Description
Commown is a cooperative from Strasbourg that rents out electronics chosen to last: Fairphone smartphones, laptops from Why! and HP, desktop PCs, Repeat headphones and refurbished devices. The monthly price covers repairs, breakage, battery replacement, shipping and support.
Founded in January 2018, it is a collective-interest cooperative (SCIC) in which customers, employees and partners can hold shares, with one vote per member; at least 57.5 % of any surplus has to be reinvested. Because it remains the owner, it earns more the longer a device lasts: it repairs devices, rents them again to other customers after use, and takes parts from those beyond repair. By its own count it had more than 6,250 devices in service, mostly Fairphones. It serves mainland France, Germany, Austria and French- and German-speaking Belgium.
The devices can only be rented, never bought. The basic offer has a 12-month commitment; from the 13th month the rent falls by 6 % of the starting price every six months, down to 60 % less, if collective and individual targets are met. Theft and irreparable damage are covered with a large excess in the basic offer and with none in the “Sérénité” offer. A refundable deposit is asked at the start. Commown’s website also lists its own inconsistencies, such as flights taken and advertising bought from Google.
Strengths
- Repairs without time limit, breakage covered without excess, and a replacement device if a repair takes more than two days.
- A cooperative with one vote per member, which earns more the longer its devices last.
- Open about its limits: its website lists what it still does against its own principles.
Weaknesses
- Over several years renting costs more than buying: one customer estimated about twice the price after five years (Fairphone forum, 2022).
- The device never belongs to the user, and the basic offer has a 12-month commitment.
- A small catalogue, mostly Fairphones and a few laptop brands.
Who it is for
Households and organisations in France, Germany, Austria or Belgium who want a Fairphone or a repairable laptop without worrying about breakdowns, and who care more about the service than about owning the device.
Sources
- Commown: Home, Qui sommes-nous ?, Particuliers, FAQ, checked November 2026
- Fairphone Community Forum: Experience with Commown? (2022)
- LinuxFr: Et si vous louiez votre prochain appareil électronique ?