Quick Answer
Asset Check-Out is available on Orbit and above.
Free plan (Nova) does NOT include check-out. You must upgrade to Orbit or higher to use check-out features.
Plan Comparison
Free Plan (Nova)
| Feature | Available? |
|---|---|
| Asset Check-Out | ❌ No |
| Single Asset Checkout | ❌ No |
| Checkout Reports | ❌ No |
| Check-In Tracking | ❌ No |
| Checkout History | ❌ No |
| Asset Assignment | ✅ Yes |
| Asset Maintenance | ✅ Yes |
| Preventive Maintenance | ✅ Yes |
What you can do: Use asset assignment (permanent ownership). Cannot use temporary checkout.
Starter Plan (Orbit)
| Feature | Available? |
|---|---|
| Asset Check-Out | ✅ Yes |
| Single Asset Checkout | ✅ Yes |
| Checkout Reports | ✅ Yes |
| Check-In Tracking | ✅ Yes |
| Checkout History | ✅ Yes |
| Checkout Sessions | 🔄 Future (Phase 2) |
| Asset Assignment | ✅ Yes |
| Asset Maintenance | ✅ Yes |
| Preventive Maintenance | ✅ Yes |
What you get: Full check-out functionality for temporary custody tracking.
Growth Plan (Odyssey)
| Feature | Available? |
|---|---|
| Asset Check-Out | ✅ Yes |
| Single Asset Checkout | ✅ Yes |
| Checkout Reports | ✅ Yes |
| Checkout Sessions | 🔄 Future (Phase 2) |
| All Starter Features | ✅ Yes |
| Advanced Reporting | ✅ Yes |
| Multi-Site Analytics | ✅ Yes |
What you get: Everything in Starter, plus advanced analytics.
Enterprise Plan (Cosmos)
| Feature | Available? |
|---|---|
| Asset Check-Out | ✅ Yes |
| Single Asset Checkout | ✅ Yes |
| Checkout Reports | ✅ Yes |
| Checkout Sessions | 🔄 Future (Phase 2) |
| All Growth Features | ✅ Yes |
| Dedicated Support | ✅ Yes |
| Custom Integrations | ✅ Yes |
| API Access | ✅ Yes |
What you get: Everything, plus enterprise support and integration options.
If You're on Free Plan
Option 1: Upgrade to Orbit
If you need check-out:
- Go to Settings → Billing
- Click "Upgrade Plan"
- Select Orbit (Starter)
- Complete payment
- Check-out is immediately available
Costs approximately $X/month (see pricing page for current rates).
Option 2: Continue with Assignment
If you don't need temporary checkout, you can continue using:
- Asset Assignment — Permanently assign assets to people
- Maintenance Tracking — Track repairs and service
- Basic Reporting — View asset inventory and status
This works for organizations that primarily track permanent ownership rather than temporary loans.
Option 3: Manual Tracking
If upgrading isn't feasible:
- Keep a separate spreadsheet for checkouts
- Use asset Notes field to track who currently has what
- Not recommended for formal compliance, but works for simple scenarios
Note: Manual tracking loses audit trail and immutability that UniAsset provides.
When to Upgrade
Consider upgrading to Orbit if your organization:
- ✅ Frequently loans equipment to employees or contractors
- ✅ Needs overdue tracking to recover borrowed assets
- ✅ Has compliance requirements for custody documentation
- ✅ Wants audit trail of who had what equipment and when
- ✅ Manages field operations where teams check out equipment
- ✅ Conducts training where attendees borrow devices
- ✅ Requires cost allocation by equipment usage
ROI Examples
Scenario 1: Reduce Lost Equipment
- Before: 5 tools/month go missing (cost: $500/month)
- After: Checkout tracking reduces loss to 1 tool/month (cost: $100/month)
- Savings: $400/month = $4,800/year
- Orbit cost: $600-1,200/year (varies)
- ROI: Positive in first month
Scenario 2: Charge for Equipment Usage
- Equipment cost allocation: $10,000/month in shared equipment
- Manual tracking: 20% unallocated (cost loss: $2,000/month)
- With Orbit: 100% tracked and allocated
- Additional revenue: $2,000/month = $24,000/year
- Orbit cost: $600-1,200/year
- ROI: Massive
Scenario 3: Reduce Overdue Equipment
- Without checkout: Lost time finding returned equipment
- With checkout: Automatic alerts reduce recovery time by 90%
- Staff time savings: ~10 hours/month = $500/month
- Orbit cost: $50-100/month (share of plan)
- ROI: Positive
Upgrade Process
Step 1: Go to Billing
- Click Settings (bottom left)
- Select Billing → Subscription
Step 2: View Plan Options
Current plan shown with upgrade options.
Step 3: Select Orbit
Click "Upgrade to Orbit" button.
Step 4: Confirm Payment
Enter payment method or use existing card.
Step 5: Confirmation
Upgrade completes and check-out is available immediately.
What Changes After Upgrade
UI Changes
- Check Out button appears on all asset detail pages
- Checkout Reports tab appears in Reports section
- Availability badges appear on asset lists (AVAILABLE, CHECKED_OUT, OVERDUE)
- Checkout History section appears below asset details
Functionality Changes
- Managers can now check out and check in assets
- Checkout and check-in workflows become available
- Reports include checkout data
- Audit trail automatically captures checkout/check-in events
No Impact On
- Existing assets, assignment, maintenance data
- User roles (unless you customize)
- Asset assignment functionality
- Maintenance tracking
Questions About Check-Out and Plans
"Can I try check-out before upgrading?"
Current: No free trial of Orbit. Once you upgrade, you're committed.
Alternative: Create a new test tenant on Free plan to see other features (can't test check-out).
"What if I downgrade back to Free?"
- All checkout data is preserved in the database
- Checkouts become inaccessible when you downgrade
- If you re-upgrade later, all data is restored
"Can I use check-out with just the Free plan?"
No. Check-out requires Orbit or above, no exceptions.
"Is check-out included in Enterprise?"
Yes. Check-out is included on Orbit and all plans above.
"When will checkout be in Free plan?"
No plans announced. Check-out is a paid-plan feature.
Comparing All Plans
| Feature | Nova | Orbit | Odyssey | Business | Cosmos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asset Check-Out | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Basic Inventory | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Maintenance | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Preventive Maintenance | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Advanced Reporting | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Multi-Site Analytics | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Executive Dashboard | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| API Access | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dedicated Support | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom Integrations | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Related Articles
Need Help?
Contact sales or support to discuss which plan is right for your organization.
Sales: sales@uniasset.app
Support: support@uniasset.app
Need Help?
If you have questions not covered in this article, our support team is here to help.
Contact Support