Booth Space vs the Exhibit You Rent
The word booth means two different things, and confusing them causes most first-time rental mistakes. The booth space is the empty area on the floor plan. The booth exhibit, or display, is what you put in it. You rent or buy the second; you always buy the first from the show.
| What you need | Who supplies it | How you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Booth space | The show organizer | Booking contract or online checkout with the show |
| Exhibit or display | An exhibit house or display company, or the general service contractor | Rental agreement or purchase from that company |
| Show services: carpet, furniture, material handling | The general service contractor | Exhibitor service kit orders |
| Electrical and internet | The venue or its appointed contractors | Service orders before the show |
| Installation and dismantle labor | The contractor, or an exhibitor-appointed contractor where the show allows it | Service orders or your exhibit house's quote |
Renting vs Buying a Trade Show Booth
Renting and buying both make sense in the right situation. The deciding factors are how often you exhibit, whether your booth size changes, and who handles storage and maintenance.
| Factor | Renting | Buying |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Lower: you pay per show | Higher: you pay for the structure once |
| Shows per year | Suits a few shows, or a first year of testing | Pays back faster the more often you use it |
| Booth size changes | Easy to rent a 10x10 for one show and a 20x20 for another | One exhibit has to adapt, or you buy several |
| Storage and maintenance | The rental company stores and repairs it | You pay for storage, repairs and refurbishing |
| Design changes | New configuration each show | Changes mean new parts or graphics |
| Look and feel | Modular rental parts can look similar to other rentals | Fully your own design |
- You exhibit at only a few shows a year
- You are testing a new show or market before committing
- Your booth size changes between shows
- You have no space or budget to store an exhibit between shows
- You need a large island exhibit for one major show and a small booth elsewhere
Compare the total cost over two or three years, not just the first show. Include storage, shipping, refurbishing and graphics on the buying side, and repeat rental fees on the renting side. Our trade show budget guide lists every line to include.
What a Rental Package Usually Includes
Rental packages differ more than they look. Two quotes can show similar prices with very different things inside. Ask for an itemized quote and compare line by line.
| Item | Usually in the rental | Often quoted separately |
|---|---|---|
| Frame and structure | Yes | Rarely |
| Counters, kiosks, shelving | Often | Extra pieces beyond the package |
| Graphics | Sometimes for stock designs | Custom graphics, often printed for you and yours to keep |
| Lighting | Often basic fixtures | Upgraded or backlit lighting, and the electrical order |
| Flooring | Sometimes | Padding, upgraded carpet or tile |
| Furniture and AV | Sometimes | Monitors, stands, seating |
| Design and renderings | Often for standard configurations | Custom design work |
| Installation and dismantle labor | Varies | Often quoted separately or ordered through the show |
| Shipping | Varies | Often quoted separately |
| Material handling (drayage) | Rarely | Usually billed by the general service contractor |
| Damage waiver or insurance | Varies | Often a separate line |
Material handling is easy to miss because it isn't the rental company's charge. It comes from the show's contractor and is billed by weight. Trade show logistics explains how it is calculated.
Types of Trade Show Booth Rentals
- 1
Modular Rental
Aluminum extrusion frames with fabric or panel graphics, reconfigurable for different booth sizes. The most common rental for 10x10 to 20x20 booths.
- 2
Tension Fabric Kit
A light frame with stretch fabric graphics, sometimes rented as a back wall plus a counter. Easy to ship and fast to set up.
- 3
Furnished or Turnkey Package
Many general service contractors offer booth packages with walls, carpet, furniture and sometimes graphics, delivered to your booth. Useful for exhibitors flying in with little to ship.
- 4
Custom-Look Rental
Rental structure with custom graphics and finishes, designed to look built for you. Common for islands and peninsulas where buying a one-off exhibit makes less sense.
For a small booth, also price buying a simple back wall or banner stands. A pair of banner stands may cost less than a single rental and can travel with you. See trade show banner for options.
What Drives the Cost of a Booth Rental
- Booth size and type: an island needs far more structure than a 10x10 inline
- Custom vs stock configuration: custom design and finishes cost more
- Graphics: square footage of print, and whether they are fabric, rigid panels or backlit
- Lighting and AV: fixtures, monitors and the power they need
- Labor: whether the rental company installs, or you order labor through the show, and whether work falls in overtime hours
- Location: shipping distance, and local labor and service rates
- Show deadlines: rush graphics or late orders often cost more
- Damage waiver, insurance and cleaning charges
Prices vary widely by company, city and show, so get at least two or three itemized quotes for the same brief. The trade show booth pricing guide covers what the space itself costs, which is a separate line from the rental.
Questions to Ask a Booth Rental Company
- What exactly is included, and what is quoted separately?
- Are the graphics mine to keep, and can they be reused with a different rental next time?
- Who installs and dismantles the booth, and is that labor included?
- Does the quote include shipping both ways, and to the advance warehouse or the show site?
- What is the estimated shipping weight, so I can budget material handling?
- Is there a damage waiver, and what does it cover?
- Will you send a rendering, and how many revisions are included?
- Does the design fit the show's height and line-of-sight rules for my booth type?
- What are your deadlines for artwork, approvals and changes?
- What happens if something is damaged or missing at the show, and who do I call on site?
Booth Rental Quote Request Template
Send the same brief to every company so the quotes can be compared. Attach the exhibitor manual pages on booth rules.
TRADE SHOW BOOTH RENTAL QUOTE REQUEST Company: [COMPANY NAME] Contact: [NAME, EMAIL, PHONE] Show: [SHOW NAME], [VENUE, CITY] Show dates: [DATES] Move-in: [DATE AND TIME WINDOW] Move-out: [DATE AND TIME WINDOW] General service contractor: [COMPANY] Booth number: [NUMBER] Booth size: [WIDTH x DEPTH] Booth type and open sides: [INLINE / CORNER / PENINSULA / ISLAND] Height limit: [FROM EXHIBITOR MANUAL] Included by the show: [e.g. 8 FT BACK DRAPE, 3 FT SIDE RAILS, ID SIGN] What we need - Back wall or structure: [DESCRIPTION] - Counters or kiosks: [NUMBER, LOCKABLE STORAGE Y/N] - Demo stations or monitors: [NUMBER, SIZES] - Meeting area: [SEATS] - Storage: [CLOSET OR CABINET] - Lighting: [REQUIREMENTS] - Flooring: [CARPET OR TILE, PADDING] Graphics [NEW DESIGN / EXISTING FILES], brand guidelines: [LINK] Artwork ready by: [DATE] Please quote separately for - Rental of structure and furniture - Graphics production - Design and renderings - Installation and dismantle labor - Shipping both ways, with estimated weight - Damage waiver or insurance Budget range: [RANGE] Decision date: [DATE]
If you are still deciding what the booth should do, write a trade show booth design brief first and attach it.
For Organizers: Helping Exhibitors Rent
First-time exhibitors often don't know rentals exist, or assume the organizer supplies the exhibit. A short section in the exhibitor kit helps them and cuts down on move-in questions.
- Say clearly what the booth space includes and what it doesn't
- List any furnished booth packages your contractor offers, with the order deadline
- Publish height and line-of-sight rules exhibitors can send to a rental company
- Explain the rules and paperwork for exhibitor-appointed contractors, including insurance and deadlines
- Give the move-in schedule early, since rental companies plan labor around it
The exhibitor manual template has sections for each of these.
