What Borrow A Boat does

Borrow A Boat is a London-headquartered online marketplace that aggregates peer-to-peer boat rentals and yacht charters from boat owners and charter operators, offering consumers access to more than 20,000 vessels across 70+ countries and 800+ locations. Its platform covers sailboats, catamarans, motorboats, RIBs, houseboats, gulets, power catamarans, speedboats, and luxury yachts, available in bareboat, skippered, and fully crewed formats. The company operates a hybrid distribution model combining a self-serve multilingual booking platform (available in 8 languages and multiple currencies) with assisted sales through expert holiday planners who design custom itineraries for higher-complexity bookings.

Underlying the marketplace is a standard two-sided platform architecture with partner-side inventory ingestion, consumer-side search and filtering, integrated payments (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Revolut, Klarna, SEPA, Giropay, Sofort), and a Best Price Guarantee. The business has scaled primarily through M&A rather than organic growth, having absorbed Helm (2021), Barqo (Feb 2022), Beds on Board (Mar 2022), KellyBoat (Sept 2022), and Zizoo (Mar 2024) — the last pushing claimed inventory to 60,000+ boats across 65+ countries. The legal entity operates as BAB GER GmbH following a likely post-Zizoo German holding restructure, with operational offices in London (HQ), Berlin, and Athens.

The company earns revenue primarily through marketplace commissions on completed boat rental transactions, supplemented by premium partner relationships (23+ operators including KIRIACOULIS, Athenian Yachts, Blue Sails) and ancillary services such as charter insurance and loyalty integration with Miles & More. Pricing varies widely by vessel type and destination, with flexible 15% down-payment booking and installment payment plans designed to reduce purchase friction. Customer concentration is low — the 200,000+ customers served are predominantly individual leisure travelers with no named enterprise anchors — leaving the business exposed to discretionary travel demand cycles rather than single-customer churn risk.

Name

Borrow A Boat

Legal name

BAB GER GmbH

Website

https://borrowaboat.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Borrow A Boat is a London-based online marketplace that aggregates peer-to-peer boat rentals and yacht charters, connecting vessel owners with leisure travelers across 70+ countries and offering 20,000+ boats through a multilingual self-serve platform and assisted holiday-planner service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boat Charter Marketplace

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing (5321)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Bareboat Yacht Charters (Self-Skippered) (THAEAEAB), Crewed Yacht Charters (Luxury Crewed) (THAEAEAA), Gulet & Traditional Wooden Yacht Cruises (THAEADAE), Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew) (THAJALAE)

Keywords

• Boat charter marketplace
• Yacht rental platform
• Peer-to-peer boating
• Skippered charter booking
• Online boat hire

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Marketplace commission on boat rentals: Borrow A Boat operates as a boat rental marketplace/platform connecting boat owners with charterers. The company earns revenue through commissions on completed boat rental transactions facilitated through its platform. The marketplace model brings together verified boat owners and charter companies with customers seeking boating experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Borrow A Boat operates an online peer-to-peer boat charter marketplace that aggregates 20,000+ boats across 70+ countries and 800+ locations, connecting private boat owners and charter operators with renters. Customers can search, compare, and book sailboats, catamarans, motorboats, RIBs, houseboats, gulets, luxury yachts, speedboats, and power catamarans with options for skippered, fully crewed, or bareboat charters.

Product overview

Borrow A Boat operates a boat rental marketplace that connects boat owners with renters seeking sailing holidays, yacht charters, and day boat experiences. The core platform aggregates over 20,000 boats from more than 800 locations across 70+ countries, offering diverse vessel types including sailboats, catamarans, motorboats, RIBs, houseboats, gulets, speedboats, power catamarans, and luxury yachts. The company offers multiple charter formats including bareboat (self-skippered), skippered, and fully crewed options, plus specialized services like last-minute deals and sustainability programs. Borrow A Boat has pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy, absorbing Zizoo (Berlin, 2024), KellyBoat (US, 2022), Beds on Board (2022), and Barqo (Netherlands, 2022) to expand geographic coverage and inventory scale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Borrow A Boat Marketplace Online marketplace aggregating 20,000+ boats across 70+ countries and 800+ locations, allowing consumers to search, compare, and book boat rentals from private owners and charter operators.
• Sailboat Charter Rental of sailing yachts and sailboats for leisure and cruising holidays, available bareboat, skippered, or fully crewed.
• Catamaran Charter Multi-hull catamaran rentals for family and group cruises, typically offering more space and stability than monohulls.
• Motorboat Hire Rental of motorboats for day trips and short cruises, available with or without a skipper.
• RIB Charter Rigid inflatable boat rentals suited to coastal exploration, water sports, and fast day cruising.
• Houseboat Rental Self-contained houseboat rentals for inland waterways, rivers, and lakes, typically catering to families and longer stays.
• Gulet Charter Traditional wooden gulet charters, typically crewed, common in the Mediterranean and Aegean.
• Luxury Yacht Charter Premium and luxury yacht rentals, generally with professional crew, for high-end leisure charters.
• Speedboat Hire Fast speedboat rentals for day trips and water sports activities.
• Power Catamaran Charter Motorized catamaran rentals combining space and speed for coastal cruising.
• Skippered Charter Boat rental that includes a professional skipper to operate the vessel, aimed at renters without sailing qualifications.
• Fully Crewed Charter Premium charter with full crew (captain, hostess, chef) for a serviced onboard experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.7 rating from 8,521 verified customer reviews
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ZizoocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2024March 2024 acquisition of Berlin-based Zizoo as part of Borrow A Boat's growth strategy to expand global marketplace. Deal increased inventory and geographic reach, integrating technology and teams from Zizoo into Borrow A Boat's operations.
• KellyBoatminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022September 2022 first US acquisition purchasing US-based platform KellyBoat to expand presence in US market. Focus on expanding vessel offerings in key US regions.
• Beds on BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2022March 2022 acquisition of peer-to-peer platform connecting boat owners with accommodations seekers. Deal added over 5,000 boats and 30,000 users, expanding vessel offerings and user base.
• BarqocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022February 2022 acquisition of Amsterdam-based platform Barqo, expanding European presence and adding over 5,000 boats to the marketplace. Acquisition aimed to strengthen market positions across US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
• Miles & MoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLoyalty program partnership allowing customers to earn and redeem Miles & More award miles with every boat booking on the platform.
• Discovery YachtingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium partner providing exclusive deals, flexible options, and enhanced support for sailing holidays. Part of 23+ premium partner network.
• Blue SailsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium charter partner offering tailored services and fast-tracked support for customers.
• Athenian YachtsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium partner in Greece offering yacht charter services with exclusive deals for Borrow A Boat customers.
• KIRIACOULIS YACHTINGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium yachting partner providing professional charter services and exclusive offerings.
• Master Yachting GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner in German-speaking markets providing yacht charter services.
• SailogyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner integration for boat rental and yacht charter services.
• 5 Seasons Yachting GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMembership in 5 Seasons Yachting Group provides access to extended charter network and services.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SamBoat: French-based boat rental platform operating across Europe with strong Mediterranean focus. Competes head-to-head with Borrow A Boat in sailboat and yacht charters across Croatia, Greece, Italy, and Spain, with similar commission-based marketplace economics.
• GlobeSailor: Paris-based online yacht charter brokerage specializing in bareboat and crewed charter bookings worldwide. Operates a similar aggregated marketplace model with a curated portfolio of sailing yachts, catamarans, and motor yachts in Mediterranean and Caribbean destinations.
• Navigare Yachting: Premium yacht charter operator offering bareboat and crewed charters across Mediterranean destinations. Listed as a Borrow A Boat premium partner and competitor in the same sailing holiday segment, with comparable fleet and customer base in Croatia, Greece, Italy, and Turkey.
• Boatsetter: US-headquartered boat rental marketplace offering insured peer-to-peer boat rentals with optional captained experiences. Directly comparable two-sided marketplace model targeting both boat owners and renters, with strong presence in the US and Caribbean markets where Borrow A Boat is expanding.
• Sailogy: Italian-based online yacht charter platform offering bareboat and crewed charters in the Mediterranean and worldwide. Comparable inventory aggregation model with focus on sailing holidays, catamarans, and motor yachts in similar core geographies to Borrow A Boat.
• GetMyBoat: US-based peer-to-peer boat rental marketplace connecting boat owners with renters globally. Closest direct competitor to Borrow A Boat, offering sailboats, motorboats, yachts, and water experiences across 184+ countries with similar commission-based marketplace model.
• Filovent: France-based sailboat charter broker offering bareboat and skippered charter bookings globally with 20,000+ boats inventory. Comparable aggregated marketplace model with similar fleet scale and European customer base, with strong Croatia, Greece, and Italy offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Dream Yacht Charter: Global yacht charter company operating one of the largest charter fleets worldwide with owned vessels plus brokerage. Larger established player offering bareboat, crewed, and cabin charters across all major cruising grounds, with overlapping target customers but an operator-owned-fleet business model rather than pure marketplace.
• The Moorings: Established global yacht charter company (part of Travelopia) offering bareboat and crewed charters worldwide. While a traditional operator with owned fleet rather than marketplace, it competes for the same Mediterranean and Caribbean charter customers and represents the incumbent option in the space.

Emerging players

• Zizoo: Berlin-based boat rental marketplace now owned by Borrow A Boat (acquired March 2024); prior to acquisition, it was a direct competitor in the European market. Retained as a separate brand, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary rather than a competing peer but still indicative of category competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/borrowaboat1
• Facebookfacebook.com/borrowaboat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/borrow-a-boat-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/borrowaboat

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors3 records

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

M&A5 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Borrow A Boat