RentKit vs InflatableOffice
A straight comparison for rental operators weighing their options.
InflatableOffice has been in the game for over 20 years. Built by an inflatable rental operator (Tim Beck) for inflatable rental operators, it has deep niche expertise, strong industry relationships, and a loyal customer base of 2,000+ businesses. If you run a bounce house operation and you want software built by someone who has been in your shoes, IO has earned its reputation.
The catch is pricing. InflatableOffice advertises plans starting at $39/month, but the base plan is barebones. The website module, worker management, CRM, and phone system are all separate add-ons at $39-$65/month each. A typical mid-size operation ends up paying $300-$500+ per month once you stack the modules you actually need. One verified reviewer confirmed: "If you're using all of the modules and sending or receiving a lot of text messages, you can expect your monthly bill to be $500+."
RentKit takes a different approach: $99/month with two users included, $35/month per additional user, and all features included at every level. Native mobile app for owners (not just field crews), built-in route optimization, QuickBooks Online and Desktop integration, revenue reporting, and evening/weekend support. The tradeoff is that IO has two decades of inflatable-specific edge cases built in, a large community, and manufacturer partnerships that RentKit does not have.
InflatableOffice has 21 years of inflatable-specific depth. RentKit has transparent pricing at $99/month (2 users included, $35/month per additional) with all features included. Your choice depends on whether niche depth or predictable pricing matters more.
Side-by-Side
| Feature | RentKit | InflatableOffice |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $99/mo (2 users incl, +$35/user) | $39-$264/mo base + $39-$65/mo per add-on module |
| Typical Real Cost | $99-$169/mo (2-4 users) | $300-$500+/mo with needed modules |
| Admin Mobile App | Native iOS & Android | No admin app (IO Workers is field crew only) |
| Route Optimization | Built-in | Built-in |
| QuickBooks Online | Native integration | Yes |
| QuickBooks Desktop | Native integration | Yes |
| Customer Support | Evening & weekend hours | Business hours |
| Customer-Facing Catalog | Embeddable widget (no WordPress required) | WordPress plugin (WordPress required) |
| Revenue Reporting | Built-in | No preset reports (must build custom) |
| Payment Processors | Stripe, JustiFi | 6+ options (Global Payments, Square, PayPal, etc.) |
| Worker/Crew App | Yes (same app) | IO Workers app (separate, field-only) |
| CRM | Included | +$65/mo add-on |
| Website Integration | Platform-agnostic widget | WordPress only |
| Multi-Location | Included | +$50/mo add-on |
Where InflatableOffice excels
InflatableOffice has two decades of depth in the inflatable rental business.
21 years of inflatable-specific depth
IO handles edge cases that only matter in the bounce house world - art panels, wet/dry item variants, surge pricing for holiday weekends, accessory tracking tied to specific units, pre-loaded popular inflatable models. This kind of niche depth comes from two decades of building for one vertical.
Industry ecosystem
IO has partnerships with inflatable manufacturers (Magic Jump, Big & Bright), insurance providers (OVD), and the Inflatable Operators Association. They exhibit at IAAPA and IOA conferences. They are embedded in the industry in ways a newer platform is not.
Payment processor flexibility
IO supports six or more payment processors - Global Payments, Authorize.net, Square, CardConnect, PayJunction, PayPal. If you already have a relationship with a specific processor or you want to shop for the lowest rate, IO gives you options. RentKit currently supports Stripe and JustiFi.
Community
The RentalPros Facebook group and IO Users group create a built-in community of operators sharing advice, troubleshooting, and best practices. That community has real value beyond the software itself.
WordPress website ownership
IO builds your site on WordPress, which means you own it. If you leave IO, you keep your website. This is a meaningful advantage over competitors that lock your website to their platform.
SEO services
IO offers optional SEO packages ($100-$400/month) with keyword tracking, heat maps, and content generation. If you want your software vendor to also handle your search engine rankings, IO has that covered.
In-person training
For $750, you can go to their Akron, OH headquarters for a full day of customized, hands-on training. Some operators prefer that to video calls.
Where RentKit leads
Transparent, all-inclusive pricing
RentKit is $99/month with two users included and $35/month per additional seat. All features included - no add-on modules, no per-feature surcharges. IO's modular pricing means your actual bill depends on which modules you need. A mid-size inflatable operation on IO's Plus plan ($164) with website ($39), workers ($65), CRM ($65), and IO Phone ($65) pays $398/month - several times what the headline price suggests.
Native admin mobile app
IO's mobile app (IO Workers) is a field crew tool - shift views, packing lists, clock in/out. It is not a full admin app. If you are an owner who wants to create orders, check availability, manage inventory, and review financials from your phone, RentKit's native iOS and Android app covers that. IO requires you to use a mobile browser for back-office work.
No WordPress dependency
IO's website integration requires WordPress, which means managing hosting, plugin updates, security patches, and the general maintenance overhead of a WordPress site. RentKit's embeddable catalog widget works on any website platform without requiring WordPress.
Built-in reporting
IO does not include preset sales or tax reports. You have to build custom reports or pull data manually. RentKit includes revenue reporting out of the box.
Evening and weekend support
IO's support operates during business hours. RentKit offers support during evenings and weekends - the hours when rental operators are taking orders, running deliveries, and handling event-day problems.
Works across all rental categories
IO's brand and feature set are optimized for inflatables. If your business also rents tents, tables, chairs, linens, or other event equipment, RentKit handles multi-category inventory without needing a second brand. IO created EventOffice for this, which runs on the same codebase but is priced differently.
Simpler onboarding
IO has a learning curve that multiple reviewers flag, and their dashboard is described as having "quite a bit of info." RentKit is designed for fast onboarding without the complexity.
What users say about InflatableOffice
These are sourced from verified reviews on Capterra, Google Reviews, and Software Advice.
On pricing
“If you're using all of the modules and sending or receiving a lot of text messages, you can expect your monthly bill to be $500+.
“Was with them since 2012. Customer service kept getting worse and price kept going up.
On support consistency
“After consistently calling, emailing, and requesting help over 3 months, one reviewer reported they still had not gotten a callback. The company was described as "better at blowing smoke."
On software updates
“Sometimes updates change the way certain things are done... one update changed all my pricing and I had to go in and change all the wording on my prices.
On module limitations
“The staffing module is not user friendly, and it would be preferred to pick and choose which modules are needed instead of paying for a large package with unused modules.
On reporting and customization
“No preset reports such as sales and tax reports.
“The inability to customize different features in the checkout cart and other items on the website/booking process.
Which platform fits?
InflatableOffice may be the better fit if:
- Your business is primarily inflatables and bounce houses, and you want software built specifically for that niche
- You value industry relationships and community - IO's manufacturer partnerships, trade show presence, and Facebook groups matter to you
- You want maximum payment processor flexibility and already have a preferred processor
- You need SEO services bundled with your software vendor
- You prefer WordPress for your website and want to own it outright
- You are already on IO, your team is trained on it, and the module costs are manageable for your operation
RentKit is likely the better fit if:
- You want predictable pricing at $99/month without module add-ons stacking up to $300-$500
- You need a native admin mobile app - not just a field crew app
- You rent across multiple categories (inflatables, tents, tables, linens, equipment) and want one platform that handles all of it
- You want built-in reporting without having to build custom reports from scratch
- You need evening and weekend support during your busiest operating hours
- You do not want to depend on WordPress for your customer-facing website
- You want QuickBooks Online or Desktop integration included in your base plan
- You are growing and want to avoid per-module pricing that scales up with your needs
Thinking About Switching from InflatableOffice to RentKit?
Switching from a platform you have used for years is a real decision, and we are not going to pretend it is painless. Your team knows IO, your workflows are configured, and your data lives there.
That said, the operators who typically consider switching from IO are the ones whose monthly bill has grown past the point of comfort. When you are paying $400-$500/month and you realize $300+ of that is add-on modules that other platforms include in their base price, the math starts to work in favor of a move.
RentKit is designed for fast onboarding. We can migrate your inventory, customer data, and order history. If you want to see what the transition looks like before committing, book a demo and we will walk through it with your actual data.
See RentKit for yourself
Book a demo and we will walk through RentKit using your actual workflows. No slide deck, just the product.
Get a DemoNo pushy sales calls. Just a fast walkthrough.
The RentKit team wrote this comparison. If anything is outdated or incorrect, contact us and we will fix it.
All comparisons