Upgrade Your Home Gym for Less by Renting Equipment — Here's How

Gym equipment can get pretty pricey, and finding a treadmill or elliptical machine under $500 is a challenge. Even barbells often cost a pretty penny after you've added a rack, bench and weight plates. And what if you want to try out your equipment before committing?

Instead of diving straight in, you can rent gym equipment from a company online. Or, take a peek at your local gym's social media page and see what type of short-term rental opportunities they offer.

While exercise equipment availability varies depending on your location, browse these popular companies and rent your exercise equipment.

Aaron's is a rent-to-own company that offers all kinds of household must-haves, including home gym equipment. What does that mean exactly? Every payment you make on your rental goes toward potential ownership.

Aaron's is like a rental middleman, renting equipment from different companies, based on your location. You can set up a lease ownership plan with your own budget in mind, ranging from 12 to 24 months. And if you want to know exactly how much you can expect to pay for your products, you can use their online calculator.

While most rental companies only offer large, high-tech pieces of equipment, you can find the smaller, space-saving home gym essentials at FlexShopper. If you need dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls or even speakers (because every top-notch home gym needs a bumping sound system), you can find them here.

And if you're renting on a budget, FlexShopper offers a unique lease-to-own program for brands across industries, including technology, furniture and — yep, you guessed it — gym equipment.

Interested in trying a Peloton bike but don't want to make the full commitment yet? Peloton now offers rental options for those who would rather test than invest.

You can rent your own bike for $89 per month, including a $150 one-time delivery and set-up fee. The company offers a warranty for extra security and you can cancel your rental at any point — plus, the company will pick up the bike for free.

Or, if you decide you want to make a full commitment, you can buy your bike from the company at any time, too.

Like Aaron's, Rent-A-Center is a rent-to-own company that rents gym equipment from local providers.

This company offers all kinds of exercise equipment, including home gym rental equipment and road bicycles. You also get free repairs on anything you rent and same-day delivery.

Based in New Jersey, A.E.S Fitness offers a variety of equipment rental options. Those who love cardio can rent a treadmill, stationary bike, rowing machine, elliptical and stair stepper — or just about any other cardio machine out there.

A.E.S Fitness also installs temporary floor mats to protect your hardwood floors from damaging machines. You can even install rubber flooring if you want to turn your basement or spare room into the ultimate home gym.

And if you decide you want to go with a new piece of equipment instead, browse unused exercise machines on the company's website.

‌Delivers to:‌ NJ, NY

Those who want to take their home gym to the next level should consider renting from Rebirth Fitness. Whereas most other companies only offer standard equipment, Rebirth Fitness also has gym-style weight machines (like the hip abductor and leg press). Plus, you can also get free weights on their website.

Another bonus? The company offers repair services and even sells different machine parts if you have broken equipment. And considering repairing and renting gym equipment is costly, Rebirth Fitness also offers third-party financing.

In case you decide you want to buy your own equipment but can't afford a brand-new machine, they offer refurbished, discounted options, too.

‌Delivers to:‌ NY, NJ, CT, RI, MA, ME, NH

FitDel's custom gym packages are a perfect option for anyone looking to build a home gym totally from scratch. Starting with a free logistics consultation, the company's custom package allows you to pick and choose multiple rentals at once with the guidance of an employee.

FitDel rents classic cardio machines, like treadmills and ellipticals, and even some unique equipment, like Assault bikes and rowing machines. This company also offers space-saving exercise equipment, including adjustable dumbbells.

If you experience difficulty with a treadmill you rent from FitDel, the company provides maintenance and service calls for free, too. Or, if you want to switch machines, you can swap at any point — just pay a pickup or delivery fee.

‌Delivers to:‌ Central Texas

If your local gym or favorite fitness studio is shutting down, they may offer equipment rental options. During extended holidays or permanent closures, many smaller studios rent out equipment to make a profit, stay afloat and maintain contact with their clientele.

If you don't have any of the popular fitness studios nearby (or their equipment is all gone), many also offer free streaming services, like Orangetheory, or extended free trials, like Peloton.

If you're renting gym equipment, it's always wise to give the machines an extra clean, even if the company already preps them for you. (Pro tip: Always double-check that your rental company provides a preliminary clean.)

Even during shipping and delivery, equipment can come in contact with unwanted germs, so it's better to play it safe. Clean or wipe down the entire machine with soap and water or disinfectant, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Make sure to wear plastic gloves as you clean and wash your hands before and after you finish wiping down the machine. As you clean, the CDC recommends paying extra attention to high-touch areas, like handlebars, keypads or touch screens.

If you don't have disinfectant available, you can make your own by mixing 5 tablespoons of bleach per gallon of water (or 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of water). Always select a disinfectant that's at least 70 percent alcohol, if possible.