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Now available on iOS & Android

Borrow. Lend. Keep track.

SoBo turns "Can I borrow your drill?" into a tracked, accountable exchange, without making it feel like one. Every loan keeps a permanent record: terms, chat, handoff, reminders, return, reviews. Works the same with your best friend or a neighbor down the street.

Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play

Free to download · One free loan slot for lenders, forever

A peek inside

Don't lend it. SoBo it.

Set the terms. Skip the chasing. Keep the receipts. Swipe through to see SoBo in action.

Lend anything. Get it back. Stay friends.
Find items and request a loan.
Easily manage handoffs and returns.
Log your lendable items.
See what else is out there.
Your stuff, shared smarter.
The problem

You lent it. Asking for it back shouldn't be the hard part.

That pit in your stomach when you remember you lent something out? We call it The Awkward Tax. It's the invisible toll you pay just for being generous, and most of us pay it three different ways.

Buy a replacement

Easier to drop $80 than to send "Hey, do you still have my…?"

Let it go

Quietly write it off. Tell yourself you didn't really need it anyway.

Send a regrettable text

Type. Delete. Type. Delete. Send something weird. Spend the rest of the day re-reading it.

$100–$200/yr

What the average household quietly loses to gear that never came back.

40% avoid the borrower

Rather than ask for it back, people quietly start avoiding the person they lent to.

60-Second Diagnosis

Curious what your Awkward Tax is?

10 questions, 5 archetypes, 1 uncomfortable number. Find out exactly how much your generosity has cost you, and which lending archetype you really are.

Take the Awkward Tax Quiz
Why it works

Built on psychology, not just productivity.

Informal lending works until it doesn't. SoBo gives every loan the structure it needs, terms, reminders, a permanent record, so the relationship stays intact and nobody has to remember who has what.

Psychology-first design

Reminders come from SoBo, not from you. You never have to follow up. The borrower never feels nagged.

86% prefer a reminder

Over carrying the guilt. Both sides actually want this solved.

Receipts, not arguments

Every loan has a permanent record: terms, handoff, reminders, return, reviews. No "did I lend that to you?" ever again.

Warm, never punitive

"Friendly ping. Looks like the ladder's still on an adventure." Not a collections call.

The Gratitude Loop

Lend · Remind · Return · Review

You lend something. SoBo handles the reminders. The borrower returns it on time. Both sides leave a 1–5 star review, and reputation builds. Suddenly lending feels less like a risk and more like something you want to do again.

  1. 01 Lend
  2. 02 Remind
  3. 03 Return
  4. 04 Review
How it works

Simple enough to actually use.

No shaming. No courtroom vibes. Just a clear, friendly loop that makes generosity feel good on both ends.

For lenders

You lent it. We've got the rest.

  1. 1

    List it

    Add an item to your library with photos, condition, and replacement value.

  2. 2

    Set terms & hand it off

    When someone wants to borrow, set the return date and any conditions. Confirm the handoff to start the loan.

  3. 3

    Relax

    Auto reminders nudge the borrower at 3 days, 1 day, day-of, and overdue. You never have to chase.

  4. 4

    Get reviewed

    Mark it returned. Exchange 1–5 star reviews. Reputation built, generosity earned.

For borrowers

Be the reliable friend.

  1. 1

    Browse

    Find what you need in the Discover tab. Filter by category, condition, or distance.

  2. 2

    Request & accept

    Tap to borrow. Review the lender's terms (return date, optional fee). Accept and arrange pickup in chat.

  3. 3

    Get reminded

    Friendly nudges (3 days, 1 day, day-of) so you never blow past a return date.

  4. 4

    Return & review

    Mark it returned. Leave a 1–5 star review. Build the kind of reputation people want to lend to.

What we lend

9 out of 10 Americans share stuff with people they know.

Here's what we're lending, and losing. SoBo keeps tabs on all of it.

Tools

Drills, ladders, leaf blowers

$50–$300

Yard & Garden

Lawn mowers, pressure washers, wheelbarrows

$100–$400

Kitchen

Instant Pots, mixers, specialty pans

$50–$300

Baby Gear

Strollers, car seats, carriers

$100–$400

Outdoor

Tents, coolers, camping chairs

$50–$300

Electronics

Cameras, projectors, game consoles

$50–$500

There are 80 million power drills in America. The average drill is used for 12 minutes in its entire lifetime. If you've ever lent one and wondered where it went, SoBo is for that.

The origin

Built by two best friends. Because of a trailer hitch.

Scott lent a $450 trailer hitch to a friend. Months later, when he needed it, he couldn't remember who had it. Asking would feel weird, and he didn't even know who to ask.

So he called Brian, his best friend since 6th grade. Told him the story and said "There should be an app for this."

So they built one. SoBo (short for "Something Borrowed") is a simple way to keep track of the stuff we share, and turn every return into a moment worth celebrating.

SOBO APP LLC · Est. 2025 · NJ

People get it immediately

Reviews from people who've felt this too.

I have lost track of all the things I have "lent" out, never to be seen again. I had thought of developing a system to keep track.
Forum user
He left a 5-star review with the nicest note when he returned the drill. My wife saw it on my profile and said, "See? You ARE appreciated." Best notification I've ever gotten.
Beta lender
As if the generosity isn't enough in the first place, I then feel I'm going cap in hand to ask for the item back.
Blog commenter
I actually appreciated the reminder. I'd totally forgotten.
Beta borrower
I once loaned several books to a friend's girlfriend. They split up and I never got the books back. It still bugs me 15 years later.
Reddit user
I finally know where all my stuff is.
Early tester
Get the app

Lend anything. Get it back. Stay friends.

Better yet, don't lend it. SoBo it.

Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play