What’s Better – AAA or Good Sam?

Last Updated on December 2, 2023

AAA and Good Sam are two of the most popular roadside assistance programs available today. But which one is better?

Good Sam Roadside Assistance is the right choice for some drivers, while AAA works better for others.

AAA may be the biggest and best-known name in the roadside assistance industry. The organization offers a variety of plans with extensive benefits.

Good Sam, meanwhile, offers similar roadside assistance programs at multiple price points. Good Sam is also particularly popular for RV owners.

Is AAA or Good Sam the right choice for you? Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about AAA versus Good Sam for roadside assistance.

Table of Contents:

• How AAA Roadside Assistance Works
• How Good Sam Roadside Assistance Works
• Similarities Between AAA and Good Sam
• Differences Between AAA and Good Sam
• AAA vs. Good Sam Comparison Chart

How AAA Roadside Assistance Works

The American Automobile Association, or AAA, describes itself as “the undisputed leader in roadside assistance.” The organization has been helping drivers tackle tricky roadside problems for over a century.

Founded in 1902, AAA has 60 million members across the United States and Canada. The company offers roadside assistance, car repairs, travel assistance, and other services to members. You can buy AAA’s Classic plan for around $60 per year, while their higher-end Premier plan starts at $127 per year.

AAA also offers specialized RV and motorcycle roadside assistance plans for $35 per year. It covers winching, theft, locksmith services, towing, fuel delivery, trailer coverage, trip continuance, and other issues specifically for RV and motorcycle owners.

Whether locked out of your vehicle, running out of gas, dealing with a dead battery, or needing a 100-mile tow, AAA’s roadside assistance programs are extremely popular across the United States and Canada.

How Good Sam Roadside Assistance Works

Good Sam may not be as well-known as AAA, although Good Sam is one of the best-rated roadside assistance programs in the United States.

Good Sam is particularly popular among RV owners. Along with AAA, Good Sam is one of the most popular roadside assistance subscription programs for RV owners.

Good Sam’s Roadside Assistance offers many of the same benefits as AAA, including 24/7 roadside assistance, travel savings, trip interruption coverage, and more.

And, like AAA, Good Sam has multiple plans at multiple price points, letting you choose how much or how little coverage you would like. A standard Good Sam subscription is priced at $79.95 per year.

Good Sam differentiates itself from AAA and other competitors with its towing service. The company will tow a vehicle to the nearest service station free of charge with no limit on mileage. Virtually every other roadside assistance program has a specific mileage like – like 10, 50, or 100 miles. With Good Sam, there’s no mileage limit: whether your RV breaks down in the city or in the middle of nowhere, you can get towed to the nearest service station free of charge.

Good Sam Roadside Assistance covers drivers in the United States, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada.

Similarities Between AAA and Good Sam

AAA and Good Sam have certain things in common, including:

Multiple Subscription Options: Both companies have multiple subscription options at multiple price points. If you want maximum coverage and protection, you can pay around $130 per year, for example. If you want basic coverage – say, for emergency roadside situations only – then you can pay $60 to $80 per year for the most basic plan.

Coverage in Canada: Both AAA and Good Sam provide coverage in the United States and Canada.

Coverage for All Vehicles: AAA and Good Sam cover all types of vehicles, including motorcycles, RVs, trailers, light trucks, SUVs, and automobiles. Both organizations consider a light truck as anything with 1,500 to 4,000 pounds of load capacity. There are no extra charges for any of these vehicles.

Mobile Apps: AAA and Good Sam both offer mobile apps. Install the apps on your phone, then access roadside assistance or other membership services at any time.

Travel Planning: AAA and Good Sam are best known for their roadside assistance, although both organizations offer travel planning to members. You can access travel discounts, vacation packages, free road maps, and other services with AAA and Good Sam.

Customer Service Support: Both Good Sam and AAA offer customer support via phone, email, and online forms.

Insurance: Both AAA and Good Sam are affiliated with insurance providers, allowing members to get discounts on car insurance.

Travel Interruption Coverage: Both AAA and Good Sam cover travel interruptions, which means you receive reimbursement for meals and lodging if your vehicle breaks down when you are more than 100 miles away from home.

Differences Between AAA and Good Sam

AAA and Good Sam share many things in common. The two organizations are very competitive with one another. However, crucial differences between the two organizations include:

Price: AAA’s standard plan starts at around $60 per year, while Good Sam’s annual plan is priced at $79.95 per year.

Additional Person Coverage: Good Sam charges nothing to add another person to your plan, while AAA charges $34 per year to add another person.

Call Limits: Good Sam restricts you to 5 free service calls per year, while AAA restricts you to 4 free service calls per year.

Towing Limits: Good Sam has no towing limits, while AAA has a 5-mile towing limit (on its standard plan).

Coverage in Mexico: Good Sam provides roadside assistance in Mexico, while AAA does not.

If you hit your towing limit, you can still have your car towed beyond this limit, although you’ll need to pay extra. Similarly, with call limits, if you have already made 4 or 5 calls per year and need to make one more, then you can still make that call – you’ll just need to pay a certain overage fee.

The biggest difference between Good Sam and AAA is with its towing limits and additional person coverage. With Good Sam, an additional person on your plan is covered for free, which means your spouse (or whoever else) gets free coverage. With AAA, adding a person costs $34 extra per year.

Similarly, AAA has towing limits ranging from 5 miles to 100 miles, while Good Sam has no towing limits. If you frequently travel on remote roads and need to be towed to the nearest service station, then you might pay hundreds of dollars even with AAA coverage. With Good Sam, you pay the same rate for any tow – zero.

AAA vs. Good Sam Comparison Charts

To see an overview of the coverage options offered by AAA and Good Sam, review the table below. Please note that here we compare only the standard plans offered by AAA and Good Sam. If you are seeking more coverage, both companies offer broader service packages at higher price points.

Service	AAA Standard Plan	Good Sam Standard Plan
Annual Cost	$60+ annually	$79.95 annually
Towing	5 mile	No towing limits
Mechanical Adjustment	Included	Included
Locksmith	$50-$100	Included
Flat Tire	Included	Included
Fuel Delivery	Included - you pay for gas	Included
Battery Jump Start	Included	Included
Battery Replacement	Included	Included
Call Limits	4 per year	5 per year
Mexico Coverage	No	Yes
Canada Coverage	Yes	Yes
Other Services	- Free winching (if possible) - Rental car discounts - Minor mechanical first aid	- Add another person to plan for free - RV Mobile Mechanic Dispatch - $1,200 in trip interruption coverage

Final Word on AAA vs. Good Sam

AAA and Good Sam are two of the best-known names in the roadside assistance industry. The two organizations offer similar roadside assistance plans, although there are several significant differences between the two.

AAA’s standard plan is approximately $20 per year cheaper, for example, although you need to pay $34 per year extra to add another person to your plan. Good Sam’s plans, meanwhile, have no mileage limits on towing and let you add another person to your plan for free.