This New App Is Like Airbnb—but for Renting Swimming Pools

Missed the window of opportunity to buy a ticket to the exclusive pool parties at Hearst Castle? Don’t have plans to check out the infinity pools at the new TWA Hotel or any of these dreamy safari lodges anytime soon? That doesn’t mean you have to suffer through the next heat wave sans swimming pool. 

Thanks to a new Airbnb-like platform for pool sharing called Swimply, you can now rent access to someone’s backyard pool by the hour. Described as the “first ever online marketplace for pool sharing,” Swimply is the brainchild of Bunim Laskin, a 22-year-old entrepreneur from New Jersey. Laskin created the app, which launched with a pilot program in summer 2018, to “democratize the pool experience so that everyone can enjoy an instant escape from reality.”

Now homeowners can officially sign up to list their underutilized pools to make some extra cash at swimply.com, while non–pool owners can browse through the listings on the online platform in 26 states, including California, Hawaii, Florida, and New York. There are also pools available to rent in select locations in Canada and Australia. 

For example, you can rent a waterfront pool in Miami Beach for $150 an hour during your next Florida vacation. Or if you find yourself at your parent’s pool-less house back in Los Angeles over the holidays, you can invite everyone over to a saltwater pool with mountain views for $75 an hour.

Each owner sets an hourly rate based on details such as pool size, timing, and amenities like bathroom, BBQ, and pool toy access—but the average rental is $45 per hour. It is also up to the owners to decide whether or not they will be home while you use their pool, so the amount of privacy differs with each rental. However, each pool listed on Swimply is inspected by a local pool service company for hygiene and safety before it can be listed on the app.

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