The Best Equipment Rental Software
We reviewed equipment rental programs for features like online booking, asset tracking, and maintenance management. We selected our top systems for AV, event, construction, oilfield, and heavy equipment rental management.
- Intuitive and user-friendly
- Tracks in-stock, reserved, and out for rental items
- Integrates with Stripe and PyaPal
- Highly customizable
- Offers API connections
- Integrates with QuickBooks and Xero
- US-based support
- Ongoing software development with security improvements
- Native Android and iOS mobile apps
Many businesses looking to simplify online rentals, manage on-premise rental sales activity, or switch from spreadsheet tracking can benefit from all-in-one equipment rental software. Here are some of our top picks we found using our advanced review methodology:
- booqable: Best Overall
- EZRentOut: Best Online Booking
- FocalPoint: Best for Heavy Equipment Rentals
- Point of Rental: Best Maintenance Tools
- RentMan: Best for Audio and Video Equipment Rentals
- HireHop: Best for Construction Equipment Rentals
- RTMS: Best for Oilfield Rentals
- Quipli: Best for General Tool Rentals
- Goodshuffle Pro: Best for Event and Party Rentals
booqable - Best Overall
With its ease of use and mobile accessibility, booqable is a solid pick for kayak, bicycle, and camping gear rentals. This platform lets you track rental inventory, create or manage orders, and collect customer payments on any device. It’s ideal if you’re a small to mid-sized rental business looking to manage operations on the go.
Although some users have found booqable’s maintenance tracking somewhat basic, it works well for outdoor recreational rentals. Otherwise, you can always add a CMMS solution to manage more advanced maintenance.
Plus, you can use booqable to create and manage your website, list available products, and establish rental guidelines. After a customer places an order, the platform pre-fills contracts with booking information, including product details, rental period, and terms. Customers can then quickly review and sign the contract right from their mobile devices, so they can get started with their equipment faster.
EZRentOut - Best Online Booking
EZRentOut includes a configurable web store widget that integrates with your existing website, allowing you to showcase your catalog. With real-time availability tracking and a streamlined reservation system, it simplifies the booking process for customers.
Manage your inventory with detailed asset tracking, barcode and QR code scanning, and basic maintenance scheduling. EZRentOut also allows you to build customer profiles and customize rental agreements for each. Plus, this platform integrates directly with accounting software such as QuickBooks Online and Xero, allowing you to manage financials accurately without replacing your current systems.
EZRentOut’s eCommerce capabilities and other advanced features are locked behind its Premium package. However, its free trial and low starting cost of $79/month make it great for companies of any size, including tool, AV, party, event, and IT rentals.
FocalPoint - Best for Heavy Equipment Rentals
FocalPoint supports tool and equipment rentals with its strong inventory management capabilities. The system offers detailed inspection sheets that customers fill out before and after renting equipment. You can log damage types, upload photos, and track usage with an hour meter. From there, FocalPoint automatically prints these details anytime a contract is created or returned.
The inventory module provides live tracking of equipment availability and auto-generates purchase orders when merchandise stock runs low. This helps your stores better meet customer demand. Additionally, FocalPoint supports multiple locations and both on-premise and cloud-based deployment options, giving you the flexibility to choose your ideal setup.
Point of Rental - Best Maintenance Tools
Point of Rental’s maintenance center helps you keep your equipment reliable and ready for use. Its capabilities handle both routine care and quick repairs.
In the preventative maintenance module, you can schedule regular checkups for individual units or entire equipment categories. For instance, if a skid steer has been on rent for 200 hours, the system can automatically prompt a service. You’ll also get reports on actual usage so you can plan ahead without over-servicing.
Define pre-assembled kits with parts and supplies so technicians can save time. Additionally, you can attach detailed instructions to each record to ensure your techs perform maintenance consistently and safely.
The remedial maintenance module kicks in when equipment breaks down unexpectedly. Simply flag the defective or damaged item in the system to prevent it from being rented out again. The module tracks repair progress, giving you an estimated timeline for when the equipment will be back in rotation. It also logs all repair details, like replaced parts or labor hours.
With Point of Rental, you can analyze your total repair costs over time. This can help you decide if it’s worth keeping the unit or replacing it entirely.
RentMan - Best for Audio and Video Equipment Rentals
RentMan helps AV rental companies monitor equipment availability, track maintenance, and manage production crew schedules. The platform supports barcode scanning for a quick equipment check-in and check-out process. You can also bundle items together as a package and register lost equipment to remove it from inventory. When equipment is sent for repairs or marked as lost, you can easily charge customers for the damage and add those costs to invoices.
For AV rental businesses offering event or production services, RentMan has specific modules for managing a production crew’s event tasks, such as setting up lighting equipment or running sound checks. It allows businesses to track costs by project and understand equipment, crew, and transport expenses for each job.
HireHop - Best for Construction Equipment Rentals
HireHop can help manage rentals across various industries, including construction, events, and AV. Businesses can keep track of equipment availability, manage maintenance schedules, and streamline the booking process for customers.
HireHop features up-to-the-minute availability tracking and online booking so customers can view and reserve equipment online. The inventory module lets you monitor equipment status, location, and maintenance schedules. It also includes custom quoting, contract management, and invoice templates to make customer communication much easier.
Rental businesses can use HireHops’ maintenance scheduling tool to track the last time an item was serviced. It also has a CRM tool to manage customer interactions, track rental history, and improve retention. Finally, HireHop integrates with accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, and many others to allow for accurate financial tracking and reporting.
RTMS - Best for Oilfield Rentals
RTMS can track equipment such as drill pipes, wirelines, land drilling rigs, and nearly any other type of oilfield rental. It offers modules like repair and maintenance tracking, purchasing, and fixed asset management to streamline rental operations and upkeep important equipment.
Plus, this software features a highly effective ticket management system, allowing you to create tickets for field operations or equipment returns. This helps coordinate field dispatch, track rented equipment, and streamline the return process. Built-in ED integration further enhances efficiency by simplifying document exchange.
Quipli - Best for General Tool Rentals
Quipli includes a streamlined website builder with configurable templates to help companies get started and rent equipment online and in-store. Inventory syncs between all channels so customers can see what’s currently available to eliminate double-booking.
Quipli’s contract management module helps you get paid faster with efficient payment processing, supporting ACH, credit card, or check payment methods. QuickBooks Online integration syncs all transaction data, including invoicing, bills, and revenues, for accounting and finance teams. Quipli even offers POS software for full control over all business operations in one system.
Some users have reported that Quipli’s high overhead cost is too steep for small businesses. Because of this, we recommend Quipli for medium to large-sized businesses.
Goodshuffle Pro - Best for Event and Party Rentals
Goodshuffle is a good fit for businesses renting tents, chairs, bouncy houses, table linens, and AV equipment. It delivers real-time stock tracking with automated conflict detection to avoid double-booking. It has customizable quotes and contracts capabilities and includes an integrated online payment system to simplify transactions.
You can tailor pricing structures to set custom rates and provide seasonal pricing. Additionally, this equipment rental software provides tools for scheduling deliveries and pickups and helps manage staff to set up or put down the equipment.
Some users found that Goodshuffle has limited integration with third-party solutions. Still, we found that it integrates with popular accounting systems like QuickBooks and can operate completely on the cloud, allowing it to be accessed from anywhere.
What is Equipment Rental Software?
Equipment rental software is used for managing inventory, reservations, and maintenance of rentable assets. Some rental businesses seek all-in-one software to simplify online rentals, while others want to manage sales activity or electronic invoicing. Yet the needs of a party rental store will be very different from those of a construction equipment rental service. Fortunately, this software offers functionality for all types of operations and also assists with generating quotes and proposals and handling payment processing.
This software is a complete management solution for both the customer experience side and your business’s operational side:
- From the customer experience side, you’ll want software that makes it easy for customers to see in-store inventory and reserve the equipment they need online. The customer should be able to schedule a date to pick up and drop off the rental.
- From the operational side, you need to be able to keep records of all the rentable equipment you own in real-time. You can assign SKUs and catalog the equipment in your system to track what you have available and what is being used. You’ll also be able to schedule pickups and preventative maintenance.
Core Features
| Feature | Functionality |
|---|---|
| Asset Tracking | Track the location of your rentable assets and who is using the asset. |
| Maintenance Management | Track maintenance history, upcoming preventative maintenance schedules, and predictive maintenance. |
| Lease Management | Store and access signed leases and review lease terms of rented equipment in a timely manner. |
| GPS Tracking and Asset Tagging | Use GPS tracking to see the current, real-world location of the asset. Tag assets with a barcode, QR code, or RFID to find information on the cost of the asset, who is renting it, and when it should be returned. |
| Order Management | Track the entire order process from receipt of payment to return of the equipment. Send late fees if the asset isn’t returned on time. |
| Invoicing | Create billing documents that detail the customer’s payment obligations. |
| Accounting | Measure revenue and expenses with modules including accounts payable, accounts receivable, and a general ledger. |
| Fixed Asset Management | Track the cost, valuation, depreciation, and gain or loss on the assets you rent out. |
| Customer Relationship Management (CRM) | Keep detailed records on new and returning customers to enhance the customer experience with better service. |
Equipment Rental Software Benefits
Equipment rental software can optimize your operations in several ways:
Easy Invoice Management
Use software to automate your invoice workflow and optimize your payment processes. Send timely invoices to customers, receive reminders on payment status, and update customer information all in one place. You can even expand your POS offerings so your customers can pay online or by credit card.
Better Scheduling to Reduce Downtime
This software will provide you with maintenance history data and send notifications for predictive and preventative maintenance. When you stay on top of repairs and maintenance, the assets you rent out will have a longer lifespan, allowing you to continue renting them out longer.
More Organized Rental Schedules
Knowing whether or not your rentable assets are in use is critical for increasing ROI and reducing downtime. Like any inventory management software, an equipment rental solution makes it easy to see which assets are in use and which aren’t. This allows you to use the assets you have on hand and keep them rented out more frequently.
What Does Your Business Need?
- Small businesses and rental-only businesses (no sales): A small business or rental-only business will get by with basic features like inventory management, accounting to track accounts payable and accounts receivable, and document management. You’ll want to be able to stay organized and easily view rental schedules, so you know which assets will be available at future dates to schedule more customers in the future.
- Businesses with both equipment rentals and sales: If your business provides both rental and sales, you’ll want additional modules or a system that tracks point-of-sale. Your inventory management system needs to be able to distinguish between items for sale or rent as well.
- Large equipment rental businesses: Businesses that rent out heavy machinery and large equipment need software that provides user-friendly preventative and predictive maintenance scheduling and notifications. And you’ll need large-scale customer management modules to handle the high volume of clients.
Common Equipment Rental Categories:
Rental management software is used by many sectors, including, but not limited to:
| Industry/Business Type | Top Features: |
|---|---|
| Construction Equipment and Tools | The point of rental in this industry is sometimes to test out equipment before buying, so warranty tracking is a must. |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery | Preventative and predictive maintenance scheduling and notifications to reduce downtime. |
| Oilfield Tools | Asset tracking to manage the location and utilization of your equipment. Maintenance and repair scheduling to ensure your oilfield tools are working properly. |
| Automotive | Lease management to store and access signed lease terms and agreements. GPS tracking to track the location of your vehicles and avoid theft. |
| IT and Assistive Technology | Online rental scheduling to keep track of checked out equipment and avoid double-booking the same piece of equipment. |
| AV | Asset tracking with the ability to easily store and access technical information on your equipment’s specs. |
| Party and Event | Tracking modules keep tabs on the props, decorations, and other rental inventory you have on hand and in use. |
| Sports and Recreational Gear | Maintenance management to track repairs needed and record if there is damage after the equipment is returned. |
Equipment Rental Software for QuickBooks
For many small businesses, QuickBooks is great for handling basic accounting. Some equipment rental software integrates easily with QuickBooks. The QuickBooks Apps store also lets you link various software solutions to your QuickBooks Online account. QuickBooks Apps lists some equipment rental software solutions including:
- EZRent Out - A cloud-based equipment rental and event/party rental software.
- booqable - Rental equipment software for small to medium-sized businesses that helps track and manage party rentals to medical equipment rentals.
- Goodshuffle Pro - Features inventory management, crew management, and double booking detection. Integrates with QuickBooks Online solutions.
If you plan to keep an existing accounting system like QuickBooks, be sure to check that your new equipment rental solution will integrate.
Pricing
Subscription rates for equipment rental software range from $35 per month to $2,000 per month. Perpetual license pricing plans are also available, which can cost $900 to $4,999 per user. Your plan’s cost will depend on the number of users, whether you want a cloud-based or on-premise deployment and any requested add-ons for extra functionality.
Another cost factor to consider is whether you want a mobile app for managing rentals on the go. This can increase the total price of software yet offer valuable flexibility in the long run. A fully customizable app can run on both iOS and Android devices.
Common Pain Points
- Keeping important information secure. Your rental equipment software will store sensitive information, including the location of your expensive assets, customer contact, and billing details. The solution you choose needs to have security features to protect all of your private information.
- Adapting to changing trends in your industry. Many rental operations need to modify or expand the selection of rental equipment they offer to keep up with evolving trends in their industry. The equipment rental software you choose needs to be able to manage what you have now and be flexible enough to grow with your business.
- Organizing billing, invoicing, and contracts. Without equipment rental software, tracking recurring invoices, late fees, and signed contracts is extremely difficult. Forgetting to invoice a customer or incurring a late fee when necessary will cost you. Equipment rental software will automate invoice payment reminders, send alerts for contract renewals, and assist with invoicing.
- Unorganized or non-existent inventory tracking. If you don’t have a system for managing inventory or are using pen and paper or Excel, you are likely losing money. Without software, it’s significantly more difficult to manage reservations and inventories. You could have equipment sitting around for long periods of time or accidentally double-book the same piece of equipment, causing you to lose business. This software makes it easy to see what you have available and when the equipment will be used.
Industry Trends
- Online bookings: More and more people and businesses prefer to rent equipment online. Equipment rental management software lets customers see inventory availability in real time so they can make reservations outside of business hours.
- GPS tracking: Rental companies are investing in more advanced security measures like GPS and geofencing. ConstructionBriefing found that the average construction rental theft falls between $35,000 to $45,000 of lost value for a business. By utilizing GPS tracking, rental businesses can improve their recovery of stolen equipment. They also found that with the increase of GPS technology, recovery rates are up to about 22% from just 5% 15 years ago.
- Rental industries see revenue growth: As reported by the American Rental Association at ARA show, the U.S. equipment rental market is projected to grow by 7.9% in 2024. And the construction and industrial rental equipment segment is growing by up to 7.5%.
- Increasing the customer experience through eCommerce: Technological advances over the last few years have made it easier for more businesses to manage and support customer relationships. Businesses can improve delivery, pickup, and return processes. According to Statista, over 60% of all business sales are now made through eCommerce. An online platform offering customers a simple booking experience is crucial for capturing more sales.
What Do The Industry Leaders Use?
The equipment rental industry’s leaders use software to streamline their operations. Below is a list of what they are using to manage their equipment rentals in North America.
| Company | Overview | Software Used |
|---|---|---|
| United Rentals | The largest equipment rental company in the world. | Total Control® |
| Sunbelt Rentals | Leading equipment rental company, a subsidiary of Ashtead Group. | RentalMan by Wynne Systems |
| Herc Rentals | Offers equipment for various industries including construction, industrial, and utilities. | FleetLogic |
| Home Depot Rental | Provides rental equipment for homeowners, DIY enthusiasts, and small contractors. | Point of Rental |
| H&E Equipment Services | Full-service equipment company providing rentals, sales, parts, and service. | Wynne Systems |
