If you search for a Shopify rental app, you will find tools built for cameras, bikes, party hire and general equipment. The Dress Rental App is different. It is made for dress hire and fashion rental stores: one dress (or one size) booked for an event date, with cleaning time, postage buffers, a refundable bond and, often, a try-on before the hire.
It installs from the Shopify App Store and uses your existing Shopify checkout, customer accounts and, if you have a shopfront, Shopify POS. You do not need a separate booking site.
What a rental app adds to Shopify
On its own, Shopify tracks how many units you have in stock. It does not know that a size 10 is already out from Friday to Monday, or that you need a day back for dry cleaning. A rental app fills that gap:
- a booking calendar on the product page, so customers pick dates themselves
- automatic date blocking, so a dress cannot be double-booked
- buffer days before and after a hire for postage and cleaning
- bonds, cleaning fees, insurance and add-ons paid at checkout
- late fees, bond refunds and damage claims from the booking record
- booking and overdue emails sent for you
Our step-by-step guide covers how to take rental bookings on Shopify.
DMs, Shopify on its own, or The Dress Rental App?
Many dress hire businesses start in Instagram DMs and spreadsheets, then move to Shopify and still handle dates by hand. This is how those options compare.
| Feature | DMs and spreadsheets | Shopify on its own | The Dress Rental App |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customers check availability themselves | No | No | Yes, booking calendar |
| Booked dates blocked automatically | Manual | No, stock just runs out | Yes |
| Buffer days for postage and cleaning | Manual | No | Yes, per delivery method |
| Refundable bonds and cleaning fees | Chase transfers | Workarounds only | Yes, paid at checkout |
| Late fees and bond refunds | Manual | No | Yes, from each booking |
| Try-on appointments | Manual | No | Yes, with Google Calendar |
| In-store rentals on POS | No | Sales only | Yes, rental bookings |
| Booking and overdue emails | Manual | Order emails only | Yes, automatic |
| Profit per dress | Spreadsheet | No | Yes, profit tracker |
Built for dress hire, not general equipment
The workflow in a dress hire store is specific. Customers often book by event date and size, want a try-on, pay a bond, and sometimes hire a veil, bag or jewellery with the dress. The Dress Rental App is set up for that, including:
- Stock by size. Track each size separately, or treat a one-off dress as a single item.
- Search by date. A storefront widget shows only the dresses free on the customer's date.
- Try-on appointments on the product page, with optional Google Calendar sync.
- Bonds, insurance and add-ons at checkout, plus late fees and damage claims after the return.
- A profit tracker that shows what each dress has earned against its cost.
- Vendor consignment if you onboard other owners and pay out rental earnings.
- Hire and sell together on the same Shopify product, when you offer both.
See how it fits formal hire, bridal and bridesmaid hire, designer rental, costume hire, or a move from Instagram bookings.
Plans and pricing
Billing is in USD, every 30 days, through Shopify. You can change plans from the app's Pricing page.
- Free: $4.99 a month after a 14-day free trial, for 15 bookings a month. The booking calendar, date blocking, email notifications and profit tracker are included. Search by Date, Request a Dress and Vacation Capsule need Starter or above.
- Starter: $8.99 a month, for 30 bookings.
- Growth: $24.99 a month, for 100 bookings.
- Big Business: $54.99 a month, for unlimited bookings.
Email notifications and the profit tracker are on every plan. Optional SMS is $0.17 USD per segment. The 14-day trial starts when you install. See plans on the homepage or the plans documentation.
How to get started
- You need a Shopify store. If you do not have one, you can start a free Shopify trial, or let us build the rental website for you.
- Install The Dress Rental App from the Shopify App Store.
- Disable any other rental app first, so two calendars do not clash. Then run the quick setup wizard and add the booking calendar to your product pages.
You can also try the demo store before you install. Setup guides and videos live in the documentation and on the Dress Hire Websites YouTube channel.
Starting a dress hire business
If you are still planning the business, not just the app, start with our guide to starting a dress hire business. Dress Hire Websites, the team behind the app, also publishes country-by-country website guides:
- Start a dress hire business (overview)
- Australia
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- New Zealand
- Ireland
- Worldwide
Frequently asked questions
Does Shopify have a built-in rental or booking system?
No. Shopify sells products from a stock count. It does not include a rental calendar, date-based availability, bonds or return workflows. You add that with a Shopify rental app such as The Dress Rental App.
Will it work with my Shopify theme?
The booking calendar is added as an app block in Shopify's theme editor, with no code needed. It works with Online Store 2.0 themes, including Dawn and Shopify's other free themes. If your theme does not support app blocks, contact support and we will help.
Do I need a Shopify store?
Yes. The Dress Rental App only works on Shopify. It does not install on Wix, Squarespace, WooCommerce or other platforms. You can start a free Shopify trial, or book the website package and we will build the store for you.
Can I try it before I pay?
Yes. The Free plan includes a 14-day free trial, then costs $4.99 USD a month for 15 bookings. You can also try the demo store.
Can I use it with another rental app?
No. Disable or uninstall other rental apps and remove their theme blocks first, otherwise calendars and checkout can conflict.
