Top 12 Sharing Economy Apps

The sharing economy is transforming the way Aussies are buying, lending and sharing everyday items. We’re making money from our old stuff and saving money by renting instead of buying. From home cooked meals and Gucci heels to babies prams, these 12 sharing economy apps have got you covered.

The Volte

Dubbed the ‘Airbnb of fashion’ The Volte is definitely one of the sharing economy apps Aussie fashionistas need to know about. The platform is a modern marketplace that gives you access to high-end designer fashion.

Look like a million bucks without the eye-watering price tag by hiring designer dresses, outfits and accessories for those special occasions.

Tool Mates Hire

Gardening equipment, power tools, ladders, agricultural equipment and heavy machinery. It’s all available on tool sharing platform, Tool Mates Hire. Ideal for a once-only hire to get a quick task done around the house or to rent equipment on a weekly basis for bigger jobs like home renovations.

Tool lenders are protected with an item guarantee via the platform which covers tools up to the value of $1,000.

Tree Hut Village

Tree Hut Village is the sharing economy app saving the wallets of new parents everywhere.

The site lets parents rent out their unused baby equipment still in great shape to other parents. Not surprisingly, prams are the most listed item on the site, but you’ll find everything from baby monitors to childproof barriers. One savvy mum even made $3000 hiring out just 4 of her baby items.

Shebah

We’ve all heard of Uber, but Shebah? It’s Australia’s ride-sharing platform offering the first all-female service. 

Available in most states, Shebah is all about delivering safe and convenient transportation for women, at any time of the day. It’s proving to be one of the popular time-saving sharing economy apps when it comes to arranging school pickups for super busy parents. 

Car Next Door

Move over Hertz and Avis, car rental between peers is now big business thanks to car sharing platforms like Car Next Door. The site matches owners of vehicles they don’t use with people who want to hire them. Book a car to zip around the city, a ute for moving day or a van to take that  great Australian road trip. 

Each vehicle is fully insured and comes with 24/7 roadside assistance.

Spacer

Space. Seems we all need a little more of it these days, especially in city areas. Whether it’s storing a few extra boxes or finding somewhere to park your car, Spacer has you covered.

The site lets people hire out and hire unused garages, carpark, storage cages, shipping containers and even spare bedrooms in most major Australian cities. Calculate what your space might be worth.

Quipmo

The brainchild of a Brisbane based  traveller, Quipmo is one of the best sharing economy apps for adventure types.

It provides access to quality equipment like bicycles, surf, snow and hiking gear that is affordable and readily available for short term rent. It’s a brilliant platform for travellers, cutting out the pain and cost of transporting their adventure gear around with them.

Spacely

Spacely is all about sharing short-term workspaces, whether it’ a meeting room, a desk or co-working space. This platform caters especially to startups, freelancers and any team working flexibly and remotely.

It does away with traditional, corporate style office contracts and commitment. Sharing economy apps like Spacely are a big hit among entrepreneurs with small teams and freelancers. 

Y Waste

An environmental social enterprise, Y Waste is tackling the huge issue of food waste in Australia with this ingenious platform.

The idea? Saving the end of day unsold food at cafes and restaurants from being tossed in the bin by selling them at a serious discount.

Users sign into the app, see the discounted meals available and place an order for pick up usually 15 -30 minutes before closing time. Y Waste has over 300 registered food outlets.

Bountye

Available in Australia and the US, Bountye allows you to create and join communities where you can buy and sell pre-owned fashion, including luxury items.  The site’s goal is to make buying second-hand stuff as easy as buying something new and reduce the number of fashion items that end up as landfill. A great option for fashion-forward shoppers with an ethical conscience. 

Gumtree

One of the original and most popular share economy apps is good old Gumtree!

From cars and real estate to clothing, pets and services, Gumtree has it all. In addition to buying pre-loved items, you can swap stuff and there’s even a freebies section. Be quick enough and you can grab the occasional quality second-hand deal for nothing!

Coming soon…..Shareplate

Foodies who love a home-cooked meal will rejoice when this Aussie food sharing app launches. The app will allow you to have a peek at what your friends and neighbours are cooking and put an order in for yourself!

Shareplate putting the call out to home chefs and cooks who can whip up all types of cuisines and dietary requirements. Sign up here.