There's one item almost every family with a garden or a big terrace buys at least once, uses for a single summer, and then leaves deflated in the basement for years afterward: the above-ground pool. Along with it comes the whole universe of inflatable water toys — slides, splash mats, giant floats, water games, backyard-party gear. Stuff that's expensive, takes up space, and gets used only a few weeks a year.
That's exactly the profile of a perfect item to rent out. In this guide we'll look at how much you can really earn renting pools and inflatables peer-to-peer on Lendmates: reference rates, who the borrowers are, how to handle logistics and hygiene, and the seasonal strategy that turns a dust-collecting box into steady summer income.
Why pools and inflatables are ideal rental items
Three features make this category especially attractive for a lender.
The first is a high purchase cost relative to actual use. An above-ground pool with a tubular frame, 3 to 4 metres wide, costs between €250 and €600; an inflatable with a slide and water features for kids can top €300. Most families use them for a handful of weekends, then the moment passes: the kids grow up, the novelty fades, and the garden space is needed for something else.
The second is concentrated, predictable demand. Nobody searches for an inflatable pool in November. But from June through late August, demand explodes — driven by kids' birthday parties, heatwave weekends, and staycations for families who aren't travelling. Knowing exactly when demand arrives lets you prepare and maximise your return.
The third is the purchase barrier for the borrower. Someone who needs a pool or an inflatable only for a birthday or a two-week stretch doesn't want to spend hundreds of euros on something they'll then have to store. Renting is the rational choice — and that's where you come in.
💡 The key principle: seasonality isn't a flaw, it's an opportunity. An item used only in summer has 10 idle months to make up for, and in the 2 peak months it can generate more requests than you can actually fill.
What you can charge: reference rates
Rental rates in this category vary widely depending on size, condition, and location. Here's an indicative table of daily prices and estimated earnings across an average summer season (June to August), net of the Lendmates fee.
| Item | Purchase value | Price/day | Season earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tubular above-ground pool, 3–4 m | €250–500 | €15–25 | €200–380 |
| Large above-ground pool (rectangular) | €400–700 | €25–40 | €320–560 |
| Inflatable slide with water features | €150–350 | €20–35 | €260–480 |
| Bounce house | €500–900 | €45–80 | €540–1,100 |
| "Pool party" kit (pool + toys + floats) | €400–600 | €35–55 | €450–750 |
| Giant floats or paddleboards (set) | €120–250 | €10–18 | €130–260 |
The higher figures — like those for bounce houses — reflect very strong demand tied to parties and birthdays, where the borrower is willing to pay for an experience that makes a day memorable. That's exactly where the most interesting margins hide.
Who the borrowers are (and what they want)
Understanding who rents helps you write the right listing and price it correctly. In the summer water category, you'll mostly meet four profiles.
The parent throwing a birthday party
This is the most frequent borrower and the most willing to spend. They want an inflatable slide or a bounce house for the party weekend. They'll pick up Friday and return Monday, they have excited kids and a hard deadline: response speed and reliability are worth their weight in gold here.
The staycation family
They aren't travelling and want to make summer fun for the kids. They're after an above-ground pool to keep for one or two weeks. They tend to rent for longer stretches, which is great for your occupancy rate.
The host who wants to entertain
They're hosting friends or relatives with children for a weekend and want something to keep the kids busy. Short but repeated rentals throughout the season.
The group organising an event
Neighbourhood fairs, community celebrations, building-courtyard parties, improvised summer camps. They rent bounce houses or complete kits and are the highest-value tier per transaction.
"I'd bought the pool for my son when he was six. He's eleven now and doesn't use it anymore. My first summer on Lendmates I rented it out five times — I basically got back half of what I'd paid, and it had just been sitting in the basement gathering dust."
Logistics: the real differentiator
With pools and inflatables, success hinges largely on practicality. Unlike a camera or a drill, these items are bulky, need assembly, and — above all — must come back clean and dry. Here's what to focus on.
Assembly and included accessories
A pool without a pump, or an inflatable without an electric blower, is useless. Always include every necessary accessory in the rental: pump, blower, repair kit, and any ground sheets or anchoring stakes. A "ready-to-go" listing converts far better.
Pickup and transport
Once deflated, inflatable items pack down and travel easily even in a regular car — a huge advantage over other bulky items. Specify the deflated dimensions and weight in your listing so the borrower knows in advance whether they'll need a larger vehicle.
Cleaning and drying
This is the critical point. An inflatable stored while still damp develops mould within days and degrades. Agree with the borrower that the item must be returned clean and, ideally, dry — or build in drying time between rentals.
💚 Practical tip: prepare a "return kit" with a microfibre cloth and a bottle of gentle sanitising solution. Hand it over with the item and ask the borrower to give it a wipe before returning. Small gesture, big difference in how long your inflatable lasts.
Hygiene and safety: the golden rules
When water and children are involved, attention to hygiene and safety isn't optional — it's what builds you five-star reviews.
On hygiene, always sanitise the item between rentals with products safe for skin contact, pay attention to folds where water pools, and dry it completely before storage. For pools, remind the borrower of the basics on water treatment if the rental spans several days.
On safety, clearly state the recommended age range and the maximum number of users for inflatables in your listing. For bounce houses, always supply anchoring stakes and stress the importance of adult supervision. Documenting this information protects you and signals professionalism.
⚠️ Heads-up: large bounce houses and inflatables used in public or commercial settings (fairs, paid events) may require specific safety and insurance requirements. This doesn't apply to peer-to-peer rentals for home use, but it's worth being aware of if a borrower asks for the item for a public event.
A full example: the "pool party" kit
Imagine you own a 3.5-metre tubular above-ground pool (bought for €350), an inflatable slide with water features (€250), and a set of floats and pool toys (€80). Total value: about €680, all sitting in the basement for two summers. Here's how it plays out on Lendmates, listed both as a bundle and individually.
- Full "pool party" kit price: €50/day
- Pool alone: €20/day · slide alone: €30/day
- Estimated requests over one summer season: 8–14 rentals across bundles and singles
- Estimated net seasonal earnings: €550–850
- Break-even on purchase: roughly one and a half seasons
In little more than a season, you've recovered the purchase cost of items that would otherwise have kept taking up space while earning nothing. From the second summer on, every rental is pure profit.
The seasonal strategy: prepare for the peak
The secret with seasonal items is being ready when demand arrives, not a month later. Here's the ideal calendar for a lender of water gear.
April–May: publish the listing. It feels early, but parents planning parties and events start looking ahead, and a listing that's already indexed with a few reviews gets a head start. Check everything works: inflate, verify the seals, patch any holes.
June–August: the peak. Keep your availability calendar constantly updated, respond within an hour, and on scorching weekends or around public holidays consider a slight price bump — demand outstrips supply and the market allows it.
September: the tail end. Lower prices a little to catch the last rentals, then retrieve, deep-clean, dry fully, and store carefully for next year. A well-kept item lasts many seasons.
Want to get the calendar right? We wrote a dedicated guide on managing availability dates to maximise your bookings.
Photos and description: show the fun
For this category, photos matter even more than average. An inflatable shot deflated and folded won't sell. Photograph the item set up and in use (or at least inflated and ready), on a sunny day, ideally with some water features running. You want the borrower to picture their kids' party, not a heap of plastic sheeting.
In the description, always specify: set-up and deflated dimensions, recommended age, maximum number of users, included accessories (pump, blower, repair kit), rough assembly time, and space requirements. The more information you give, the fewer chat questions you get and the more direct bookings you land. To dig deeper, read our guide on how to photograph your items to rent them twice as often.
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