Rent or buy a trade show booth?

Rent while you exhibit a few times a year or are testing a size; own once you reach about three shows a year at one size. The numbers, each with its source, and a calculator for your own size and shows.

Short answer Renting costs one third to one half of buying the same booth (Classic Exhibits). Owning pays for itself in about 18 months at three or more shows a year (Steadfast Displays).

By the Exhivo team · Updated 26 October 2026

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The numbers

Rent against own, line by line

Compare	Rent	Own	Source
10×10	$3,500 to $6,500 a show	$8,000 to $20,000	Steadfast Displays
10×20	$7,500 to $14,000 a show	$15,000 to $40,000	Steadfast Displays
20×20 island	$16,000 to $40,000 a show	$50,000 to $120,000	Steadfast Displays
Rent against buy	One third to one half of owning the same booth	Full design and build cost up front	Classic Exhibits
Install, dismantle, freight	Usually in the rental package	Quoted separately	Steadfast Displays
Storage	None: the booth goes back to the builder	$200 to $2,000 a month	Classic Exhibits
Pays off when	You exhibit fewer than three times a year	Three or more shows a year: pays for itself in about 18 months	Steadfast Displays
Lead time	Configured 4 to 6 weeks out	6 to 8 weeks from approved design	Steadfast Displays

Your numbers

Rent or buy for your size and shows

Pick a size, a booth to own and how many shows a year. The tool adds the published ranges for renting every show against building once, then freight, labor and storage.

Booth sizeBooth to ownShows a year

Rent, 3 shows a year$44,400 to $109,200Every year

Own, first year$59,300 to $225,200Then $39,300 to $175,200 a year

Over 3 yearsRent $133,200 to $327,600Own $137,900 to $575,600

Ranges add published low bounds together and high bounds together, rounded to $100. Sources: Steadfast Displays, IMTS, Classic Exhibits. A real quote for your show replaces every line.

Rent when

You exhibit fewer than three times a year
You are testing a new size or market
Your shows are far apart and freight would add up
You want install and dismantle in one package

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Buy when

You exhibit three or more times a year at one size
Your booth needs custom features rentals cannot match
You can store it near your main shows
You will reuse it for two years or more

Compare custom builders

Real booths

Booths built by vetted builders

From the portfolios of builders listed on Exhivo. Open a builder to see more of its work, then brief the ones you like.

Custom trade show booth, from the builder's portfolio — CustomSee the builder

Custom trade show booth for Wowza, from the builder's portfolio — Custom · WowzaSee the builder

Modular trade show booth, from the builder's portfolio — ModularSee the builder

Custom trade show booth for Dell Technologies, from the builder's portfolio — Custom · Dell TechnologiesSee the builder

Photos belong to the builders who built them. A brand is named only where the builder's own portfolio names it.

Questions

Common questions

Is it better to rent or buy a trade show booth?

Rent if you exhibit fewer than about three times a year or are still testing a size: a rental costs one third to one half of buying (Classic Exhibits) and has no storage or freight between shows. Buy once you exhibit three or more times a year at one size: a custom booth pays for itself in about 18 months (Steadfast Displays).

How much does it cost to rent a trade show booth?

Published US ranges per show: $3,500 to $6,500 for a 10×10, $7,500 to $14,000 for a 10×20 and $16,000 to $40,000 for a 20×20 island, usually including install, dismantle and freight (Steadfast Displays).

What costs come with owning a booth?

Besides the build: storage between shows ($200 to $2,000 a month, Classic Exhibits), round-trip freight ($3,000 to $8,000 for a 10×20 across the country, Steadfast Displays), and install and dismantle labor at each show.

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