If you exhibit once a year, hiring a stand makes sense. If you exhibit two or three times, the numbers change fast. Here's the real comparison for a 3×3 and a 6×3 booth, using published Sydney hire prices and our own stand prices (September 2026, including GST).
What does it cost to hire a 3×3 stand?
Sydney stand-hire companies publish prices of around $1,500 to $3,000 for a 3×3 stand for a 2–3 day event, including delivery and installation. You pay that again at every show.
What does it cost to buy one?
You have two choices:
- A printed fabric stand (non-lit). Our 3×3 fabric tube stands start from $1,099.
- A backlit stand. Our 3×3 SEG Backlit L-Shape stand is $4,450, with two LED-backlit walls.
Both are custom printed to your artwork and yours to keep.
| 3×3 booth | Show 1 | After 2 shows | After 3 shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hire | $1,500–$3,000 | $3,000–$6,000 | $4,500–$9,000 |
| Buy non-lit fabric stand | from $1,099 | from $1,099 | from $1,099 |
| Buy backlit L-Shape | $4,450 | $4,450 | $4,450 |
A non-lit stand can pay for itself at your first show. A backlit stand pays for itself by your second or third.
What about a 6×3 booth?
Hire companies usually quote 6×3 stands individually, so there's no standard price to compare against. Here's the simpler test, over three shows:
- Our 6×3 fabric tube stands start from $3,499. Hiring only works out cheaper if each 6×3 hire costs less than about $1,170, which is below what hire companies charge for even a 3×3.
- Our 6×3 SEG Backlit L-Shape stand is $6,798. Hiring only works out cheaper if each hire costs less than about $2,270.
What does hiring give you that buying doesn't?
To be fair to hiring:
- No upfront cost. You pay per show.
- Delivery and installation are usually included. You walk in and the stand is built.
- Nothing to store between shows.
If you exhibit once a year, or it's your first show and you're testing whether exhibiting works for you, hire.
What does owning cost you after you buy?
- Freight to each show, or your own vehicle for local events.
- Setup time. Your own team puts it up. Our backlit kits are tool-free to assemble.
- Storage. The frames pack down between shows.
What if my branding changes?
You don't buy a new stand. For backlit stands, you keep the frames and lighting and reorder just the printed fabric, which pushes into the same frame. For fabric tube stands, call us about replacement covers. Replacement prints are one of our most common repeat orders. See how one SEG frame covered three different booths.
Non-lit or backlit?
A non-lit fabric stand is the lowest-cost way to own a professional stand. A backlit stand glows, so your brand can be seen from across the hall, not just from the aisle in front of you. If standing out is the reason you're exhibiting, backlit is the upgrade that pays back. For the full comparison, read Backlit vs Non-Lit SEG Media Wall: Which One Does Your Booth Actually Need?
So, hire or buy?
- Hire if you exhibit once a year, or you're testing your first show.
- Buy if you exhibit two or more times a year, or you want your stand to look the same at every event.
Exhibiting more than once this year? Browse our non-lit exhibition stands and backlit exhibition stand kits, or call 1300 197 088 and we'll price your booth.