‘Airbnb for pools’: Swimply diving back into the Australian market after two false starts

The threat of another soggy La Niña summer has not hampered the Australian re-launch of Swimply, an online platform allowing homeowners to rent out their backyard swimming pools to those in need of a quick and quiet dip.

Swimply officially returned to the Australian market on Friday, giving locals access to the so-called ‘Airbnb for pools’ first introduced in late 2019.

After COVID-19 lockdowns waylaid its plans to dominate the warmer months of 2020, a fresh wave of restrictions through 2021 hampered its comeback plans.

With the toughest restrictions fading into memory, the US-based startup is confident users will adopt a service letting swimmers temporarily dive into private pools dotted across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Perth, Adelaide, and the regions.

The price of renting a Sydney pool for an hour extends from around $25 all the way up to $90, with some listings highlighting wheelchair-friendly options, or access to BBQs, fire pits, and hot tubs.

Some listings are even registered for photo and video shoots only, while highlighting high fences and shrub coverage.

The focus on privacy suggests a secondary Swimply market targeted at social media influencers and content creators, who hope to use a luxurious pool as a backdrop for their online content.

Swimply has the edge over commercial pools or a trip to the beach through its convenience, says new Australian managing director Sam McDonagh.

And for homeowners, Swimply is billed as a way to earn a side income on a facility that may see little use otherwise.

“Our goal is for every Australian to have access to a private pool and for every homeowner to be able to share spaces they are passionate about and make money,” he said in a statement.

A Beta option visible on the Swimply site offers hosts the ability to list tennis courts, too, suggesting the startup intends to keep its options open for summer activities.

The relaunch of Swimply in Australia comes nearly a year after the startup secured a US$40 million funding round led by GGV — the heavyweight investor which previously funnelled capital towards Airbnb itself.