Bounce house rental software: a buyer's checklist
Updated · Rotomal
Good bounce house rental software stops double-bookings by tracking each inflatable per date and time window, including setup and cleaning buffers. It also prices delivery by zone before checkout, collects a deposit, gets the waiver e-signed during booking, applies your weather policy and gives crews a routed day sheet. Listed prices run from $29–139 a month for general booking tools such as Check Cherry to $124–264 a month plus add-ons for InflatableOffice, the category incumbent. Bounce Desk is built for operators with under 35 units at $29–79 a month.
Must-have features
- Per-unit availability with buffers: each castle, slide and combo tracked by date and time window, with setup, pickup and cleaning time blocked automatically.
- Delivery-zone pricing: fees by ZIP code or distance band, minimum orders, and surcharges for stairs, long carries, generators and late pickups, all shown before the customer pays.
- Deposits and balances: a card deposit at booking and the balance charged before the event or recorded on delivery.
- E-signed waiver and rental terms: signed on screen during booking and stored as a PDF with timestamp, so no customer can say they never saw your policy.
- Weather policy: your rain-check rules (cutoff hours, credit or refund) applied to one booking or a whole day in one step.
- Crew day sheets: stops ordered by time window and distance, map links, and setup photos taken from a phone.
Nice to have as you grow
- Several crews and trailers on the same day
- Add-on upsells: generators, concession machines, tables and chairs
- Reminders with power and space requirements two days before
- Post-event review requests
- Accounting export for QuickBooks or your accountant
- An iCal feed so bookings show in Google Calendar or Outlook
What it costs
| Option | Listed price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| InflatableOffice | $124–264 a month plus add-ons | Larger operations with many units and warehouses |
| Goodshuffle Pro, Booqable, TapGoods | See each vendor's pricing page | General event and equipment rental companies |
| Check Cherry | $29–139 a month | Event businesses that book services more than inventory |
| Bounce Desk | $29–79 a month, flat | Operators with under 35 units who need rental-specific features |
| Spreadsheet, texts and Square | Free | The first few units, until the first double-booking |
Questions to ask before you sign up
- Does availability work per unit and per time window, with buffers, or only per day?
- Can delivery be priced by ZIP code or distance band, with surcharges?
- Do you take a percentage of each booking, or charge a flat fee?
- Is the waiver signed during booking and stored per renter?
- Can I apply a rain policy to a whole day at once?
- Can I pause or downgrade in the off-season?
- Can I export my bookings and customers if I leave?
Moving off texts and a spreadsheet
Start with your inventory list: every unit with its footprint, blower count and power needs, and any unit currently out for repair. Add your delivery zones and your rain-check policy, then import upcoming bookings so availability is right from day one. Put the booking link on your website, Google Business Profile and Facebook page, and send new inquiries to it instead of quoting by text.
Questions
Do I need rental software with only three or four units?
Not strictly, but double-bookings and disputed cancellation policies happen at any size. A flat, low-cost tool usually pays for itself the first time it prevents one.
Is a waiver signed on a phone enforceable?
In the US, electronic signatures are generally valid under the federal ESIGN Act and state UETA laws, but whether a specific waiver holds up depends on its wording and your state. Have a local lawyer review the waiver text; the software only collects and stores the signature.
Do bounce house booking tools charge per booking?
Some take a percentage of each booking or add payment fees on top of the subscription. Compare the total cost at your expected volume. Bounce Desk charges a flat monthly price and no booking percentage; card processing fees go to Stripe or Square.
Can customers book online without calling me?
Yes, if the software shows only units that are actually free for their date and window and prices delivery before checkout. That is what makes self-service booking safe.
Sources
- InflatableOffice lists plans at $124–264 per month plus add-ons. Source: inflatableoffice.com
- Check Cherry lists plans at $29–139 per month. Source: checkcherry.com