20+ Most Profitable Things To Rent Out (Ultimate Guide!)

We rent things all the time these days. From Netflix to Airbnb, the convenience and affordability of renting items versus owning can be immensely appealing.

Considering how popular renting stuff is, it's no surprise that it's possible to earn some extra passive income if you rent things out for profit.

So in this post, I'm covering some of the most rented items that you can use to start your own rental side hustle. There's a good chance you already own some of the assets in this article. If you want to rent stuff out for money, this is absolutely the post for you.

Looking for other unique, easy passive income ideas? Checkout:

• Arrived: Invest in income-generating rental properties with only $100!
• Freecash: A fun way to earn cash and gift cards by completing online tasks.

The Most Profitable Things To Rent Out

1. Equipment

One of the best things to rent out are generally expensive pieces of equipment that people need all the time but don't want to buy.

If you have a particular commodity that is too inconvenient to own but is something people need occasionally, you can probably make money by listing it on a general rental marketplace.

Drones, music equipment, audio/visual equipment, tools, and party supplies are just a few of the categories that come to mind, but you'd be amazed at the things people are renting (and how much they charge).

Some of the most popular rental marketplaces include:

• Fat Llama – Make your own listings/profile, set your price, and get paid via Stripe within 3-4 days.
• Rentah – Another popular rental marketplace where you can also list services.
• Loanables – From ping pong tables to paddle boards, there's plenty of items listed on Loanables at any given time.
• Keeple – An rental based app designed for friends but also for entrepreneurs looking to make money by renting things out.

All of these platforms are fairly similar, but you can make insane money if you have (or invest) in items that are in high demand.

Just checkout the Fat Llama camera for rent in the image above. The person is renting it for $25 a day, or $84 per month, which could easily be over $1,000 per year in extra income!

Ultimately, if you live in a major city with enough of a rental market, I think this is an excellent option to consider.

2. Storage Space

If you want to make money with your property but don't want to host guests, you can still make some significant side money every single month by renting out part of your home for storage space.

Self-storage units are incredibly expensive after all, so there's quite the demand for cheaper options.

Some popular storage rental platforms include:

• Neighbor – Realistically earn more than $1,000 a year with one of the leading peer to peer storage platforms.
• Store At My House – Being 50% cheaper than the average storage locker makes this an appealing option for clients!
• Stow It – Keep 95% of your monthly storage price.

Neighbor is particularly cool since you can rent a variety of storage spaces, including garages, basements, attics, sheds, and even parking spaces.

You get $100,000 in coverage and your renters get $25,000, so Neighbor is also a safe way to earn passive income by renting out things.

Neighbor states the top hosts can earn several thousand dollars per year, so this would be the first platform I check out in the storage space rental category.

3. Your Vehicle

Another one of the most rented items out there are vehicles. If your car is currently collecting dust in the garage, this could be an excellent income opportunity.

If you're willing to invest in an additional vehicle or don't use your own vehicle frequently, you can use the following platforms to rent your vehicle and get paid:

• Getaround – This peer to peer car sharing platform is available in over 300 cities around the world and a main player in the industry.
• Turo – Turo is currently available in some major U.S and Canadian cities, and you can use their handy earnings calculator to estimate how much income you would make by renting out your car.
• HyreCar – HyreCar is a newer company that allows drivers to rent out cars to people looking to drive for companies like Uber or Lyft. Checkout our HyreCar review for more info!
• Riders Share – If you want to make money by renting out your motorcycle, this is the platform for you!

This video from FireHustle shares what one month as a Turo host is like for an example. In 30 days, this host made just over $600 in net profit, which is nothing to scoff at!

You can also get even more creative with this thing to rent out. For example, some people use companies like Carvertise and get their cars wrapped in ads to earn extra cash each month.

There are lots of other car wrapping gigs, but the bottom line is that you have plenty of ways to rent out a vehicle for cash.

4. Clothing

While it might surprise you, another category of profitable things to rent out is clothing.

People love clothing shopping, and this will never change. However, certain items or outfits can be prohibitively expensive or hard to find, and that's where clothing rental marketplaces come in handy.

If you think you have an eye for fashion and have a desirable wardrobe, you can make money by renting out your clothing on a few sites, such as:

• Rent My Wardrobe – Rent out your clothing for cash with this innovative IOS app!
• StyleLend – Submit items from your wardrobe for approval and earn 80% of the rental price for all transactions.

You can also try listing your items on local Facebook marketplaces or groups, especially if you live in a major city. Alternatively, you can read my post on the best apps like Poshmark to start selling your clothing online instead of renting it for profit.

Also note that more niche items, like wedding dresses and wedding decor, prom dresses, and suits can be very profitable to rent out.

5. A Spare Room Or House

One classic example of a thing you can rent out to make money is a spare room or even your entire home.

There has been a surge in popularity for many home rental apps. If you have an extra room and the willingness to host strangers in your home, you can use the following sites to turn a nice profit:

• VRBO – VRBO is one of the oldest home rental platforms and operates in 190 countries.
• Airbnb – If you have ever wondered how much you can make by renting out your home on Airbnb, you might be surprised by the stats. The average AirBnB host  makes more than $900/month, and AirBnB only takes a 3-5% transaction fee on most bookings!
• Rent Like A Champion – The perfect home rental platform for anyone looking to rent their place to sports fans.

A single home rental can easily net $100 to $200+ depending on your market and how nice your place is.

So, a few rentals per month could easily be $2,000 to $3,000 per month in additional income. And you can always hire cleaning help or management help to keep things more passive.

6. Internet Bandwidth

While this isn't the most classic example of a rental marketplace, you can actually make money with your unused internet bandwidth.

Websites like Packetstream and Honeygain let you connect your computer to a network for people from around the world to use. In exchange for renting out your IP address, you earn free PayPal money or cash.

In other words, these platforms let you rent out your unused internet so people from around the world can use it.

People need different IP addresses all the time to access blocked content or to use a VPN. And, some companies want residential IP addresses and are willing to pay for them.

Granted, apps like Honeygain probably pay around $10 to $20 per month maximum. But it's another creative way to make money renting things.

7. Event Space

If you have a large backyard or live in an interesting place, you can make money by renting out your place for events with websites like:

• Peer Space – Rent out your space for photo shoots, meetings, filming, and events.
• LocationsHub – Requires a monthly fee to list your place but is a great way to connect with film crews/companies.
• Splacer – Free listings and up to one million dollars in liability insurance per event.
• Giggster – Operating in many major U.S. cities.

This is probably a harder income source to get off the ground, granted, but it's worth looking into. Companies are willing to spend a considerable amount of money on corporate events, so you could be sitting on a gold mine!

8. Your Truck

If you own a pickup truck or box truck, you can make a considerable amount of money by renting them out.

Two platforms that let you rent your truck out to people include:

• Fetch – Set your own pricing and earn up to $30,000 per year for renting out your truck in the United States!
• Fluid Truck – Earn up to $10,000/year for a pickup truck and $25,000/year for a 20 foot box truck.

Again, you have to be comfortable with people using your vehicle and the additional mileage that will add up, so keep these factors in mind.

Also note that you can make money with your truck by using gig apps like GoShare and Roadie to deliver packages for money if you're okay with a more active side hustle.

Extra Reading – 20 Ways to Make Money With a Truck.

9. Parking Spots

If you have a vacant parking spot, this is another excellent thing you can rent out for profit. Plus, this is basically a business that runs itself once it's up and running.

And, the great news is that there's plenty of apps to help you do just that, including:

• Spot Hero – over 20 million cars have been parked through this industry leading platform.
• Spot – Available in 8 major U.S. cities.
• Parqex – Popular in 12 major U.S. cities.
• JustPark – A leading U.K. parking rental marketplace.

One of the ways my roommates and I saved money during college was by renting out parking spaces from people in our neighborhood instead of spending hundreds a semester on parking passes.

So, I know this idea works, and it's super easy to find renters if you live in a busy area.

10. RVs & Campers

If you have an RV or camper van sitting around, this is another one of the best items to rent out for profit

RVs, or recreational vehicles, are immensely popular in Canada and the United States where camping/cottaging is a common weekend activity.

However, RVs and campers are also incredibly expensive to own and maintain, so it's no surprise there's opportunity to rent out these vehicles instead on platforms like:

• RVshare – States you can earn up to $40,000/year for renting out your RV or camper van.
• Campanda – Estimates that you can earn up to $45,000/year.
• Outdoorsy – Free to list, small transaction fees, and a million dollars of insurance coverage.
• RVnGO – A newer and growing RV rental marketplace in the U.S.

As a pro tip, try listing your vehicle before summer so it can get approved in time for busy season.

11. Boat Rentals

I actually had an internship for a company that made satellite communication devices for sailors, and let me tell you, everything about boating is ridiculously expensive.

If you happen to own a boat and want to recoup some of your money, peer to peer boat rental might be your best bet.

• Boatsetter – Accepts both power and sailboats.
• Click & Boat – Has a rental earnings calculator to help determine how much you will earn for your boat.
• Get My Boat – Currently listing more than 130,000 boats in 180 countries!

Many of these sites also let you rent out things like jet skis or other boating equipment to make extra cash.

12. Bikes, Snowboards, & Surfboards

I've never owned a professional road bike or something high end, but man, are bikes ever expensive.

Biking is also a major method of transportation for many cities around the world, and you can use these 2 rental marketplaces to make money by renting your bike (and other gear).

• List N Ride – A leading platform for bike rentals in Europe.
• Spinlister – Allows you to make money by renting out bikes, snowboards, surfboards, and owners have up to $5,000 of insurance for their equipment.

Extra Reading – The Best Places To Sell Used Bikes.

13. Music Equipment And Instruments

If you have invested in music gear or instruments, you can make some of your money back by renting it out to other artists with the following platforms:

• Spark Plug – One of the easiest ways to rent out equipment, instruments, or venue space.
• Fretish – A peer to peer guitar and guitar equipment marketplace.

Anyone who plays music will know that it's never as simple as just buying and owning an instrument…there's equipment, repairs, and a plethora of new toys and gadgets to explore.

Personally, I've probably spent over $2,000 at this point between my guitars and amplifier setup, and that's cheap by most standards!

14. Photography Equipment

Another popular thing to rent out for profit is photography equipment.

Like music, getting into photography can be prohibitively expensive for many artists. If you have a decent collection of gear, you can definitely make some money on the side with platforms like:

• KitSplit – One of the largest camera rental communities around.
• ShareGrid – Currently has more than 82,000 members and almost $850 million worth of equipment.

You can also turn to the general peer to peer rental marketplaces I mentioned at the start of this post, like Fat Llama.

15. Power Tools

While there isn't a specific marketplace to rent out tools for money that I can find, local classifieds or Facebook groups are the perfect place where you can list these sorts of items.

Chances are, you have some power tools sitting in your garage right now collecting dust. Since no one wants to buy a random $500 tool they have to use for one specific job, you can probably make some listings in your area and have people rent your power tools for some side money.

Websites like Garage 101 actually let you list used and new tools to sell and rent out for income if you live in the United States. So, you can create a free account and list a few high-value tools here to see if you get any bites.

16. Rent Out Your Friendship

I've covered how you can get paid to be someone's friend in my post on creative money making ideas, and this idea definitely proves that the sharing economy has created some bizarre opportunities.

Websites like Rent A Friend enable you to make money by renting your friendship. According to the site, most listings start as low as $10/hour, but people are willing to negotiate as well.

Plus, as a rented friend, you might get invited to some interesting events or activities for free (since you aren't expected to pay for the activities you'll be doing).

Frankly, this website is extremely creepy to me. However, if you want to make some pocket money and meet new people this might not be a bad idea!

17. Rent Out A Website

One of the strangest things people rent, believe it or not, is actual websites themselves.

Making money with a rank and rent website is by far one of the coolest ways to make money with SEO. The idea behind rank and rent is simple, but pretty tough to pull off:

• Pick a profitable niche where leads are worth a lot of money.
• Create a niche-focused website that contains high-value posts designed to capture organic searchers.
• Collect lead information (i.e. emails) and grow traffic.
• Rent out the website to an actual company in the same niche, or sell leads.

Let's walk through an example: let's say you live in Houston, and you notice there's a lot of competition in the plumbing market.

An example of a rank and rent website would be to create a website that covers everything you need to know about plumbing. The site could also have articles that break down the very best plumbing services in Houston and other Texas cities.

Once you start to rank, you could approach local plumbing companies and offer to sell them your leads or advertising space on the website.

However, this is tough work. As this Reddit thread explains, rank and renting is not easy money. You need to know a tonne of SEO and also accept that your project might take years to accomplish.

That said, if you want to make money with one of the more interesting things you can rent out, rank and renting a site might be worth trying!

18. Baby Gear

If you're still looking for things to rent out, the answer might be sitting in an old storage closet alongside keepsakes from when your kids were babies.

With BabyQuip, you can earn passive income by renting out baby gear to parents in need.

The idea behind BabyQuip is pretty simple…families traveling with young kids can rent baby gear to save the hassle of traveling with their own, and older parents can monetize their unused baby equipment!

BabyQuip is available in over 500 cities across Canada and the United States.

According to BabyQuip, top providers earn over $600 per month. Examples of things you can rent out with BabyQuip include:

• Strollers
• Car seats
• Baby toys
• Noise machines
• Bouncy seats
• Child monitors
• Cribs

Just note, there's a $200 registration fee and you keep 80% of all rental income. You also decide how far you're willing to drive to deliver equipment.

BabyQuip insures your gear, but they have to approve your application and give a bit of training before you get started.

However, in terms of what to rent out to make money, this option is one of the best for any parents who still have their old baby gear laying around.

19. Camping Space

If you have a spare plot of land somewhere in a nice area, you could rent out camping space to avid campers.

Websites like Campspace let you host outdoor spaces to avid campers and outdoor enthusiasts.

How much you can charge per night depends on your location and time of year. However, if you live in a popular camping area, you might be looking at some serious money!

You can also rent out general camping gear like tents, stoves, sleeping bags, kayaks, canoes, and more.

20. Farmland

Another easy thing to rent out for profit is farmland, provided you have some extra, arable land.

Websites like YardYum let homeowners rent out plots of land or gardening space to other people in their area who want to start their own gardens.

If you live in a major city and have some land, this could be an incredibly easy way to earn a bit of extra income per month.

Websites like Shared Earth also let you rent out land or even farming and gardening tools, so you have plenty of options here!

21. Your Money

If you're still looking for the best things to rent out, the simplest answer might be to “rent” out your money to people to earn passive income.

For example, you can invest and make money daily by investing in real estate. And you don't need a lot of money to get started.

With companies like Fundrise, you can actually invest in income-generating real estate starting with only $10. Plus, you don't need any previous experience or extensive real estate knowledge to get started.

Fundrise invests in properties like multi-family homes and commercial real estate. In exchange for putting your money to work, you earn quarterly dividends from the rental income.

This is a perfect way for young adults to earn passive income as well. And while lending out money isn't the most obvious example of things to rent out, if you want a more passive side hustle, this route is worth considering.

Extra Reading – How To Turn 10k Into 20k Quickly.

Disclaimer: This is an endorsement in partnership with Fundrise. We earn a commission from partner links. All opinions are my own.

Tips For Renting Things Out For Profit

If you want to create a new income source, renting things out for money is pretty much as passive as it gets.

However, there are a few important tips you should keep in mind to protect your assets and rental business.

1. Always Read Rental Terms & Protection Policies

It doesn't matter if you're renting out a power washer on Fat Llama or your house through Airbnb; you need to understand what insurance policies and rules are in place to protect you as an owner.

The best platforms have comprehensive damage coverage. They also cover your assets in the event of theft.

But, there are typically claim limits, and claims also take time to process, meaning you could be without that asset for weeks or months in the event of  dispute or damage.

Some platforms also outline things that aren't covered.

For example, while Turo covers major damage on your vehicle, things like dents and scratches or general wear and tear aren't really covered.

2. Stick With Easy Things To Rent Out For Profit

The best things to rent out for profit are usually in high-demand all the time.

There are exceptions, and seasonal rentals like snowboards, snow blowers, leaf blowers, or various sporting equipment can be quite lucrative to rent out during specific times of the year.

But, generally speaking, look for things you can rent out year-round to keep a steady stream of income coming in.

This could be things like clothing (depending on where you live), baby gear, used tools, a vehicle…you get the idea!

3. Be Careful With Renting To Friends

I lended a camera to a friend once for a period of several months. I was going to do it as a favor, but my friend ended up paying me $50 for essentially borrowing the camera for longer than expected.

Renting things for money out to friends can be an easy way to find business. But, I would advise against this for very expensive assets where, if something goes wrong, things could get awkward.

Using rental platforms ensures you have protection policies in place to cover your asset. If you rent to a friend and take cash, you're throwing this protection away and relying on nothing but trust.

This is often enough, but again, things could get awkward for expensive assets.

4. Don't Be Afraid To Invest In Your Rental Business

If you don't have anything to rent out, don't fret!

You can always invest in this side hustle idea and look for things to buy and rent out.

Some people also get pretty intense about this idea; just checkout this video from Podget Ventures where he explains how he earned $15,000 in 2020 by renting out three vehicles with Turo:

But you don't need to build a fleet of vehicles to start making money renting things. You can always invest $50 to $500 in some equipment, clothing, or things people in your city commonly need.

Worst case, you can always resell that asset on a marketplace like eBay or Mercari if you can't get enough rentals for it to be worth the effort.

Extra Reading – 12 Ways To Make Money On Autopilot.

Pros & Cons Of Starting A Rental Business

Now that you know some of the best things to rent out for profit, let's cover the pros and cons of this business model so you can make the right decision for you.

The Pros:

• Earn semi-passive income or in some cases, completely passive income
• You can scale your business by purchasing more equipment to rent out
• Variety of assets you can rent out to diversify your income
• Can be a low cost side hustle if you already have assets

The Cons:

• You might have to negotiate with renters and deal with customer service
• You can lose your rental income during certain seasons if it impacts your business
• Inconsistent rentals also means your income takes a hit

Hopefully, you can find an idea to two that lets you earn some easy passive income by renting out stuff you own.

Extra Reading – The Best Ways To Flip Your Money.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need Insurance For My Rental Business?

Many rental platforms provide liability and damage insurance for owners, which is why I like using third-party platforms. If you start your own rental business, you should consider insurance to cover your assets.

What Are Some Easy Things To Rent Out For Profit?

Some of the easiest things to rent out to make money include:

• Spare rooms
• Vehicles
• Internet bandwidth
• Tools
• Musical instruments
• Parking spots

What's The Best Equipment To Rent Out?

Some of the most profitable equipment you can rent out includes:

• Cargo vans and pickup trucks
• Power tools
• Forklifts
• Machinery like Bobcats and excavators
• Pressure washers
• Wood splitters
• Water sports equipment
• Camping gear
• Cameras and drones

Final Thoughts

When it comes to figuring out ways to make more money and diversify your income, sometimes, the answer is sitting right in front of you.

Technology has made it easier than ever before to provide a service/value to the marketplace. If you have valuable assets, you could easily start renting items out for money to increase your monthly income and basically get paid for doing nothing.

Some of these ideas are obviously more or less passive than others, but the idea remains the same: take advantage of what you already own and get creative with your side hustling.

Looking for other ways to make extra money? Checkout:

• How To Make $2,000 Fast – The Best Methods.
• How To Get Your Money To Work For You.
• How To Make $1,000 In 24 Hours – The Best Methods.