Campsite income calculator
Work out what a small pop-up campsite on your land could realistically earn across a 28-day season. Move the sliders — the maths and your running costs are all shown, so you can check every figure yourself.
Your numbers
How many tents, vans or pods you can host at once.
Typical UK back-to-basics pitches sit well below serviced holiday parks.
Capped at 28 to match the permitted development limit most small UK sites rely on.
The share of available pitch-nights that actually sell. New sites often start nearer 30–40%.
Loos, water, waste, insurance, mowing, signage — everything you pay out.
Estimated season
84 pitch-nights sold
- Gross bookings
- £2,520
- Guest booking fee (5%, paid by guests)
- + £126
- Your running costs
- − £1,200
- Net to you
- £1,320
That is £264 net per pitch, per season, from the figures above.
How the maths works
Gross = pitches × nights × occupancy × nightly rate. The 5% booking fee is paid by guests on top of your price, so it is not deducted here; we only take off the running costs you entered. Any payment-processing costs are separate. Nothing is hidden and no assumptions are made on your behalf.
This is arithmetic, not a forecast. It does not include tax, business rates or the value of your own time.
Ready to test it for real?
Listing is free. You set the rate, the dates and the rules, and you only pay when a booking is confirmed.
Rent out your landThe 28-day rule, in plain English
Most small UK campsites start life under permitted development rights: the ability to use land temporarily for a set number of days a year without applying for full planning permission. For camping, that allowance is commonly 28 days in a calendar year, which is why so many pop-up sites open for school holidays and long weekends only.
The detail is not the same everywhere. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own planning regimes, the day limits have been amended more than once, and National Parks, AONBs, SSSIs and conservation areas can restrict or remove the right entirely. Some councils also require a caravan site licence or a temporary event notice depending on what you offer.
Before you take a single booking, check the current position for your own land with your local planning authority. Two useful starting points: the government's planning permission guidance and Part 4 of the General Permitted Development Order. Neither replaces advice from your council.
Questions hosts ask
- What is the 28-day rule for campsites?
- Permitted development rights in England and Wales allow land to be used temporarily for certain purposes for a limited number of days each calendar year without a full planning application — commonly 28 days for camping. The detail differs between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and it has been amended more than once, so confirm the current position with your local planning authority before you take bookings.
- How much can a small campsite make in 28 days?
- It depends on three numbers: how many pitches you offer, what you charge per pitch per night, and how many of those nights actually sell. The calculator on this page multiplies those together and then subtracts your running costs, so you can see a realistic net figure rather than a headline one. The 5% booking fee is paid by guests on top of your price, so it is not taken off your earnings.
- Is the figure the calculator gives me guaranteed?
- No. It is an arithmetic estimate from the numbers you enter, not a forecast or a promise of earnings. Real occupancy depends on location, weather, photos, reviews and how early you open bookings.
- What costs should I include?
- Portable or composting toilets, water, waste removal, grass cutting, insurance, signage, laundry if you supply bedding, and your own time. Many small hosts also budget for a one-off setup cost in year one — gates, a track, a water point.
- Do I pay tax on campsite income?
- Usually yes. Income from letting land for camping is normally taxable and may also affect business rates and your agricultural status. Speak to an accountant before your first season — this page is not tax advice.
Use this calculator on your own site
Journalists, farming groups and rural business advisers are welcome to reference or embed this tool. Copy a ready-made credit below.
- Plain credit
Campsite Income Calculator — live 1 life (2026). https://live-1.life/tools/campsite-income-calculator - HTML link
<p>Source: <a href="https://live-1.life/tools/campsite-income-calculator">Campsite Income Calculator</a> by <a href="https://live-1.life">live 1 life</a></p> - Embed card
<a href="https://live-1.life/tools/campsite-income-calculator" style="display:block;max-width:420px;padding:16px;border:1px solid #dcd7cc;border-radius:12px;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;color:#1f3d2b"><strong>Campsite Income Calculator</strong><br><span style="color:#5b6b5f;font-size:14px">Free tool estimating pop-up campsite earnings under the 28-day permitted development rule.</span><br><span style="font-size:12px;color:#8a9489">live-1.life</span></a>