Hygglo

Hygglo is a peer-to-peer rental marketplace where you can make money from the tools, equipment, and items sitting idle in your garage, closet, or storage. The platform was previously known as Fat Llama but rebranded to Hygglo to reflect its expanded scope and lower fees. Instead of tools gathering dust, you list them on Hygglo and earn when someone nearby rents them, often for a fraction of what it would cost to buy.

You can rent out items across many categories. Photographers and videographers list cameras, lenses, drones, and lighting equipment. DIY enthusiasts rent out power tools like drills, saws, pressure washers, and generators. Party planners look for bouncy castles, sound systems, PA equipment, and lighting rigs. Outdoor gear including bikes, camping equipment, and sports gear finds renters regularly. Electronics like laptops, projectors, gaming consoles, and speakers are popular. Construction and garden tools round out the common categories. Basically, if you own something that costs money to buy but isn't used daily, someone nearby probably wants to borrow it.

Getting started as a lender on Hygglo is straightforward. You create an account, upload photos of your items with clear details about their condition and specifications, and set your rental prices. Listing is completely free, so there's no upfront cost to try the platform. You describe what renters get, how the item works, and any rules about pickup, delivery, or usage. Hygglo handles the entire rental booking and payment process. When a renter books your item, they pay through the app, and you receive a notification with pickup instructions or delivery arrangements depending on how you want to handle logistics.

Renters on the platform are verified, which adds a layer of security for lenders. The platform includes built-in insurance on every rental, protecting both you as the owner and the borrower in case of damage or loss. Payment processing is handled through Stripe, offering secure transactions. When a rental completes, you keep 80% of the rental fee, with Hygglo taking a 20% commission. This is a significant drop from the old Fat Llama model, which charged 25% commission. One exception is drone rentals, which carry a higher 50% commission, reflecting the additional insurance and liability involved with those items. The company recently lowered fees from its previous structure to make the platform more attractive to lenders, signaling a commitment to improving host earnings.

Pricing strategy on Hygglo is flexible and up to you. You can research similar items in your area to gauge competitive rates, then adjust based on demand. Some owners price conservatively to attract frequent bookings, while others set premium prices for specialized or high-demand equipment. The platform suggests comparable items to help with pricing, though you maintain full control. Many renters appreciate mid-range pricing over premium rates because they're comparing the daily rental against the full purchase price. If an item isn't renting, you can lower the price. If it's in high demand, you can experiment with increasing it.

One key advantage of Hygglo over traditional selling is that you retain ownership of your items. With resale platforms, you sell something and it's gone. On Hygglo, you earn recurring income from the same tool or camera over months or years. A pressure washer that cost $500 might rent for $25 a day; over a year of occasional bookings, that pays for itself many times over. Because many items sit unused most of the time, the rental model makes financial sense. You're monetizing idle assets without giving them up, which appeals to people who like tools and gear but want to offset the cost.

The community aspect of Hygglo matters too. Renters often leave reviews and ratings, and as a lender who maintains clean equipment and communicates clearly, you build a reputation that drives more bookings. Popular lenders with five-star reviews get featured more prominently and attract repeat renters. This means your earnings can grow as your reputation builds. Some experienced lenders treat it seriously, maintaining inventory, responding quickly to messages, and ensuring items are in excellent condition for every rental.

Hygglo operates in multiple countries, so availability depends on your location. In the United States, major cities and suburban areas tend to have active communities of renters and lenders. The platform works best in places with enough population density that demand for borrowing exists. If you live in a small town, your opportunities may be limited. Conversely, if you're near a city or university, there's typically strong demand for tools, cameras, party equipment, and recreational gear. You can start listing immediately and see how much local demand exists for your specific items.

A practical consideration is logistics. Hygglo doesn't mandate pickup or delivery arrangements; you decide. Some lenders prefer renters to pick up from their home or a neutral location. Others offer local delivery for an extra fee. This flexibility matters because the friction of getting items to renters can be a bottleneck. Lenders who live centrally or don't mind helping with logistics tend to see higher booking rates. If you prefer to keep rentals to pickup only and live inconveniently, you might experience fewer bookings.

Compared to other asset rental platforms, Hygglo fills a different niche than platforms like Neighbor (storage space) or Turo (cars). It's broader than specialized platforms focused on a single category, letting you monetize a variety of possessions. If you have an eclectic mix of items, Hygglo allows you to list them all in one place rather than fragmenting your effort across multiple apps. The 20% commission is competitive with many peer-to-peer rental services, though vacation rental platforms like Airbnb or property-focused ones often take higher percentages.

Hygglo is best suited for people who are organized, responsive, and willing to maintain their items in excellent condition. If you have tools or equipment that sit idle and you're open to the logistics of lending, the platform offers a straightforward way to earn from them. The low entry cost, free listing, and included insurance reduce the risk of trying. Success depends on having items that others want to rent, pricing competitively, maintaining them well, and being responsive to renters. For creative professionals, DIY enthusiasts, and outdoor gear collectors, Hygglo can turn unused purchases into steady supplementary income with minimal ongoing effort beyond responding to bookings and ensuring handoff and return go smoothly.