The last thing you need is to be stranded on the side of the road with a broken-down car. Roadside assistance memberships provide 24/7 services to help you get back on the road, whether you need a quick jump start or a tow to a repair shop.
American Automobile Association (AAA) is the industry leader in roadside assistance — a name that has become synonymous with peace of mind on the road. But how does AAA compare to other roadside assistance memberships?
This guide breaks down the annual costs and benefits of AAA alongside competitors, like GEICO and Good Sam, to help you choose the membership that fits your needs.
| Provider | Coverage follows the person | Towing included | Battery jump | Battery delivery and installation | Winching/ extrication | Multicar coverage | Fuel delivery | Lockout service |
| AAA | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Allstate Roadside | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Better World Club | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Drivers Premier | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Good Sam Roadside | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| USAA Roadside Assistance | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| GEICO | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
AAA
AAA has been providing roadside assistance since 1915, and currently serves over 65 million members throughout the United States and Canada. With a fleet of strategically positioned towing and roadside service trucks, it’s the best option for drivers who want quick, dependable help, no matter where the road takes them.
Your AAA roadside assistance coverage follows you, not your vehicle, whether you’re driving or riding as a passenger. It’s helpful if you regularly use rental cars, carpool, or switch between vehicles. In many regions, this protection even extends to RVs, motorcycles and bicycles, so you’re covered whether you’re on two wheels or ten.
What really sets AAA apart is the range of services included in your membership that competitors typically charge extra for. For example, all AAA membership levels include extrication to help pull your car out if it gets stuck in a ditch or off the road — as long as it can be safely reached from a normally traveled road. This is a service many roadside assistance plans don’t offer.
Additionally, if a jump start isn’t enough, AAA technicians can install a AAA-branded battery on the spot with no additional labor cost. Each battery also comes with a 3-year free replacement warranty honored across North America. Many AAA clubs also offer mobile EV charging for members, so check with your local club to see if this service is available in your area.
Beyond roadside assistance, AAA Membership includes extra perks like travel services, exclusive discounts and car care at one of our 7,000 AAA Approved locations that are available at your fingertips through the mobile app.
Price:
AAA offers three membership levels to fit your needs and budget:
Basic (Classic) plan: Starting at $57.75 per year
- Plus plan: Starting at $96.00 per year
- Premier plan: Starting at $127.00 per year
Note: These prices vary by region. Please refer to your local AAA club for specific pricing in your area.
Membership Benefits:
AAA membership includes a range of benefits designed to keep you safe on the road and help you save on everyday purchases:
- Towing: Choose where your vehicle gets towed — whether that’s home, your preferred repair shop or another location. Premier Members get towing up to 200 miles.*
- Additional roadside services: Assistance for battery replacements, flat tires, lockouts (up to $150 locksmith reimbursement), jump starts, extrication/winching and fuel delivery (cost of fuel may be included depending on plan).
- Travel interruption: AAA Plus and AAA Premier members receive reimbursement for trip interruptions, lost baggage and up to $25,000 for emergency medical transportation.
- Comprehensive car care: Save on auto services at nearly 7,000 AAA Approved Auto Repair shops that meet AAA’s quality standards.
- Travel planning and deals: Work with AAA Travel agents to plan and book your trip with exclusive member discounts on hotels, rental cars and more.
- Exclusive discounts: Save money with AAA’s preferred partner network on shopping, dining and entertainment.
According to customer reviews, AAA members frequently praise the prompt and professional service they receive during roadside emergencies. One user even noted that they couldn’t ask for “better, faster, more efficient service.”
2. Allstate Roadside
Allstate is one of the largest insurance companies offering roadside coverage in the United States, with Allstate Roadside available as an add-on to an existing car insurance policy or as a stand-alone membership plan. Both options include RV and motorcycle coverage, so you’re protected no matter which vehicle you’re driving.
However, towing is limited to 10 or 25 miles, depending on your plan. In a growing metro area or during a long daily commute, a 25-mile limit may not even be enough to reach your preferred repair shop or get your vehicle back home.
Price:
Allstate Roadside offers a basic plan and a premium plan, depending on your needs:
- Roadside Assist plan: Starting at $59 per year (renews at $78 per year)
- Roadside Advantage plan: $89 per year (renews at $111 per year)
Membership Benefits:
Allstate Roadside provides these key roadside services:
- Towing: Your vehicle will be towed up to 10 or 25 miles, depending on your plan.
- Additional roadside services: Assistance for tire changes, lockouts, jump starts and fuel delivery.
- Motorcycle and RV coverage: Get roadside assistance when driving your motorcycle or RV.
- Trip interruption: The top-tier plan provides up to $1,500 in reimbursement for expenses for up to three days or until your car is fixed, whichever comes first.
Customer reviews are mixed. While some users report helpful roadside service, others mention difficulty reaching a human agent by phone and having to pay out of pocket despite having roadside coverage.
3. Better World Club
Better World Club markets itself as an eco-friendly roadside assistance program that’s 100 percent carbon neutral.
The company achieves this by purchasing carbon offsets to balance emissions from its services, funding environmental projects and clean energy initiatives in the process. Additionally, hybrid and electric vehicle owners do get a 10 percent discount on membership.
When it comes to towing, Better World Club will take your vehicle to the nearest repair facility for up to five or 100 miles, depending on which plan you choose. However, if you’d prefer an alternative repair shop, you’ll pay additional fees.
Price:
Better World Club offers two membership plans for vehicles and one for bicycle service:
- Bicycle: $44.95 per year
- Basic Auto: $69.95 per year
- Premium Auto: $119.95 per year
Membership Benefits:
Better World Club offers the following membership benefits:
- Towing: Towing to the nearest service facility up to five or 100 miles, depending on your plan.
- Additional roadside services: Tire changes, lockouts, jump starts, winching and fuel delivery.
- Exclusive discounts: Travel and lifestyle discounts plus cash back on certain sustainable products and services.
While Better World Club has limited reviews, one user shared a frustrating experience after her request was initially accepted but then cancelled because no local providers were available. Despite being told during sign-up that her rural location wouldn't be a problem, she was left stranded.
4. Drivers Premier
Drivers Premier is a membership you can purchase directly, backed by Agero — a major industry leader that provides white-label roadside assistance to insurance companies and credit cards. It includes roadside assistance, plus discounts and services like car valuation and trip routing.
The company only offers one membership tier, which tows your vehicle to a location of your choosing within 100 miles. While this is generous coverage, it's important to note that this applies to one tow per breakdown. Additionally, the lack of a more affordable basic plan may be a drawback for commuters and occasional drivers who don’t need that much towing distance.
Price:
Drivers' Premier roadside assistance costs $90 per year.
Membership Benefits:
With Drivers Premier, you get access to:
- Towing: You can choose where you want your vehicle to go, up to 100 miles.
- Additional roadside services: Assistance for tire changes, lockouts, jump starts, winching and fuel delivery.
- Travel expense reimbursement: Limited reimbursement for travel expenses you incur while waiting for car repairs.
- Digital coupons: Discounts on travel, vehicle maintenance and entertainment and more.
While the membership seems solid, note that some customers have reported poor experiences with Agero roadside assistance. Customer complaints include duplicate charges for services, extended wait times and vehicle damage during service.
5. Good Sam Roadside Assistance
Good Sam is geared specifically toward recreational vehicle (RV) enthusiasts, though it also offers roadside assistance plans for regular automobiles. Since all plans automatically cover spouses and dependent children, your whole family is protected whether you’re traveling together or someone’s out on their own.
Beyond roadside help, every plan includes access to travel and entertainment discounts. If you opt for the highest tier plan, you’ll also get emergency travel and medical assistance. Whether that’s worth the extra cost depends on how often you’re on the road and how comprehensive your existing travel insurance is.
Price:
Here’s a price breakdown of Good Sam’s auto coverage plans:
Platinum Auto: $99.95 per year
- Platinum+ Auto: $109.95 per year
- Platinum Complete Auto: $179.95 per year
Membership Benefits:
Good Sam roadside assistance membership includes the following benefits:
- Towing: Towing to the nearest service facility with no distance limit. However, you’re limited to the closest repair shop and cannot select your preferred one.
- Additional roadside services: Assistance for flat tires, lockouts, jump start and fuel delivery.
- Discounts: Savings on rental cars, hotels, repair services and more.
- Emergency assistance: The top-tier plan includes help coordinating emergency medical and travel services and covers certain costs.
Customer reviews are mixed, with some users experiencing long wait times and difficulty getting service dispatched. One member noted they were charged $845 because the "nearest" service center approved by the plan wasn't actually equipped to repair their specific RV.
6. USAA Roadside Assistance
USAA is a well-known financial services company providing insurance and financial products exclusively to members of the military, veterans and their families.
It offers roadside assistance as an add-on for to their auto insurance policies — it cannot be purchased as a stand-alone plan. The coverage follows the USAA-insured vehicle, so you won’t be protected if you’re a passenger in a friend's car, or you’re driving a rented or borrowed car.
USAA only tows to the nearest repair facility and has a cap of 50 miles, so if you’re a frequent road tripper, you may want something more robust. And while USAA Roadside Assistance works as a low-cost addition to your USAA policy, keep in mind that roadside requests are filed as insurance claims, so frequent requests may cause your rates to go up.
Price:
USAA Roadside Assistance is available as an add-on to new or existing policies, typically costing $12 to $20 per vehicle per year.
Membership Benefits:
Like most auto insurance roadside assistance programs, USAA’s coverage is fairly basic, with services that include:
- Towing: Your vehicle will be towed to the nearest repair shop, up to 50 miles.
- Additional roadside services: Assistance for flat tires, lockouts, jump start and fuel delivery.
USAA customers who have used their roadside assistance service report difficulty getting in touch with agents who can dispatch service, long wait times and no-shows.
7. GEICO
GEICO is one of the largest auto insurers in the United States, serving millions of policyholders. You can purchase GEICO Emergency Roadside Service as an add-on to any new or existing policy, starting at $14 per vehicle per year. You can only add it to vehicles already covered under your GEICO car insurance policy.
GEICO Emergency Roadside Service will tow your vehicle to the nearest repair shop, with a limit of up to 20 miles (though this may vary based on your policy). It also covers services like tire changes, fuel delivery and jump starts, but you’ll need to pay out-of-pocket for fuel and replacement tires.
Price:
GEICO Emergency Roadside Service is available as an add-on to existing policies, starting at $14 per vehicle per year.
Membership Benefits:
GEICO’s roadside coverage includes the following standard roadside services:
- Towing: Your vehicle will be towed up to 20 miles (mileage varies by policy) to the nearest repair facility.
- Additional roadside services: Assistance for flat tires, lockouts, jump start,winching (only if immediately next to the roadway) and fuel delivery.
While some users had positive experiences with GEICO Emergency Roadside Service, others report their insurance rates increasing after using the service and needing to get help from strangers when roadside assistance failed to show up.
How to Choose the Best Roadside Assistance Program
Roadside assistance programs vary widely, so choosing the right option for you can be confusing. Here are the key features to consider when making your decision:
- Towing limits: While some roadside assistance plans advertise unlimited towing distance, the caveat is often that you’re limited to whatever repair facility is nearest at the time. Choose a plan that will tow to your preferred repair shop or home for greater control over your vehicle’s care.
- Multi-car coverage: Look for plans that cover you as an individual rather than tying coverage to a specific vehicle, especially if you frequently drive different cars, ride with other people or rent vehicles when traveling.
- Winching/extrication: This service pulls your vehicle out of ditches, mud, snow, sand or other difficult situations. Many basic roadside assistance plans don’t include winching and extrication, so it’s important to verify this coverage is included if you want comprehensive protection.
- Battery service: While most basic roadside assistance plans include jump starts, sometimes your battery needs a replacement. Look for a plan that includes mobile battery replacement service.
- Trip interruptions: If you travel frequently, look for plans that will reimburse you for costs if a car incident interrupts your trip.
- Additional perks: Some providers offer member perks beyond roadside assistance, such as shopping and dining discounts, travel planning and savings on auto repair. Taking advantage of these deals can help you get more bang for your buck.
Additionally, you should be wary and carefully weigh the benefits of add-on coverage from your auto insurance provider. While inexpensive, roadside services are sometimes recorded as auto insurance claims on your insurance policy. Too many roadside requests can increase your premium. An independent membership like AAA protects your insurance record.
Choose AAA and Join 65 Million Members
Roadside assistance is essential, but not all programs are created equal. For travelers and daily commuters alike, AAA provides comprehensive coverage that follows you wherever you go, plus exclusive discounts and perks that help you save money on the road and beyond.
Whether you’re planning a cross-country road trip or just need peace of mind during your daily commute, AAA membership delivers gold-standard roadside assistance and so much more.