What: Simply connects pool owners and people who are willing to pay to swim
Expected pay: Set by you
Husl$core: $$$
Commissions & fees: 15%
Where: Select U.S. cities
Requirements: Be over age 18 and have a pool
Review:
Swimply aims to connect pool owners with people who are willing to pay to swim. The idea was reportedly launched when the founder, who grew up in New Jersey, started asking his neighbor if he and his friends could pay her to use her pool. The site says that people now charge from $35 to $200 per hour to allow others to do the same.
You, as the pool owner, set your rates and say when your pool is available, accepting or rejecting specific requests. Swimply takes a 15% commission off the top when you agree to a booking. (You can also set up times when the site can book requests automatically.)
You also set pool rules, including whether you allow infants, pets and large groups. And, you say whether guests are allowed to use a restroom or have access to other amenities, such as pool toys, stereo speakers, barbeques, etc.
A few cautions
There are a few items in the site’s terms that give us pause, however. The biggest is that Swimply may discount the host’s listing price “in any matter it deems appropriate, including…providing promotional codes to guests.” This undermines the notion that you set your own rates.
Also, if your pool is not available for an agreed-upon booking, you could be charged up to $50 per half hour until the pool is available as scheduled. If you cancel a booking at the last minute, you’re subject to a cancelation fee. Guests are too.
The site also does not appear to offer any insurance protection to hosts, so make sure to talk to your insurance agent about getting a commercial use rider on your homeowner’s policy before you rent.
The site is too young to have generated many reviews. As a result, we gave Swimply a neutral Husl$core and will update as more people try it. In the meantime, if you have a pool that’s not getting much use and you don’t mind sharing your yard with strangers, this might be an interesting low-maintenance side hustle.
Similar options for homeowners: CurbFlip and Pavemint, which allow you to rent out your driveway or parking space, and Neighbor, to rent out spare storage space.