Three ways rental software charges you
Almost every rental platform prices in one of three ways, or a mix of them. The headline number tells you little until you know how it behaves as your business grows, and especially in your busiest month.
| Model | How it works | Cost grows with | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat subscription | Fixed monthly or annual fee, often tiered by fleet size, locations or seats | Plan tier, not bookings | Predictability; shops with growing volume |
| Per-booking fee | A fixed amount for each reservation | Number of bookings | Low or irregular volume |
| Commission | A percentage of booking value | Revenue | Businesses that value zero fixed cost |
| Hybrid | Lower subscription plus a smaller fee or percentage | Both | Depends on where the balance sits |
Payment-processing fees are separate from all of these. They are charged by whoever processes your cards, whatever software you use, so compare them like for like rather than letting them muddy the comparison.
Why a percentage looks cheap in April and expensive in August
A small percentage of a small number is small. Commission and per-booking models feel painless in the shoulder season because the bill tracks a low revenue. But rental businesses earn most of their income in a short window, and that is where a percentage takes the most.
A flat fee has the opposite shape: it feels heavy in winter and light in summer. Neither is “right”; the question is which shape your cash flow can live with, and which costs less over a whole year.
A worked example
Take a shop with 3,200 bookings a year at an average order value of £42, so £134,400 of booking value.
| Model | Calculation | Annual cost | Share of booking value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat subscription, £150 a month | £150 × 12 | £1,800 | 1.3% |
| Commission, 1.5% | £134,400 × 0.015 | £2,016 | 1.5% |
| Per-booking fee, £0.75 | 3,200 × £0.75 | £2,400 | 1.8% |
| Hybrid, £60 a month plus 0.5% | (£60 × 12) + (£134,400 × 0.005) | £1,392 | 1.0% |
In this scenario the hybrid is cheapest and the per-booking fee the most expensive, and the gaps are modest. Now change the business.
If bookings double
With 6,400 bookings and £268,800 of booking value, the flat fee stays at £1,800 if the plan still covers you, commission at 1.5% becomes £4,032 and the per-booking fee £4,800. The hybrid becomes £720 + £1,344 = £2,064.
The break-even point
You can find where a flat fee and a commission cross with one line of arithmetic:
Break-even booking value = annual flat cost ÷ commission rate. For £1,800 and 1.5%, that is £1,800 ÷ 0.015 = £120,000. Below that booking value the commission is cheaper; above it the flat fee is.
For per-booking fees the equivalent is annual flat cost ÷ fee per booking: £1,800 ÷ £0.75 = 2,400 bookings.
Seasonality changes the picture
Most rental shops take the majority of their bookings in a few months. If 60% of your bookings fall in three summer months, a commission model concentrates its cost there, which is also when your margin is best. A flat fee is a fixed cost in the months when you can least afford one, and it is worth checking against your winter cash flow, not just your annual total.
Ask each vendor for a quiet month and a peak month quote at your volume, and look at both.
What to include in a fair total
- Subscription or plan fee, at the tier you would actually need.
- Per-booking fees and commission, on bookings from every channel.
- Payment-processing fees, with the same processor assumed for every vendor.
- Extra seats, locations or bikes beyond plan limits.
- Onboarding, data import and training.
- Add-ons such as SMS, custom domains or API access.
- Cancellation and export terms.
Some vendors charge commission only on bookings taken through their marketplace or channel, and none on your own site. That is a different proposition from commission on everything, so ask exactly which bookings the fee applies to.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Which bookings does any percentage or per-booking fee apply to?
- What is the total cost at my volume for a quiet and a peak month?
- Which limits — bikes, locations, seats — trigger a higher plan?
- Are payment fees separate, and who sets them?
- What are onboarding and import costs?
- What is the contract term, and how do I cancel or export?
How bikerental prices
bikerental is a flat subscription with plans that differ mainly by fleet size, locations and whether integrated payments and deposits are included. It does not take a percentage of direct bookings, and payment-processor fees remain with your provider. Optional onboarding is priced by fleet complexity, and annual billing includes two months free. Current plans are on the pricing page. To compare it with the rest of the market, see best bike rental software in 2026 or the booking system checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Is flat-fee pricing better than commission for bike rental software?
It depends on your volume and seasonality. A flat fee is more predictable and gets relatively cheaper as booking value grows; a commission is cheaper at low volume. Calculate the break-even point using your own numbers.
How do I calculate the break-even between a flat fee and a commission?
Divide the annual flat cost by the commission rate. If the flat fee is £1,800 a year and commission is 1.5%, the break-even booking value is £120,000.
Are payment-processing fees included in software pricing?
Usually not. They are charged by your payment provider and apply whichever software you use, so compare them separately and consistently.
Does bikerental charge commission?
No. It is a flat subscription with no percentage of direct bookings.