired through Camplify had over 320,000km on the clock. It was not fit for purpose - an essential brake pad was missing; we are now being held liable for causing subsequent damage to the brakes. The lack of proper functioning brakes, from lack of servicing, was obviously potentially a very dangerous situation. Additionally the… Read more
campervan smelt awful, the upholstery was shredded, the linen old, the tyres were only half the recommended pressure, the radiator sprung a leak, and the cabin door could not be locked from the inside. And it was not cheap to rent!! Eventually the campervan broke down and we were stranded way up in the north of New Zealand, with no assistance from Camplify. Thanks to family and friends we managed to get back to our destination in time for an international flight. Almost 3 months’ later we are still trying to get the situation resolved.
Avoid Camplify and Camplify Karijini Explorer owner [Name Removed] in Perth. He has an instant booking option, which I paid. I then proceeded to book and pay for flights and accomodation. Only to have [Name Removed] cancel the booking 5 days later. Camplify could not tell me why the owner cancelled, and Camplify would not take his ad down, so… Read more
other people will potentially experience the same cancellation issues. Camplify agent couldn't do anything, just keep referring to policy, saying that they cannot control owners. Sure, but doesn't Camplify have a responsibility to take bad owners off the platform?
Camplify are also keeping my money for 14 days whilst they process the refund and without going through with the booking have no ability to provide a review of the Camplify Karijini Explorer owner. i.e. no consequence for the owner.
To top it off, the 3 alternative options they have sent through are for a different state. Amazingly poor customer experience AVOID!
Latest follow-ups
Poor customer service, AVOID read the reviews!!! – I booked a motorhome to drive around the UK for 12 days. I paid a deposit and sometime later, I received an email from Camplify advising that the owner of the Motorhome has sold the RV. I then received another email advising that I will be charged a… Read more
cancellation fee and this will be deducted from the deposit. I contested this fee, but have been told several times that I need to pay the cancellation fee.
I have recently received the refund of my deposit (minus the cancellation fee). I had booked powered sites in a few RV parks and paid a no refund deposit on all the bookings and have lost these deposits.
I have learnt my lesson- rent only from reputable companies who have a reputation that they want to maintain so will attempt to look after customers. I have gone to Avis. Never again with Camplify and potential customers need to read the reviews to avoid inconvenience and enduring what could become a financial and time consuming nightmare.
Follow-up · As a request to followup my review, I hope potential customers are looking at the reviews because they are quite revealing and condemning. In my instance,there was no resolution, I lost money, fortunately a small amount and no options or contact was ever made to provide support. I WOULD NEVER USE THIS ORGANISTAION AGAIN. And lesson learnt, always… Read more
- +3
Don’t hire a van from Camplify. The vehicle we were given was well below standard. It was dirty inside and out, with clutter taking up luggage room. The day before receiving the van we were told "ensure engine coolant and motor oil are kept full.… Read more
Please double check both prior to your adventures", suggesting the owner knew the van was not in good working order for long trips. The amount we paid to hire the van was more than it would have been worth to purchase, were it for sale. We picked up the van from the airport and quickly realised it was not of the standard that was falsely advertised to us. On contacting Camplify, they did not care and would not take any responsibility, despite many attempts to resolve the matter. We then contacted Fair Trade, and went to a court Hearing where we asked Camplify to compensate us by refunding half the amount. Given that we did not use the van for our trip, we believed this to be a generous request on our part. Instead, Camplify refunded us only a third of the cost after a tedious mediation process where they lacked empathy and responsibility. We regret ever having chosen Camplify as they turned what should have been a relaxing holiday into a stressful experience. After everything, we are out of pocket over $4000. Save your money and hire through a different company who care about standards, ensure advertised vehicles match the reality of their condition, and take seriously their customers' concerns.
Follow-up · 1. Old van with rust. (Paid $6,000 for 4 weeks hire. Probably not worth $6,000 to buy.) 2. Suitable for 4 weeks travel around Tasmania. 3. Owner instructed to regularly top up oil and coolant.
I do not give bad reviews lightly, this however is deserved. They have no owner support. What the hell are we supposed to do when someone turns up with a clearly incompatible vehicle and camplify is not available? I’m not sure who is more incompetent.
Follow-up · My follow - I have removed my caravan from the site and deleted my account.
Positive reviews
Doug on Apex van life – Arriving from Canada, our 3rd trip, we rented a motor home (Athena) from Apex Van life through Camplify for 28 days most of Nov/23. A great trip as usual There were a couple of little issues that are normal when you are gone for that long but generally a very nice motorhome and anytime we contacted the team at Apex they tried to solve our… Read more · 1
concerns quickly. couple of maintance items could have been dealt with before the rental but generally a good rental. We have a motorhome in Canada and are very familiar with RVing. As demand is 12 months of the year and not 7 or 8 months as it is here I can understand the maintance issues could get overlooked at times. Overall pleased with both Apex and Camplify.
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Feel supported – We have hired out our van a fee different places but camplify makes me feel we have protection from things that may go wrong and we are supported to have a good outcome with our hires. Show reply
Excellent service – Camplify has been extremely helpful with everything we've needed. They're really easy to deal with, the perfect way to experience a stressfree holiday! Show reply
Negative reviews
car broke down 10am on day 2. after two weeks of hassling and being consistently ignored they ended up refunding from day 3. it broke down 3 hours north of Sydney on the Pac Hwy. between towns. literally middle of nowhere. only that we had a friend driving behind us we were able to jump in their car. and they want to charge us for that day. still chasing. dont use.
Absolutely terrible service. Our booking was cancelled at the last minute so we had to book another van. I got a credit, then a refund and have been waiting 3 months for a refund.
We had a generally lovely trip hiring a camper van with a very kind "host" through Camplify... until a serious issue arose that others should be aware of. The van had an auto-lock feature that allowed it to lock with the keys still inside. We stepped out briefly (to use an essential amenity - a toilet!) & the van locked itself with everything… Read more
inside - including phones, water, blankets & other essentials. We were very lucky to be in a safe location with family nearby. In a remote area, this could have been a dangerous, potentially life-threatening situation.
A locksmith was called & we waited 5 hours before he arrived. He then he gained entry to the vehicle in under 5 minutes.
Months later, we were invoiced $381 for this, despite the issue being caused by the vehicle’s locking system - not lost keys or negligence on our part.
In our view, a camper van that can lock occupants out with the keys inside, without warning, is not fit for purpose & poses a real safety risk.
If you’re hiring through Camplify, please make sure you fully understand the locking system of the vehicle before you travel.
Very disappointing handling of what is fundamentally a safety issue.
Although we loved the use of the vehicle & the owner was an absolute diamond lady, we will never use this platform again.
Recent reviews
WARNING: Dodgy platform, dangerous vehicles, and a review system designed to hide the truth. We hired a campervan through Camplify and were handed a vehicle with 22 documented faults — a van that was, by any standard, unregistrable and unsafe to drive on NSW roads. This is not an exaggeration. We documented every single fault. The owner was… Read more
nowhere to be found at return — no joint inspection, no agreement on condition, and now he is attempting to charge us for damages on a vehicle that was already in a deplorable state before we touched it.
But here's the part that should concern every prospective Camplify user:
Camplify operates a review system where NEITHER party's review is published unless BOTH submit one. This means any owner who receives a negative review can simply choose not to submit their own review — and your warning to other hirers disappears. It never gets published. This is not a neutral policy. It is a structural tool for suppressing negative feedback, and it is the exact reason we chose this listing in the first place — because the owner appeared to have glowing reviews.
Absolutely disgraceful service. I attempted to cancel my booking on 18 March — well within the refund policy — because their website was broken and wouldn't process the cancellation. I have video evidence of this. I emailed, I called, I notified the vehicle owner myself. Their phone system cut me off multiple times, and after 14 minutes on hold I… Read more
was told to leave a voicemail — which then also cut out.
It took Camplify until 24 hours before the booking to send me a complaint form. 24 hours. After weeks of me chasing them.
Their platform failed, their customer service failed, and now I'm left fighting for a refund I am clearly entitled to. Zero accountability, zero urgency, zero care for the customer.
Avoid.
i booked and paid in full nearly a year in advance for a caravan hire over the easter weekend. just last week, i proactively contacted the owner to confirm everything was on track and was reassured that it was. however, today -only one week before the event- the owner cancelled the booking. as an event organiser expecting more than 2,000 campers,… Read more
this has created an extremely stressful situation with virtually no alternatives available this close to a peak holiday period. while a refund has been offered, the 14 business day processing time is unacceptable given the circumstances.
more concerning is that there appears to be little to no consequence for owners who cancel at the last minute, leaving customers to absorb all the risk. And, if penalties are applied, who gets these funds??? surely not Camplify!? Because that will mean they get a portion of hire fees and penalty fees??
this experience has seriously undermined my confidence in the platform. i would strongly caution others relying on bookings especially for important events.
Salt in the wound: I discovered that the van owner has listed his van as available for the same period at a higher rate.
Starting to sound unscrupulous
I hired a caravan for the Easter break, paid Camplify $1500 only to have the owner sell the van a day later & cancel my booking. I now have to wait 30 days for the refund to be processed & still no van. The cancellation process unreasonably punishes hirers & let’s owners break agreements without any significant consequences.
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Before you book please read the one star reviews for the five stars are trip where nothing requires campfiy’s assistance. Our experience today was a total disaster. We are day four of our two week trip when the motor home broke down. The clutch died. We are halfway between Tamworth and Muswellbrook. After endless calls to campify and five hours,… Read more
we were told they can’t find a tow for a vehicle this size. Wth, every vehicle you deal with is this size, it’s what you do. Furthermore, nothing can be done until the owner tells campfire where it’s to go. If they can’t be reached, you’re not going anywhere. The owner is an older lady in Brisbane, how is she to know where it’s to be taken? THEY DONT USE NRMA OR RACQ.
The worst part of this experience is that campify are happy for us to be stranded. I’m travelling with my girlfriend and our two dogs. Campify off a $350 credit for emergency transport and $150 a night for up to three nights accommodation. A tiny amount but it’s irrelevant if no one will take us. No taxi, uber etc will take dogs so we are on our own.
Once we realised this, things got better. We called the local police who had a contact. She will take us to town tomorrow for a fee. We are then hiring a car to get to Newcastle and hiring another camper to get back to Brisbane. A very expensive ordeal and all booked through us. Having read other reviews I now get to deal with the pleasure of trying to get a refund for the rest of this campers trip and the minuscule credits.
Booked a van only to have it cancelled on us with no warning. This left us in a significant predicament. They gave us a credit but we wanted a refund. This proved quite hard and timely. Will never book through this system again.
Just like everyone else here I rented a van used it returned it in perfect condition owner checked it off the list 2 weeks later trying to charge me $600 for a broken awning clip which I didn't do. I have all evidence against this company and there threatening with debt collection. ACCC should launch investigation into this company
Avoid Camplify if you value some support. Zero help in a breakdown. If you hire through Camplify, pray the car doesn't break down and need to be towed, because if it does, you are completely on your own. When the vehicle failed, I had to arrange my own accommodation and a replacement car on my own. Their reimbursement policy is a joke - it only… Read more
covers a small fraction of the cost, and because last-minute hires are so expensive, you will be significantly out of pocket. To make matters worse, their refund for the unused days was less than the actual daily rate I paid.
The owner is left to find a garage and mechanic with zero assistance from Camplify - I waited around 5h in a remote area. To make matters worse, they will still charge you the insurance excess even if the mechanical failure was not your fault at all. Terrible experience and poor customer service.
We hired a motorhome through Camplify NZ. The booking process went well, we picked up the private rental van and our issues began. The van was not roadworthy, advertised inclusions such as TV, music player etc didn’t work properly. The grey water hose was held together with tape, we were told to just empty it on the ground and the pull out step… Read more
was rusted trough, we had to use a fold out plastic step. I sent a very fair and honest review that wasn’t aggressive but it was never posted, Camplify advised that my review was disabled after “assessment for removal as requested by the owner. The request to remove the review is based on ACCC standards- in line with the guidelines from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
So this means unless it’s a positive 4-5 star review, potential hirers will never get a true rating of the vehicle. I would never hire with Camplify again.
I booked a van 4 days before our pickup date and paid $2400. The day before our departure my son was involved in a serious car accident and was in hospital having surgery so I contacted the hirer immediately. They advised I should cancel the booking so there would be a chance for someone else to hire the van. What would’ve been 2 days into our… Read more
trip to Cape Leveque Broome, a cyclone was forecast for that area and by the next day the roads we were meant to travel on were flooded and closed. On the website it says to contact camplify regarding refunds due to bad weather and serious illness which I believe were my situations. I emailed and got no reply. I have now been advised by the hirer that I will get $1100 back. I’m sorry but that is robbery. And feedback on their reply.. even after taking over $1200 and promising a refund within 14 days... It's been 16 days and I have received no money, no reply to my 2 emails, so I have had to lodge a formal complaint with the NSW Ombudsman. Hopefully then I will be shown some respect and receive my money back. Don't be fooled by this company. You are better off going through the owners of the equipment you want to hire and cut Camplify out.
Stay away from this terrible business! Camplify blamed us for damage which we did not do, to a caravan we rented. They blamed us from the outset requesting that we fill out an incident report (I said there was no incident so this is ridiculous!). They then said they find us guilty based on photo's where their renter has deconstructed their caravan… Read more
after the hire and provided photo's of what they've dismantled. They then said we have to pay or they'll ensure we get a bad credit rating. The dispute process was one sided and unfair...Avoid, avoid, avoid! This is a bad business and we've lodged a complaint with the ACCC.
The vehicle I hired through the platform was not road worthy. It has no speedometer, no break lights, it broke down 40 minutes after I collected it and the fridge didn’t work. I notified Camplify of this during my hire and complained after. They did nothing to help, the communication was terrible. I had to start court proceedings to try and get my… Read more
money back and they initially ignored my letters. Finally after 6 months they agreed to give me a refund within 5-10 working days. After 13 working days I still had no refund and they again, ignored my emails. I had to call and complain over the phone to get an answer. Luckily I have now been refunded but I would never use their services again. The faulty vehicle aside, their customer service is terrible.
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As an update I did get my money back, but it took over a month. Reading other camplify reviews I… Read more