35+ Most Profitable Things to Rent Out
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The diverse variety of things to rent out that can be used as business ideas is increasing every year. From specialized equipment to vehicles, many companies have been providing rental services for varied items, products, and tools, while generating passive income. If you’re wondering what to rent and how to get started with this type of business activity, then today’s post is for you.
For equipment rental on WordPress, use the Lorenty WP rental solution, the WordPress rentals plugin + 5 awesome designs all in one.
Top 35+ Things to Rent Out: How to Get Started
Due to a wide variety of products and assets that are in demand today, starting a rental business is easier than ever. Even if you aren’t an experienced entrepreneur but are asking yourself “What can I rent out to make money?”, any of the items mentioned below will be a great start.
The process is quite simple especially when you already own one or several popular products for rental. Thanks to the easy-to-use eCommerce and web design solutions, you can even set up the online presence of your rental business online. Read on to learn more about the best products and practices to help you get started in this business niche quickly.
Laptops/PCs
Being a necessary item for work and entertainment, laptops and personal computers are a great option for your rental business. Among multiple things to rent out, these devices don’t require huge investments. Moreover, the mentioned items are always in high demand due to their versatility and multiple application spheres.
Boats
Boat rentals are getting more and more popular among travelers and sea enthusiasts. In most cases, they are quite affordable and can provide your potential clients with diverse rental options. Like any vehicle, boats also require storage space and constant maintenance that should be considered in advance before starting the rental business.
Electric bikes
Another great option for the most profitable things to rent out for travelers is electric bikes. This is an environmentally-friendly transportation option that has recently had a rise in popularity. It is also a great option for a small rental business located in a city with a well-developed biking infrastructure.
Mobile phones
If you want to start with something not so expensive, we recommend renting out mobile phones. With a vast range of these devices being available in the market, you can always pick something that fits your business and your potential clients. From luxury models to more practical and affordable ones, smartphones and mobile phones are a great starting option for any rental business.
Cameras
High-end cameras as well as various gear for photography and videography can also be a great choice for the best things to rent out. Due to the high pricing of these devices, providing them for rent allows photography enthusiasts to save on equipment, while also having access to top-quality cameras. The latter vary from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras alongside multiple accessories, such as lenses, filters, and drones.
Costumes
On many holidays and parties people may find themselves in need of a well-designed costume. No wonder many rental businesses are providing these items as things to rent out for parties. From cosplayers to party-goers, many of your potential customers will enjoy renting out a quality costume since it’s always cheaper than buying or designing one on their own.
Clothes
Clothes, especially evening dresses & suits, are also the most frequent things to rent out. If a person needs to attend an important public event but doesn’t have the funds or an opportunity to buy an expensive suit, chances are they’ll rent it. So even if you don’t own exclusive designer clothes, you can invest in them and expect a great return due to the high popularity of this product category.
Furniture
Renting our furniture regardless of its size, color, and shape is also an option for a rental startup. Ranging from people to businesses and events, there are lots of potential customers and purposes this type of item can be rented. So if you happen to own tables, chairs, sofas, and other furniture variations, it could be a great start for a small rental business.
Bed linens
While not always an obvious choice, bed linens are often listed among the best things to rent out because of their high demand. For example, many hospitality industry establishments, such as vacation rental properties may require these items, especially if we talk about an urgent situation. Moreover, travelers themselves may consider renting them out instead of buying new ones or bringing them from home.
White goods (refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers)
This is one of the most often rented item categories alongside, cars, PCs, and other costly devices. From hotels to real estate agencies, multiple businesses and organizations may want to rent such items instead of buying them. Households may also benefit from this service due to the high purchase cost of such goods.
Wedding suits & dresses
If you’d rather start with something more common and less costly than white goods, we recommend renting out wedding dresses and suits. Like the previously mentioned designer clothes, there’s always a high demand for these items. Even though a wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime type of event, renting spectacular dresses is always more practical than buying them.
Solar panels
Solar panels help to save on energy spending a lot, especially for small businesses and families — no wonder these items are frequently mentioned and listed as popular & the most profitable things to rent out. Additionally, with the panels becoming more affordable, you don’t need to have a huge budget to establish a rental business with their help.
Cars
Cars and various automotive vehicles are one of the top searches when it comes to rental services. They can be used for travel, business trips, and just everyday usage. For that reason, car rental agencies are one of the most rapidly developing and successful businesses.
Trailers
Vans and trailers are the basis of any transportation and logistics company these days and one of the top things to rent out. Offering such vehicles for rental can help you establish long-lasting relations with delivery and transportation companies, especially with those who aren’t ready to buy trailers themselves. As a result, such an approach to business can help you partner with the right companies from the very beginning.
Recreational vehicles
Recreational vehicles or simply RVs are another category of items you can provide for rent and gain a lot from. These vehicles are quite expensive due to the combination of accommodation and transportation. But if you want to provide an unmatched traveling experience for your potential customers, providing RV rentals is a great way to start especially if you’re passionate about camping or glamping business.
Party equipment
Just like previously mentioned costumes, party equipment often appears among the things to rent out to make money. From props to party tents for outdoor events, there are multiple options of equipment that you may rent out. Regardless of what you choose, rest assured that many people will aim to save on party items instead of buying them.
Sports gear
Renting out gear for sports is a fitting choice if you want to establish a niche business. Aside from offering the sports equipment you already have, you may also try to invest in regularly asked-for gear. Prior research in this matter will help you decide what type of sports gear is the best pick for your rental startup.
Medical equipment
Continuing our list of things to rent out is medical equipment. It is often regarded as one of the most expensive and technologically complex items to own so providing it for rent may require expertise in the medical sphere. Besides, such items are mostly required by hospitals and medical clinics, so having useful connections with medical establishments may be beneficial if you decide to start such a rental business.
Construction Equipment
There’s one more category of things you can rent out that are quite niche yet used quite often. We are talking about construction equipment that is quite pricey to buy for smaller construction companies. If you have a well-established business in this sphere, renting out some of your specialized equipment may prove to be a profitable idea.
Audio recording equipment
Renting out equipment for audio recording is one of the well-developed business spheres. Many online content creators and music producers need such gear regularly or occasionally. However, instead of buying it, they use rental services as it’s cheaper and more efficient.
Skis and snowboards
Many travelers and winter sports enthusiasts may find themselves in need of quality skiing and snowboarding equipment. Just like with other sports gear, it is often smarter to rent it out than purchase it for yourself, especially if you don’t do these sports full-time. As a result, many rental businesses often get started by investing in such equipment and renting it out to cover the expenses.
Adventure gear
Gear and apparel for adventure tours and extreme sports is one of the product categories that is highly rented rather than bought by sports enthusiasts and travelers. Renting these items is more affordable and it makes rental businesses for outdoor sports one of the most profitable ventures. This is especially true for areas where adventure tourism is highly popular.
Fishing gear
Similar to any other gear, fishing equipment provides great rental potential. As it is occasionally used, especially since fishing is a hobby for many, such gear is often one of the things people rent. This is also a possibility for passionate fishing enthusiasts to provide their gear for a fee and get additional benefits from it.
Canoes and kayaks
If you want to start a tourism-related business but don’t know where to start, renting out kayaks and canoes to travelers is a possible option. Such gear is durable and can be easily maintained. Furthermore, with the constant popularity growth of kayaking near local waterways, expanding your business will be a matter of time.
Private jets
Private jets are one of the most expensive items on the list of things to rent out. However, if you already work in a similar business or have a private jet, renting it out will provide you with additional financial resources. Besides, if you own a newer aircraft, you can make more from renting it out than from an older one.
Video game consoles
Many gaming & entertainment centers depend on quality equipment, such as video game consoles. However, instead of investing in purchasing them, sometimes it is easier to rent them, at least at the early stage of business growth. This is also an opportunity for gamers who don’t use their PlayStation or Xbox consoles and games but are looking for some additional income.
Board games
Board games are also rented for the same reason as any other games, including digital ones. For many board game fans, it is also a great opportunity to rent rare games, while game stores can earn on them. This makes such items one of the most profitable things to rent out since board games are often affordable.
Moving boxes
Just like vehicles, moving boxes are also highly used in the rental business. These items can be rented out for a fairly small price. Thus, anyone who is moving to a new house or office and doesn’t want to spend a fortune on such items will find such rental services useful.
Signs
Signs are very often rented for a short term, which sets them alongside popular yet not always obvious things to rent out. Moreover, they are reasonably priced for purchase. So if you decide to start a rental business, providing such items to businesses and individuals for a fee may be a great idea for your startup.
Dumpsters
One of the not-so-popular ideas is connected with renting out dumpsters. Still, such a business doesn’t require big investments and may even result in good returns since many companies need to collect and organize trash. Additionally, you may invest in cleaning & waste processing services to further extend the range of provided benefits.
Scaffoldings
If you’re working in the construction industry, you know how important scaffoldings are to any building project. That’s why these items are also among the best things to rent out. Moreover, you don’t always need to have a huge startup budget since you can sub-rent scaffoldings from companies that manufacture them.
LED lighting
Offering LED lighting for rent is a great way to help local businesses transform their storefronts without huge investments. Besides, you can rent out LED solutions to event planners to provide extra decorations with a great visual touch. In addition to LED lighting, many renting companies also allow LED displays to be used in concerts, business conferences, and other events. Most rented items of the budget-minded people!
Toys
Modern toys are often quite expensive and some of them may even bore kids over time. For that reason, they are often listed as easy things to rent out for profit in the long run. Also, parents may want to try the toys before buying them for their kids, which is an option in some toy rental companies.
Warehouses
Renting out warehouses is a very profitable business idea, especially if you have experience or connections in the transportation industry. Many moving and delivery companies rely on proper warehousing services. Still, buying whole warehouses is a considerable investment and it’s not always affordable.
Event venues
We end the list of the things to rent out to make money with quite an obvious mention – venues for events. Buying and maintaining an event venue is a costly matter, especially if you don’t need lots of space for every event all the time. But if you already own one, you can simply partner with event agencies and rent it out to them for a fee.
Where and How to Rent Out Your Items
Now that we’ve learned about popular things people rent, let’s take a look at how you can do it and what you need for it besides the actual items. The first suggestion if you want to get started with item rental is to explore popular platforms that allow you to do it. Whether you are planning to rent out a room, a storage space, or a bike, there are multiple online websites that you can use, for example:
- Spinlister (for bikes and outdoor gear);
- Airbnb (for room & vacation rentals);
- Turo (for renting out your car);
- KitSplit (for high-end camera rentals).
This is of course not a complete list of websites you may want to use. However, all of them provide the essential options for every user: item descriptions, photos, customizable, rates, and reviews. Additionally, some of such sites may take a fee from every booking. If you don’t want to share any percentage of the rental rates or need to have full control over the rental process of your items, we recommend establishing a dedicated website with WordPress for this matter.
Establishing a Rental Website with WordPress
As an open-source content management system, WordPress is a great choice for developing your rental website. With multiple things to rent out, you can always customize your website thanks to a wide variety of themes and designs for this CMS. A great example is Lorenty, a ready-made theme developed by MotoPress. It comes with 5 pre-designed demos and multiple layouts for diverse spheres of rental business, such as:
- Bikes, scooters, and motorcycles;
- Heavy construction equipment;
- Party equipment;
- Aircraft rentals;
- Boat charters.
Needless to say, you can alter any of those templates to your needs. In addition to multiple ready-made options for your rental business website, with Lorenty you can also take advantage of using the built-in Appointment Booking plugin.
Being a flexible MotoPress solution, it provides awesome features for any rental-oriented business. Regardless of the things you’re planning to rent out and showcase on your website, this plugin can make the rental process smooth. From managing rentals at several locations to supporting online payments, with this plugin, you can effectively manage everything rental-related. With the well-designed calendar view, customizable booking forms, and user-friendly UI, both the Lorenty theme and Appointment Booking plugin can be easily used to boost your rental business online.
What are the Necessary Expenses for a Rental Business?
If you are getting ready to move from occasional rental of your owned items to a well-established business, it is necessary to not only have a website but also to plan your expenses. While the latter differs from one rental business to another, in most cases the common expenses can reach up to $50k and even more if you deal with expensive equipment or items that require constant maintenance and care, such as vehicles, boats, planes, or computers.
However, aside from buying the best things to rent out and finding reliable storage for them, a successful rental business also needs to think about startup costs, insurance, marketing, and software alongside some optional expenses for proper business functioning:
- POS system;
- Storefront property rent;
- Legal expenses;
- Additional permits & licenses;
- Future building improvements & maintenance;
- Utilities (water, gas, electricity).
If you’re interested in the average expenses required for the proper establishment of various rental businesses, below we have prepared a table summarizing essential expense factors for 6 diverse rental businesses.
| Type of business | Setting a business name | Business licenses | Insurance | Equipment | Advertising | Total costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bike rental business | $200-$500 | $150-$500 | $400-$1,100 | $5,000-$10,000 | $100-$1,000 | $5,850-$13,100 |
| Party rental business | $50-$150 | $100-$300 | $500-$1,200 | $20,000-$70,000 | $100-1,800 | $20,750-$73,450 |
| Property rentals | $50-$300 | $100-$500 | $100-$250 | $100,000-500,000+ | $50-$1,200 | $100,300-$502,250 |
| PC/Laptop rentals | $50-$500 | $50-$700 | $500-$2,000 | $50,000-$100,000 | $0-$950 | $50,600-$104,150 |
| Clothes rental business | $150-$400 | $500-$1,500 | $500-$1,500 | $10,000-$50,000 | $0-$5,800 | $11,150-$59,200 |
| Boat rentals | $150-$200 | $100-$300 | $300-$1,000 | $2,000-$50,000 | $50-$1,500 | $2,600-$53,000 |
Conclusion
We hope this overview of things to rent out will help you get started with your rental business quickly. Remember that there’s a multitude of options for product and equipment rental as well as online platforms where you can showcase and advertise your offers. Moreover, with WordPress and the various plugins & themes it provides, you can even create a unique website that will help to establish your rental company’s brand for years to come. Here’s why you may want to try renting out equipment and other items:
- Recurring revenue: A rental business is one of the best business ideas if you aim to generate a passive and recurring income from the products and items that you don’t actively use. Such an approach helps a lot when you’re in search of financial stability and ways of using the items you own.
- Flexible schedule: One of the biggest advantages of rental businesses is the work hours flexibility. While you certainly need to have an office or a space to store easy things to rent out for profit, you or your employees can also work from home. This is especially true when you rent equipment that fits in a garage.
- Cancel out the item costs: If you invest in a costly vehicle or tool, renting it out to your potential customers will offset its cost as you make money off of it. In the long run, you’ll be able to even double the cost and extend on a range of provided products.
- Help others save money: By providing things to rent out to make money, you can easily help other people save on the items you offer. Since not everyone can afford to buy expensive products or clothing, borrowing them for a lower price will help those who are struggling.
