Service · Software development

Custom rental software for your fleet or inventory.

One system for reservations, contracts, payment, damage and invoicing, tailored to how your rental business works in practice. Whether it's car rental, equipment hire, transport, events or your own rental platform, we build only what you need, integrated with the systems your accounts and operations already run on.

Reservations & availabilityContracts & e-signDeposits & paymentsCustomer portal

Rental software is not one-size-fits-all.

Off-the-shelf packages such as Rentman, RentMagic, Easy-Rent and Hire Hop work well for rental companies that operate within one clear workflow. Once multiple branches, custom pricing rules, sector-specific inspections or your own customer portal come into play, those packages often hit their configuration limits, or you end up paying mainly for modules you never switch on.

Custom rental software is built precisely for those situations. Since 2015 we have worked with rental companies in car rental, transport, construction equipment and event production, as well as adjacent sectors such as property management, where reservations, contracts and invoicing follow essentially the same patterns. Our approach is fixed: first we understand where your current package or Excel-based way of working is holding you back, then we build, step by step, only the modules that make the difference, nothing more.

Three typical projects for rental software.

The right approach depends on how many assets you rent out, how complex your pricing structure is, and which integrations your operation requires. We'll map that out together in the first conversation.

Compact project · fixed sprint budget

Online rental software with a customer portal

A working rental module with real-time availability, online booking, automatic confirmations and a customer portal where the renter can view their own contracts, invoices and return arrangements. Suited to rental companies with one to a few branches that want to move away from loose Excel calendars and email chains.

Real-time availabilityOnline bookingCustomer portalMollie or Stripe
Mid-sized project · fixed sprint budget

Sector-specific rental platform

For rental companies where the off-the-shelf packages are too limited or too expensive. Think of a car rental firm with DKV and MyWheels integrations, a transport rental company that needs CMR paperwork and route planning, or an equipment rental business tracking inspection records per item. Multi-branch, configurable pricing rules, a damage flow with photo upload.

Multi-branchPricing rules engineDamage with photo flowIndustry integrations
Larger project · fixed sprint budget

Multi-provider rental platform

A marketplace-style platform where multiple rental providers or locations offer their inventory under your brand. Peer-to-peer rental, a franchise chain, or an industry platform for holiday homes, boats or workspaces, for example. Includes provider onboarding, payout administration and commission handling.

At an approved institution, the data held must match the annual accountability report. That is what the app that records observations at the source is for.

Multi-providerPayout administrationKYC & identityCommission flow

Modules we include as standard.

Not every rental business needs everything. We put the package together based on your workflow — what is listed below is the complete set of modules we have built before and that have proven themselves. Whatever does not fit your operation, we leave out.

  • Reservations & availabilityReal-time calendar per asset or category, with blocked periods for maintenance, multi-location stock and double-booking prevention.
  • Customer onboarding & KYCIdentity checks via iDIN or passport scan, driving licence validation for car rental, and creditworthiness checks via an external party where required.
  • Contracts and digital handoverE-signature for the rental agreement, digital handover with photos at pick-up and return, and a damage form on tablet or phone, all linked directly to the file.
  • Price calculatorConfigurable rules engine for seasonal rates, weekend surcharges, long-hire discounts, no-show fees, damage surcharges and VAT zones inside or outside the EU.
  • Payments & deposit handlingMollie, Adyen or Stripe for payments; deposit pre-authorisations with automatic release or retention after inspection.
  • Damage & maintenance workflowA file per asset with inspection rounds, damage reports, repair costs and out-of-service periods that are automatically blocked in the availability calendar.
  • Customer portalFor repeat renters and business customers: book independently, view ongoing contracts, download invoices, report damage and request returns.
  • ReportingRevenue per asset, category and location, utilisation rate, damage frequency, average rate build-up and margin per rental order.
  • IntegrationsInvoicing via an Exact Online integration or AFAS, GPS tracking for vehicles and transport, route planning, CRM integration, and marketplaces such as DKV or Bookable where relevant.

When our clients opt for custom development.

For many rental businesses, an off-the-shelf package such as Rentman or Easy-Rent is still the smartest choice. Custom development only becomes worthwhile in a number of patterns — if you recognise your situation below, we are happy to talk further.

Sector-specific workflows

Specific documentation or inspections

Construction equipment with VCA inspections, transport rental with CMR consignment notes, car rental with DKV fuel card integrations or MyWheels listings. Standard packages either don't support these flows or only partly do, so you end up with loose Word documents alongside the system instead of a single file.

Pricing model

Complex rate structure

Seasonal pricing, weekend and evening surcharges, damage and no-show fees, VAT zones inside and outside the EU, and discounts for longer hires or loyal customers. Handled in one rules engine instead of loose spreadsheets — and the counter staff no longer need to calculate in their heads.

Scale

Multiple branches or stock locations

One system with real-time stock per location, transfers between branches, and reporting both centrally and per branch. A customer hires in Amsterdam and returns in Rotterdam — without duplicate administration and without a planner having to phone around to check availability.

Customer experience

Own portal or app for self-service

Business customers don't want to phone up for every booking. A dedicated customer portal or mobile app for booking, requesting returns and retrieving invoices is quicker for them and saves your team manual work. It also gives your brand its own place in the rental experience, rather than a generic package look.

Which types of rental do we build for?

Demand for rental software varies widely: from a transport hire company that needs CMR and route planning, to a private peer-to-peer marketplace for tools. We work across these eight segments. The underlying technology is related, but the details make the difference.

Car rental

Corporate lease, short-term & fleet

From individual cars to a company fleet with short- and mid-term rental. Driving licence validation, damage history per vehicle, fuel card and DKV integrations, and GPS tracking for theft prevention and mileage administration. Optionally a listing on MyWheels or similar platforms.

Equipment hire

Construction machinery, cherry pickers, tools

Per item an inspection record (VCA, NEN), out-of-service blocking for maintenance, and planning of transport to the construction site. Often with a daily rate scale, weekend rate and reverse charge VAT for B2B customers.

Transport & trailer hire

Trailers, lorries, refrigerated vans

We often see the search term "transport rental software": hire companies with a mixed fleet of tractors and trailers that want a licence and Code 95 check, as well as digital delivery of CMR consignment notes and route instructions. GPS tracking for location and geofencing is standard in this segment.

Event hire

Marquees, stages, AV equipment, furniture

Bookings per item and per set, scheduling of set-up and dismantling crews, location coordination, and packing lists that travel on the lorry. Often with a seasonal pattern, where summer pricing and staffing are completely different from winter.

Peer-to-peer platforms

Marketplace-style for private individuals

Private individuals rent out tools, vehicles or leisure equipment to one another. Provider onboarding with KYC, payout administration via Mollie Connect or Stripe Connect, a dispute flow and commission handling. Reviews and ID verification are essential for trust.

Holiday homes & leisure

Booking platform with seasonal rates

A booking module with arrival and departure dates, discounts for longer stays, cleaning surcharges, deposits and discount codes. Integration with channel managers for Booking.com or Airbnb is a frequently requested extra.

Business space & flexible working

Workstations, meeting rooms, offices

Reservations by the hour, day part or longer period, subscription options for regular users, access linked to smart locks or badges. Billing per user, billing period or organisational unit.

Boat & yacht hire

Boating licence, weather-dependent flow

Boating licence and experience checks, weather-dependent cancellation rules, fuel handling, mooring administration and integration with a tracking system for geofencing on the water. Seasonal fluctuation is greater here than with almost any other rental model.

Not yet sure about a large project?

Test your idea first: a working prototype in 1 day

With OneDayBuild, we turn your idea into something tangible in one day for €1,150, so you can see whether further development is worth the investment. Decide to go ahead with the full build? Then we credit the full cost.

Explore OneDayBuild →

Technology stack and architecture.

Our stack runs as standard on a modern web architecture: TypeScript front end (Next.js or Astro), Node or Python back end, and PostgreSQL as the main database. For the pricing engine we use a bespoke rules layer so that finance can adjust tariffs themselves without a developer being involved. Background jobs (email, invoices, GPS polling) run on a queue so the UI never hangs.

Authentication runs via OAuth and magic links for B2C, with optional SSO via Microsoft or Google for business customers. Hosting is usually in a GCP or AWS environment, preferably in an EU region for GDPR compliance. Backups, monitoring and logging are set up from day one. We build mobile apps natively or as progressive web apps where needed, depending on whether offline features are required (think of a driver filling in a damage form without signal).

For companies still running on a spreadsheet, an outdated .NET package or a Microsoft Access application, this is a major step. We don't do a big-bang migration. We start with the most painful module (usually reservations and invoicing), run it in parallel alongside the old system, and phase in the rest step by step. That is safer for your operation and prevents a rental season from being put at risk.

How a rental software project works.

1

Introduction & flow analysis

A conversation in which we map out how you currently work: which packages or spreadsheets you use now, where it hurts, which integrations already exist and what your accounts team needs. We test whether custom software is the right choice. Sometimes we advise staying with Rentman or another package.

2

Scope & technical design

A workshop with your team plus interviews with the counter, planning and finance staff. We map out the objects, pricing rules, contracts and integrations. At the end you have a concrete scope with module priorities, first screens and the technical set-up of the pricing engine.

3

Building in sprints

A working build every two weeks. We start with reservations and availability, then contracts and payments, followed by the portal and reporting. Your planners test alongside us from sprint two, so the interface is checked against the real workflow in every iteration.

4

Migration & rollout

Migration of existing rental orders, objects and customer records from your current package or Excel. Running in parallel with the old system for as long as needed, then a phased rollout by branch or customer group. Training for the counter and planning staff is included.

5

Maintenance & further development

After go-live: monitoring, security patches, and further development based on what your team runs into in practice. A fixed monthly fee, with agreed response-time levels for incidents.

Frequently asked questions.

What rental companies usually want to know before we start.

What types of rental do you build software for?
Car rental and fleet management, equipment rental (construction machinery, cherry pickers, generators, tools), transport and trailer rental, event rental (marquees, AV, furniture), private peer-to-peer platforms, holiday homes and leisure, boat and yacht rental, and commercial space or flexible workspaces. The underlying modules are similar. What differs are the pricing rules, inspections and the specific integrations.
Do you replace Rentman, RentMagic or Easy-Rent?
For smaller rental companies we often advise staying with a standard package. These are cheaper than custom development and good enough for a straightforward workflow. Custom development only becomes relevant when you hit the configuration limits, have multiple branches, need industry-specific documentation or want your own customer portal that fits your corporate identity. We say this openly in the first conversation.
Do you work for B2B, B2C and government clients alike?
Yes. The target group mainly determines the onboarding flow and invoicing. B2B customers want a portal and invoice periods, B2C renters want a quick online checkout with iDEAL or Bancontact, and government work usually comes with a tender file and additional compliance requirements. We have worked with all three.
Which payment methods and deposit flows do you support?
Mollie, Adyen and Stripe are the standard choices for the Dutch and European market: iDEAL, Bancontact, card and automatic direct debit. For deposits we work with card pre-authorisations that are released automatically or (partly) withheld after inspection. A deposit by separate bank transfer is also possible, but pre-authorisation is much faster for the renter.
How do you handle damage and maintenance?
Damage is recorded through a digital form with photos on tablet or phone, linked directly to the rental agreement. Maintenance and inspections get their own file per item, with automatic blocking in the availability calendar when an item is out of service. Reporting shows which items cause above-average damage, which is useful for depreciation decisions.
Can you integrate with Exact, AFAS or our GPS tracker?
Yes, that is part of almost every project. Invoicing usually runs through Exact Online or AFAS, and for transport and car rental we connect GPS trackers (Webfleet, Geotab and similar) to get real-time location and mileage into the system. Our page on smart API integrations describes how we approach these kinds of integrations technically.
What determines the cost?
The biggest cost drivers are the number of modules you need, the number of integrations with external systems, the complexity of your pricing rules, and whether a mobile app or customer portal is part of the scope. A compact rental module with a customer portal is a different project from a multi-branch platform with a DKV integration and a bespoke damage app. In the first conversation, we narrow the scope down to what truly adds value.
How long does a project like this take?
A first working version with booking, contract and payment can be in place within a few sprints. A fully industry-specific platform with multiple integrations is a project spanning several sprints. We work in phases so you get a first module live quickly and roll out the rest step by step, rather than waiting for the complete system to be finished.

Talk to us about your rental software.

A free, no-obligation half-hour introductory call. Tell us how your rental business currently runs, where it's struggling and which integrations you need. We'll point you in a useful direction. If a standard package is the smarter choice, we'll say so too.

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