At Setcircle, you're only charged for the full days you actually use your rental. Your pickup day and your return day are always free — so your rental really starts when your event does.
This article walks through how to choose your dates, what you'll be charged, and how pickup and return times work.
Choosing your dates
When you book, you'll select two dates:
Pickup date — the day you collect your items. Pickup is available from 2:00 PM onward. This day is free.
Drop-off date — the day you return your items. Returns are due by 12:00 PM (noon). This day is also free.
Every full day between your pickup and drop-off dates is a rental day — these are the days you're charged for.
Example: Pick up Friday afternoon, return Sunday morning → Saturday is your only rental day. You're charged for 1 day, even though you had the items across parts of three.
The shortest possible booking
Because your pickup and drop-off days are free, every booking needs at least one full rental day in between. That means the shortest booking spans 3 calendar days: pickup day (free) → 1 rental day (charged) → drop-off day (free). The date picker won't let you select pickup and drop-off dates closer together than that.
How pricing works
Every listing has a weekly rate, and many also include a day rate. One week covers 7 rental days — your free pickup and return days never count toward it.
Here's the best part: you don't have to do any math. Setcircle automatically charges you the lowest possible total by combining daily and weekly rates for your rental days. If booking a full week is cheaper than paying the day rate for each day, you get the weekly price — automatically.
Examples
Say a listing is priced at $75/day and $150/week:
Your dates | Rental days | You pay |
Pick up Friday, return Sunday | 1 (Saturday) | $75 — one day rate |
Pick up Friday, return Monday | 2 (Sat–Sun) | $150 — the weekly rate applies because it's the same price or better |
Pick up Aug 6, return Aug 14 | 7 (Aug 7–13) | $150 — one week, not 7 × $75 |
The price shown at checkout is always the lowest combination available for your dates, and it's locked in when you book — if the owner changes their rates later, your booking is never repriced.
Pickup and return times
Pickup: from 2:00 PM on your pickup date
Return: by 12:00 PM (noon) on your drop-off date
These windows keep everything running smoothly for everyone. They give owners time to inspect items between rentals, and they're what make your pickup and return days free — the item can serve one renter's return and the next renter's pickup on the same day.
You'll see your exact pickup and return details on your booking confirmation, and you can always message the owner through Setcircle to coordinate the handoff.
Late returns
Returns are due by noon on your drop-off date. If items are returned after that, each additional day is automatically charged at the listing's day rate (or the equivalent daily portion of the weekly rate if the listing doesn't have a day rate). You'll agree to this policy at checkout, so there are never any surprises.
Running behind? Message the owner as early as you can — clear communication goes a long way.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I pick back-to-back dates, like pickup Friday and return Saturday?
Your pickup and return days are free, so every booking needs at least one full, charged rental day between them. If you only need an item for a single day, book that day as your rental day — for a Saturday event, choose Friday pickup and Sunday return, and you'll pay for just Saturday.
Do my free pickup and return days count toward a weekly rate?
No. A week is 7 full rental days. Your pickup and return days are always on the house.
What if I need the items a little longer after I've booked?
Message the owner through Setcircle as soon as you know. If the item is available, your booking can be extended at the listing's rates.
Can I pick up earlier than 2 PM or return later than noon?
The standard windows apply to every booking, but owners can always agree to different timing directly — just message them through Setcircle to ask.
Will my price change if the owner updates their rates?
No. Your total is locked in when you complete checkout.
Still have questions? Reach out to us anytime — we're happy to help you plan your rental.