When it comes to turning enquiries into paid bookings on Dream Rides, your pricing setup matters more than you might think. Customers aren’t just choosing a car — they’re committing to an experience. And if your pricing is clear, structured, and easy to understand, they’re far more likely to move forward and lock it in.
The good news? You have full control over how your pricing works.
Inside your vehicle listing, you can choose between two pricing models:
STANDARD PRICING
A single hourly rate with a minimum booking time that applies across your service area.
CUSTOM PRICING
A more flexible option that allows you to set different rates depending on the event type (wedding, formal, photoshoot, promo work, etc.) and the distance from your base location.
Both options work well — it simply depends on how you operate and how much flexibility you need.
In the sections below, we’ll walk you through exactly how each model works, when to use them, and how to apply Custom Pricing step-by-step so you can confidently set rates that reflect your time, travel, and the type of booking.
The goal? Less back-and-forth, clearer expectations, and more confirmed bookings.
The Simple Option: set hourly rate & minimum booking time
Standard pricing is the most straightforward way to charge for your vehicle. You set one base hourly rate and a minimum booking time for all events within your nominated service area.
This option is ideal if:
- You mostly operate in one location
- You want to keep things simple
- Your events don’t vary much in time or complexity
When you use Standard Pricing, customers browsing your vehicle will immediately see your base hourly rate displayed on your listing. This helps them quickly decide whether your ride fits within their budget before they even send an enquiry. It’s simple, transparent, and very easy to manage — especially if you’re new to the platform or mainly operate locally.
Setting Your Standard Pricing (Required for All Vehicles)
Every vehicle listed on Dream Rides must have Standard Pricing set up first — even if you plan to use Custom Pricing.
This is your foundation pricing, and it includes three key things:
- Your Base Location – This is where your vehicle is primarily located and operates from- this will display on your vehicle listing
- Your Minimum Booking Time – The minimum number of hours a customer must book.
- Your Hourly Rate – The fixed hourly rate that applies based on that minimum booking time.
This is important because customers often search by location, and the first area you list will have the strongest visibility in search results. Getting this order right can make it easier for the right customers to find you — and help you convert more enquiries into confirmed bookings.
Customers browsing your ride will see this base rate on your vehicle listing, which helps them gauge affordability before they make an enquiry. It’s clear, simple, and easy to manage — especially if you’re just starting out.
But what if a customer wants to book your vehicle for a wedding 80km away, or a half-day photoshoot in another region? That’s where custom pricing becomes your best tool.
Custom Pricing: More Clarity, More Flexibility, More Bookings
Custom Pricing is a powerful way to turn Dream Rides enquiries into confirmed, paid bookings. It allows you to provide transparent, event-specific pricing that accurately reflects your time, effort, and travel — so customers know exactly what to expect, with no surprises.
Here’s why it works: many customers may be watching a vehicle for weeks before enquiring. By the time they reach out, they’re emotionally invested and ready to book. Custom Pricing lets you provide a clear, tailored quote upfront, making it easy for them to commit and pay with confidence.
How Custom Pricing Works
With Custom Pricing, you can:
- Set different rates for different event types (or apply a location specific pricing to all your events)– weddings, school formals, photoshoots, promotional work, or other special events.
- Use distance-based pricing – charge different rates depending on how far the booking is from your base location.
- Offer flexible durations for photoshoots or creative bookings – choose Half Day (4 hours) or Full Day (8 hours) options.
- Set minimum booking times – maintain control over how your time is valued.
Once you set your Custom Pricing, every new enquiry will automatically come in with the right pricing context, making it easier for customers to proceed to payment and lock in their ride.
Don’t Forget Your Service Areas
Alongside choosing the right pricing model, it’s just as important to set up your Service Areas correctly. In the Vehicle Details section, always list your main or primary area first, followed by any additional areas.
Watch this video tutorial to help you get started:
Why Custom Pricing Matters
Taking a little time to configure your custom pricing might feel like extra work upfront — but it pays off fast. With clearer expectations, smoother admin, and higher conversion rates, custom pricing helps you attract the right customers at the right price and run your business more efficiently.
What You Gain
✔ Higher conversion rates Customers are more likely to book when they understand exactly what they’ll pay.
✔ Clarity across distance Set transparent pricing for bookings outside your local area so there are no surprises.
✔ Event‑specific flexibility Charge appropriately for complex events (like weddings) versus simpler ones (like formals).
✔ Time savings for fleets If you manage multiple vehicles, consistent pricing makes coordination easier and reduces back‑and‑forth.
✔ Reach customers further away Dream Rides is about unique experiences. If your vehicle is someone’s dream ride, they may travel — or happily pay for you to.
How the Customer Experiences It
When customers browse your vehicle listing, they’ll see your base location and an automatically generated price that reflects the event type and travel distance — all based on the parameters you set when creating your listing. Before they submit a booking request, their expected price is calculated in real time using the details they’ve entered and the radius you’ve allocated as a driver, giving them full transparency upfront.
This level of clarity builds trust and helps customers understand the value of your service, making them more confident and comfortable when it’s time to confirm the booking.
See example booking:
Handling Getaways, Split Bookings & Adjusted Rates
Some bookings need extra flexibility — like a late‑night getaway after a wedding, splitting the service across different parts of the day, or offering a reduced rate for shorter jobs or multiple vehicles. Dream Rides gives you the freedom to handle all of these scenarios while keeping pricing clear and fair.
You simply open the enquiry, review any special timing or requests, and use the Adjust feature to update the price — whether that means adding a fee for extra time or entering a negative amount to offer a discount. Add a brief note so the customer understands the change, then save and approve the booking. The customer will see the updated total and can choose to proceed or cancel.
This streamlined process keeps everything transparent, builds trust, and often increases the likelihood that customers paid & confirm their booking.
📸 Custom Pricing for Photoshoots and Promo Work
Photoshoots often run on set time blocks, so offering clear options makes it easy for clients to choose what suits them. You can set simple duration-based rates — from quick hourly sessions to half‑day or full‑day bookings — so clients only pay for the time they need.
Just choose the durations you want to offer, add the rates for each one, and save your settings. Every new enquiry will automatically show the correct pricing, making the process straightforward for both you and your clients.
Professional photographers and production teams appreciate upfront pricing, which helps them plan and usually leads to faster bookings.
⚡Combine Custom Pricing with Instant Book 
Once your Custom Pricing is set and your calendar is up to date, you can take things even further with Instant Book. This feature allows customers to book and pay instantly, without waiting for you to manually approve each enquiry. It’s perfect for drivers and fleet owners who want to save time and maximise bookings.
👉 Click here to learn more about Instant Book.
Final Thoughts: Pricing Is a Powerful Conversion Tool
Your pricing isn’t just a number — it’s a signal of value, professionalism, and trust. Whether you’re running a one-car side hustle or managing a fleet of dream machines, custom pricing gives you the flexibility, clarity, and control to turn more enquiries into paid, confirmed bookings.
Ready to take your listings to the next level?
→ Log in now and update your vehicle’s pricing settings
Need support?
Look out for helpful links and prompts during the vehicle setup process. These will guide you step-by-step through setting up standard or custom pricing options to help you get the most from every ride.
Need help pricing your ride?
If you’d like a step-by-step breakdown on how to find that perfect balance between value for customers and fair reward for you, check out our full guide: A Driver’s Guide to Setting the Perfect Rate