What Boatsetter does

Boatsetter is a peer-to-peer boat rental marketplace founded in 2012 and headquartered in Miami (post-merger) that connects private boat owners with individual renters and USCG-licensed captains across more than 700 locations worldwide. The platform operates as a self-serve digital marketplace accessible via web and native iOS/Android apps, enabling users to browse, search, and book vessels across categories including pontoons, yachts, sailboats, jet skis, fishing charters, party boats, watersports, and luxury yacht charters. Differentiated features include an exclusive U.S. insurance integration with Buoy (covering both owners and renters on every booking), a network of 1,500+ licensed captains enabling rentals without boating experience, trip protection with weather-based refunds, and verified quality standards across 20,000+ boat makes and models.

Boatsetter monetizes through marketplace commissions on each completed rental, with usage-based hourly pricing that varies by location, vessel type, and duration (e.g., $40/hr in Fort Lauderdale to $135/hr in Miami). The go-to-market motion is product-led growth with direct-to-consumer acquisition through organic social, content marketing, and SEO-driven destination pages. Customers fall into two primary segments: private boat owners seeking to offset ownership costs (with earning potential cited at $20,000+ annually) and individual renters including recreational boaters and a growing Gen Z segment representing 28% of bookings.

Following its December 2025 merger with Getmyboat, the combined entity reports over $500 million in cumulative bookings, 50,000+ boats, and a presence spanning 50 countries (with third-party research citing 170+ countries and 13 million users). The company is venture-backed by Level Equity, Centerbridge Partners, and Yanmar, with a $38 million Series B led by Level Equity in August 2022, and is led by CEO Michael Farb (in role since 2022). Historical M&A includes Fisher Guiding (2021), Boatbound (2017), and Cruzin (2015), demonstrating a consistent consolidation strategy.

Name

Boatsetter

Legal name

Boatsetter, Inc.

Website

https://boatsetter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Boatsetter is a peer-to-peer boat rental marketplace founded in 2012 that connects private boat owners with individual renters and licensed captains across 700+ locations, monetizing via marketplace commissions on usage-based hourly bookings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boat Rental Marketplace

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Charters & Yacht Experiences (Crewed, Bareboat, Day Charters) (THAJAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew) (THAJALAE), Tourist & Sightseeing Cruise Operators (Day Cruises) (TLAFALAF)

Keywords

• Peer-to-peer boat rentals
• Boat rental marketplace
• Yacht charter platform
• Watercraft sharing service
• Fishing charter bookings

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Lauderdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketplace Commission: Platform earns commission on each boat rental transaction completed through the marketplace. Renters pay for boat usage while Boatsetter takes a platform fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Boatsetter operates a peer-to-peer online boat rental marketplace connecting private boat owners with prospective renters and USCG-licensed captains across 700+ locations worldwide. The platform enables users to search, compare, and book boat rentals—including pontoons, yachts, fishing boats, jet skis, sailboats, and luxury vessels—with or without a captain, supported by integrated Buoy insurance coverage, trip protection, verified quality standards, and secure payment processing.

Product overview

Boatsetter operates a peer-to-peer boat rental marketplace — the world's leading boat rental community according to the company — consisting of a core platform complemented by multiple product sub-brands and dedicated mobile apps. The core Boatsetter Boat Rental Marketplace connects boat owners with renters and licensed captains across 700+ locations worldwide. The portfolio includes specialized sub-products: Fishing Charters (guided angling experiences), Yacht Charters and Luxury Yacht Charters (motor and super-yacht bookings), Pontoon Boat Rentals, Sailboat Rentals, Jet Ski Rentals, Party Boat Rentals, and Watersports Rentals. All rentals can optionally include Captain Services (access to USCG-licensed captains). The platform is available via dedicated mobile apps for both renters (Boatsetter App) and boat owners (Boatsetter Owner App). The Boatsetter Promise provides trip protection and built-in insurance powered by exclusive partner Buoy. Following the December 2025 merger with GetMyBoat, the combined entity now spans 50 countries with over $500 million in bookings, and previously acquired Fisher Guiding in 2021 to expand guided experience offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Boatsetter Boat Rental Marketplace A peer-to-peer online marketplace connecting private boat owners with prospective renters and USCG-licensed captains across 700+ locations worldwide. Enables search, comparison, and booking of boats with or without a captain, supported by integrated Buoy insurance, trip protection, verified quality standards, and secure payment processing.
• Fishing Charters Guided fishing charter bookings connecting anglers with licensed captains and properly equipped fishing vessels for offshore, inshore, and reef fishing experiences.
• Yacht Charters Luxury and motor yacht rental bookings for private charters, featuring vessels ranging from 35-foot cruisers to mega-yachts, typically with captain and crew included.
• Pontoon Boat Rentals Pontoon boat rentals suitable for groups and families, offering spacious deck areas for cruising, social anchoring, and lake-based activities.
• Sailboat Rentals Sailing vessel rentals ranging from small day sailors to luxury sailing catamarans, available with or without a licensed captain for cruising and sailing experiences.
• Jet Ski Rentals Personal watercraft (PWC) rentals for thrill-seekers, typically available by the hour with optional captain or as a self-operated rental.
• Party Boat Rentals Boats and vessels suitable for celebrations, bachelor/bachelorette parties, birthdays, and group events, often featuring amenities like sound systems, floating mats, and spacious layouts.
• Luxury Yacht Charters Premium super-yacht and mega-yacht charter bookings featuring high-end amenities, professional crew, and bespoke itinerary planning for luxury water experiences.
• Watersports Rentals Boats equipped or designed for water sports activities including wakeboarding, water-skiing, wake surfing, and tubing, with appropriate tow equipment and often captain services.
• Boatsetter App (Renter) Mobile application for iOS and Android enabling renters to search and book boats in over 700+ locations directly from their mobile device. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
• Boatsetter Owner App Mobile application for boat owners to list, manage, and track their vessels on the Boatsetter platform, enabling boat owners to earn income by renting out their boats.
• GetMyBoat

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GetmyboatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoatsetter and Getmyboat merged in December 2025 to create a unified global marketplace. The combined entity has over $500 million in bookings across 50 countries, with Michael Farb (Boatsetter CEO) leading the merged company headquartered in Miami.
• BuoycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership making Boatsetter the only insured peer-to-peer boat sharing marketplace in the U.S. Buoy provides insurance coverage for both boat owners and renters during all rentals on the platform.
• Fisher GuidingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired by Boatsetter in May 2021 to enhance offerings in the boat rental and guiding services market.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Getmyboat: Direct peer-to-peer boat rental marketplace that merged with Boatsetter in December 2025. Prior to merger, Getmyboat operated globally with overlapping inventory and renter base, and represented Boatsetter's closest competitive threat in the U.S. and abroad.
• SamBoat: Europe-headquartered peer-to-peer boat rental marketplace operating across 50+ countries. SamBoat directly competes with Boatsetter across international destinations on both the supply (owner) and demand (renter) sides, offering similar charter and bareboat experiences.
• Click&Boat: Global boat rental platform owned by Filiale du Groupe Bénéteau, combining fleet operators and private owners. Direct competitor to Boatsetter across Europe, the Caribbean, and the U.S., with overlapping categories (yachts, motorboats, with/without captain).
• Sailo: U.S.-focused sailboat and yacht charter marketplace offering bareboat and crewed rentals. Overlaps with Boatsetter's Sailboat and Yacht Charters categories, competing for both owners and renters in coastal U.S. markets.
• Yachtico: Charter aggregator offering yacht and boat rentals from operators globally. Comparable to Boatsetter's Luxe and Yacht Charters products, focused on bareboat and skippered experiences.

Broad incumbents

• Turo: Peer-to-peer car rental marketplace and category leader; the canonical analog for Boatsetter's boat-rental marketplace business model (insurance, two-sided network effects, take-rate economics). Useful as a benchmark for unit economics and marketplace dynamics, though it operates in cars, not boats.
• Yatra / VRBO (Experiences): Broader vacation rental and experience platform with category-level overlap on outdoor and water-based excursions. Less specialized in peer-to-peer boat rentals but adjacent in the broader vacation/experiences marketplace landscape.

Emerging players

• Outdoorsy: Peer-to-peer RV and outdoor equipment rental marketplace. Comparable business model and trust/insurance infrastructure to Boatsetter for a complementary experiential category; signals the playbook for two-sided marketplace expansion into recreation.
• Hipcamp: Outdoor-land and camping marketplace enabling landowners to list unique stays. Comparable two-sided marketplace infrastructure for outdoor experiences and analogous brand appeal to Gen Z consumers seeking outdoor recreation.
• Fishing Booker: Online charter booking platform for fishing trips globally. Direct overlap with Boatsetter's Fishing Charters sub-product category, particularly in the U.S. and Caribbean coastal markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/boatsetter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/Boatsetter
• Facebookfacebook.com/Boatsetter
• Instagraminstagram.com/Boatsetter
• Pinterestpinterest.com/Boatsetter1/_saved
• TikToktiktok.com/@boatsetter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boatsetter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds10 records

Investors23 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Boatsetter