Best Equipment Rental Booking Software for Outdoor Operators: An In-Depth Review

In the ever-evolving landscape of software solutions for businesses, equipment rental booking apps are becoming indispensable tools for outdoor operators to promote and sell their experience offerings.

These platforms offer streamlined, efficient ways to manage rentals, track inventory, and enhance customer experience, and automate review capture, all while saving operators hours each day.

This review delves into the best equipment rental booking software apps available today: Rentle.IO (now Twice Commerce), Checkfront, Booqable, Bike Rental Manager and Peek Pro, evaluating their strengths, weaknesses, and ideal use cases.

This article may contain affiliate links, please read our Affiliate Disclosure for more details.

1. Rentle.IO (Now Twice Commerce)

Rentle.IO, recently rebranded as Twice Commerce, has made a significant mark in the equipment rental app domain.

This software platform is renowned for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive feature set, catering to a wide range of rental business needs.

Pros:

• Intuitive User Interface: Twice Commerce boasts a very clean, easy-to-navigate interface, making it accessible for users of all skill levels.
• Versatile Features: The app provides a robust range of features including inventory management, online booking, and automated billing.
• Integration Capabilities: It seamlessly integrates with various e-commerce platforms and payment gateways, enhancing its utility.

Cons:

• Pricing: For small businesses or startups, the pricing might be a bit steep, especially for the more advanced features.
• Default Notifications only: While user-friendly and fast to set up, there is currently no way to create custom email notifications for customers.

Best For:

Twice Commerce is ideal for small to medium rental businesses looking for a fast launch, comprehensive, all-in-one solution to manage their operations efficiently. You can try a fee test at their site.

2. Checkfront

Checkfront stands out as a versatile, full-featured and robust booking management software. They have been on the market since 2010, making them seasoned experts in the rental booking field.

Checkfront is designed to cater to businesses of all sizes, offering features that streamline the booking process and rental inventory management.

Pros:

• Customization: Checkfront offers extensive customization options, allowing businesses to tailor the app according to their specific needs.
• Integration: It integrates well with various third-party apps, including payment processors, CRM systems, and marketing tools.
• Reporting and Analytics: Provides detailed insights into business performance, helping in data-driven decision-making.

Cons:

• Complex Setup: Setting up the system with all its customization options can be time-consuming and complex.
• Cost: The advanced features come at a premium, which might not be cost-effective for smaller businesses. Optionally, they have a low commission only pricing model which is ideal for seasonal operators.

Best For:

Checkfront is best suited for businesses that require a highly customizable rental booking system and are willing to invest the time and resources in setting it up to meet their specific needs.

You can view a short explainer video or test a free account on their site.

3. Booqable

Introduction Booqable is known for its straightforward, user-friendly approach to equipment rental management.

It's designed to cater to small and medium-sized businesses, prioritizing ease of use and efficiency when booking equipment for long and short term rental.

Pros:

• Ease of Use: The app is incredibly user-friendly, with a minimal learning curve.
• Affordable Pricing: Booqable offers competitive pricing, making it accessible to smaller businesses and startups.
• Good Customer Support: The app is backed by a responsive and helpful customer support team.

Cons:

• Limited Customization: Compared to its competitors, Booqable offers fewer customization options.
• Basic Features: While efficient, it may lack some of the advanced features found in more comprehensive platforms.

Best For:

Booqable is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a fast launch, easy-to-use, affordable software solution for managing their rental operations without the need for complex booking features. Try a free demo to see if it works for you.

4. Bike Rental Manager (BRM)

Bike Rental Manager, commonly referred to as BRM, is a highly specialized software solution designed to streamline the management of bike rental businesses.

While being by definition less versatile than other apps, it focuses on simplifying the bicycle rental reservation process, inventory management, and customer interactions.

BRM clearly stands out for its tailored approach to the specific challenges and needs of bike rental services.

Pros:

• Specialized Features: BRM offers a suite of features specifically designed for bike rentals, such as maintenance tracking, bike-specific reservation systems, and route planning for customers.
• Integration with Websites: Easily integrates with existing websites, allowing customers to book directly online, which enhances user experience and increases booking efficiency.
• Customer Management: Provides tools for managing customer relationships, including rental history, preferences, and feedback, helping businesses improve service quality and customer satisfaction.

Cons:

• Niche Focus: While its specialized focus is a strength, it may not offer as broad a range of features as more general rental management software.
• Learning Curve: Due to its comprehensive and specialized functionalities, new users may require time to fully leverage all of its features.

Best For:

Bike Rental Manager is best suited for bike rental businesses of all sizes that are looking for a software solution tailored to their specific operational needs. It's particularly beneficial for businesses that want to enhance their online booking capabilities and streamline their rental and customer management processes.

5. Peek Pro

Peek Pro is a dynamic booking software tailored for tours, activities, and rentals. Its intuitive interface and powerful functionality simplify booking, payment processing, and customer relationship management.

Ideal for a broad spectrum of rental and activity-based businesses, Peek Pro excels in offering flexible booking solutions to enhance service offerings.

Pros:

• Versatile Application: Suitable for a wide range of business models, Peek Pro serves as a comprehensive booking solution for bike rentals, tours, and more, enhancing operational efficiency across the board.
• Enhanced Customer Experience: The software provides a seamless booking experience, including mobile optimization, elevating user engagement and potentially boosting reservation numbers.
• Integrated Marketing Tools: Equipped with advanced marketing features, Peek Pro helps businesses expand their reach through automated email campaigns and promotions, driving growth and customer loyalty.
• Cost Structure: No monthly recurring fees, just a 2.3% credit card processing fee plus a flat rate of $0.30 per transaction. This can be a great fit for smaller operators getting started. 

Cons:

• Learning Curve: While the core functionalities are easy to use, the platform's extensive advanced features might present a steep learning curve for some users, requiring time and training to maximize its potential.
• Commission Only Pricing: The commisson only pricing structure is very useful for seasonal or smaller operators, but may not suit larger businesses in relation to their operational volume and margins.

Best For:

Peek Pro is optimally suited for rental businesses, including bike rentals, and activity providers that demand a versatile booking system. It's particularly beneficial for those aiming to streamline reservation processes and enhance both marketing efforts and customer engagement, keeping in mind its specific pricing structure.

Quick Recap

In conclusion, each of these equipment rental apps offers unique strengths and caters to different business needs.

Rentle.IO (Twice Commerce) is perfect for fast setup, and operators who also have stores, namely selling new and used bicycles or ebikes.

Checkfront suits those who need extensive customization and offer a variety of experiences over multiple channels, especially seasonal operators.

Booqable is a good fit for operators looking for quick setup, fast launch and limited customization for their rental booking management.

Bike Rental Manager (BRM) is ideal for bike rental businesses seeking a specialized, feature-rich software to enhance online booking and streamline operations.

Peek Pro is best for activity and rental businesses needing a versatile booking system and marketing tools, and prefering a per-transaction pricing.

Your choice depends on your business's size, needs, seasonality and the level of complexity you're comfortable handling.

Our partners and brand ambassadors at ParkeBike can help if you are looking for the perfect software for your bicycle or ebike rental and tour operation.