How Presta works.
Find the tool, book it, pick it up. You're done in under a minute and saving the cost of buying something you'd use twice.
Three steps. Same as borrowing from a neighbor.
1. Find a tool
Search by what you need, your ZIP, and the date you want it. Filter by category, price, and distance. Every listing shows photos, condition, the deposit amount, and the owner's neighborhood.
2. Book it
Pick your dates and send a booking request. The owner has 24 hours to approve. Your card is authorized when you submit and charged only when the owner says yes. If they don't respond, the hold drops automatically.
3. Pick up & return
After approval, the owner shares the exact pickup address and their phone number. Meet them, inspect the tool together, use it, return it. Leave a review when you're done.
Every detail of a booking.
A walk through what happens between "I need a pressure washer" and "I'm done with it."
Finding a tool
- Search by intent. Type "lawn mower," "pressure washer," "snow blower." The autocomplete surfaces the closest matches and auto-fills the category.
- Filter by date. Pick the day you want the tool. Listings with conflicting bookings drop out automatically, so you only see what's actually available.
- Verified owners. Owners must complete a profile with name and phone before any of their listings go live, and Stripe verifies their bank before they can accept bookings.
What you pay
- Rental rate. Set by the owner: by the day, or a 4-hour rate if they offer one. You see the total before booking.
- Service fee. Presta adds a 15% service fee on top of the owner's rate. This is how we keep the lights on. The owner keeps 100% of their rate.
- Refundable deposit. The owner sets a deposit (up to $500 for most categories, $2,500 for trailers and heavy equipment). It isn't charged. We hold it on your card at pickup and release it on a clean return.
- No hidden charges. The service fee is shown up front in the quote before you ever pay. No surprises at checkout.
Owner approval
- 24-hour window. Owners have up to 24 hours to approve or decline a booking request.
- Card authorized, not charged. When you submit the request, your card is authorized for the rental and service fee but no money moves yet. The deposit isn't part of this.
- If approved. Your card is charged. You and the owner can now message each other and the pickup address is shared.
- If declined or no response. The hold drops automatically. No charge, no fee, you can request a different tool.
Pickup & the handoff
- In-person pickup only. Presta doesn't broker delivery yet. You and the owner meet, usually at their house or garage.
- Scan to start. The owner pulls up a one-time QR code (or a 6-digit code if there's no camera). You scan it with your phone to begin the verified handoff.
- Photograph the condition. Take the four quick photos the checklist asks for. They're timestamped and tamper-evidenced, so they're your proof of the tool's condition if anything is ever disputed.
- Agree & confirm. Accept the rental terms and confirm. Once the owner confirms too, the rental clock officially starts.
Return & deposit release
- Start the return. Bring the tool back in the condition you got it: same fuel level, no new damage, accessories included. You start the return and show your code; the owner scans it and inspects.
- Instant deposit release. When the owner accepts the return, the hold on your card is released on the spot. There's no waiting period and nothing was ever charged.
- If there's damage. The owner can report damage instead of accepting and claim up to the deposit amount. If you disagree, Presta reviews the photos and timeline and decides how to split the deposit.
- Owner not around to receive it? Tap "Owner not available," add a photo and a note, and we'll flag it for Presta to review. Your deposit is never decided automatically.
- Damage beyond the deposit. The deposit is a capped amount, not insurance. On high-value rentals (trailers, heavy equipment) it may not cover a full loss, and the listing makes that clear. Treat the tool as your own and inspect it carefully at pickup and return.
Cancellation
- More than 24h before pickup. Cancel for a full refund of the rate and service fee. The deposit isn't involved, since it's only held at pickup.
- Less than 24h before pickup. No refund on the rental rate or service fee. The deposit still isn't involved (it's only held at pickup). Same rule applies whether the weather changed or your plans did.
- After you've picked it up. There's no cancelling a tool you already have. Bringing it back early is simply a return. Start the return whenever you're done and the owner releases your deposit when they accept it.
- Owner cancels. Always a full refund regardless of timing. We don't penalize you for the other side flaking.
Reviews
- Both sides review. You review the owner and the tool; they review you as a renter. Reviews are double-blind. Neither of you sees the other's review until both have posted, or 14 days pass.
- Honesty matters. Reviews are the trust signal that makes the next rental easier for everyone. If something went wrong, say so. If it was great, say that too.
How we keep this safe.
Verified owners
Every owner verifies their identity through Stripe before they can collect payouts. Their name, phone, and bank are confirmed before any of their listings go live.
Secured deposits
Deposits run through Stripe and are tied to the booking, not pocketed by Presta. The deposit is a hold placed on your card at pickup, not a charge. The moment the owner accepts a clean return, the hold is released automatically.
Address privacy
Owners only share their exact pickup address after they approve your booking. Before that, you see the neighborhood, not the street.
Reviews & ratings
Every transaction creates a reviewable trail. Bad actors get spotted fast; good ones build a reputation that opens doors.
Ready to find what you need?
Tools across every category, growing inventory in your neighborhood. Skip the hardware store.