Giggster vs Peerspace vs hiring direct: the UK reality
Two US-origin platforms now operating in the UK — what they're good for and when going direct actually makes more sense.
Giggster and Peerspace arrived from the US with a similar proposition: a marketplace for short-term space hire that includes photography and filming as primary use cases. Both have built UK inventory, particularly in London, and both charge a platform fee on bookings. The question for UK productions is whether that fee buys something worth paying for, or whether the established route of going direct to a venue or location owner makes more sense.
What the platforms actually offer
Giggster launched in 2015 and has expanded into the UK with a mix of residential, creative studio, and unusual event spaces. The UK inventory is heaviest in London and limited but growing in Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh. The platform charges guests approximately 15–20% in fees on top of the listed price; host fees are lower (around 3%). Reviews are visible and searchable, which is the genuine value proposition.
Peerspace is similar in model and origin (2014), with a strong emphasis on creative and event spaces. UK inventory follows a similar pattern — London-weighted, with growing coverage in other cities. Peerspace’s pricing is comparable to Giggster. The platform has a ‘Book It Now’ functionality for lower-value bookings and a request system for larger ones.
Both platforms have responsive customer support, a dispute process, and a standardised booking confirmation. These are the things you’re paying the platform fee for.
When the platform fee is worth it
For a first-time hire at a property you know nothing about, the platform provides two things: reviews from previous hirers and a payment/dispute mechanism. If the property turns out to be misrepresented — smaller than photographed, the power doesn’t work as described, the owner becomes difficult — you have a process to follow.
For creative studio or unusual residential spaces where the owner may have limited experience managing production enquiries, the platform’s standardised booking process creates shared expectations that prevent the most common misunderstandings.
When to go direct
For repeat hires, established relationships, and commercial or industrial spaces managed by professionals, going direct is simply more efficient. A warehouse managed by a property company, a studio that hires commercially every week, a heritage venue with an established filming team — none of these need the platform infrastructure, and cutting 15–20% in platform fees is meaningful at any budget level.
Hackney Wick Warehouses in London and Ancoats Manchester have direct-contact building managers who are accustomed to production enquiries and often prefer to deal directly. Factory Studios Bristol and Rebel Loop Studios Glasgow have their own booking systems.
The direct route requires more diligence: you need to obtain a location release separately, agree terms in writing, and conduct your own references if you haven’t worked with the venue before. None of this is difficult, but it is work that the platform does for you.
The middle ground
Several UK platforms occupy the middle ground between self-service marketplaces and managed agencies — collecting information and connecting parties, while leaving the relationship management to the production:
- Amazing Space and Shoot Factory are curated UK platforms (see our separate comparison guide)
- Tagvenue has an established events focus with production as a secondary use case
- LocationsHub is a newer UK-specific platform targeting the film and TV market
The weaknesses neither platform advertises
Giggster’s host response time is variable. The platform processes enquiries through the host, who may take 24–48 hours to respond during peak periods. For a production with a short pre-production window, this creates a real scheduling risk — you can’t confirm logistics with your crew while the location is still pending confirmation. The platform does not guarantee response time, and cancellations by hosts, while penalised by the platform, do happen. Budget productions that have left venue confirmation late are the most exposed.
Peerspace adds an insurance markup to bookings via its optional Host Liability Insurance scheme, which can add 5–12% to the listed rate. The coverage detail matters — it protects the host, not the production, and does not substitute for your own public liability cover. Reading the fine print before assuming this cost is included is non-optional.
The host response time issue affects both platforms and is amplified for bookings outside London, where hosts are less accustomed to production enquiries and may not monitor the platform regularly. A direct approach by email or phone typically gets a faster response than a platform message.
Which crew type fits which option
Solo and small-crew shoots (one to three people, photography or interview work) are well served by Giggster or Peerspace. The platform infrastructure removes the paperwork overhead that isn’t worth the time at this scale.
Full production crews (five or more, drama or branded content) are better served going direct to commercial studios and warehouses. The logistics questions — power, load-in access, overtime rates — are best discussed directly with a venue manager rather than through a platform messaging thread.
Students and micro-budget productions will find Tagvenue’s lower commission rates and more accessible price points more practical than either Giggster or Peerspace, especially outside London.
The honest assessment
For a small UK production making its first booking at an unfamiliar residential or creative space, Giggster or Peerspace are reasonable choices — the review system is genuinely useful and the dispute process is a safety net. The platform fee is a transaction cost you’re paying for reduced risk.
For any production making multiple bookings, or using commercial/industrial spaces with professional management, going direct is almost always cheaper and often faster.
Outside London, Peerspace’s UK inventory is thin enough that you may be searching and finding very little. Check directly before committing to the platform as your primary discovery tool for regional productions.