Overview
Why sell once when you can rent repeatedly? Lower the barrier to entry and create recurring revenue. It's about turning products into services.
Examples
- Rent the Runway for designer clothing
- Zipcar for car sharing
- Airbnb for short-term accommodations
- Home Depot tool rental
- Spotify for music streaming (as opposed to buying albums)
How to cite
Faster Than Normal. “Access over ownership / Rental Business Model.” fasterthannormal.co/business-models/access-over-ownership. Accessed 2026.
Continue exploring
Company
Airbnb
Online marketplace for short-term lodging and experiences.
Company
Spotify
World's largest music streaming platform with 600M+ users.
Company
WeWork
Co-working space company that peaked at $47B valuation before spectacular collapse.
Company
American Tower
Owns and operates 225,000+ cell towers worldwide.