> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.acasia.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How the Marketplace works

> Hardware owners list unused GPU capacity. You choose the amount and the end time, pay, and the control plane is installed at checkout.

Organizations that own GPU hardware often have capacity they are not using. The Acasia Marketplace is where they list it, and where anyone can rent it without a sales conversation.

You choose how much capacity you need and how long you need it, see the cost for that window, and check out.

<Note>
  Listings come from third-party hardware owners renting out capacity they are not currently consuming. Acasia operates the marketplace, handles payment, and installs the control plane on the capacity you rent.
</Note>

## What a rental includes

| Included            | Description                                                    |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| GPU capacity        | The GPU model and count you selected from the listing          |
| A rental window     | Runs from checkout until the end time you set                  |
| The control plane   | Installed automatically, with no setup on your side            |
| Acasia Cloud access | GPU-level telemetry, the model library, and cluster management |

Acasia Cloud scopes what you see to the GPUs you rented. Because the control plane is installed at checkout, that capacity is ready to serve inference almost immediately. See [The control plane](/marketplace/control-plane).

## How renting works

1. Select an amount of GPU capacity from the available listings.
2. Pick an end time to see the current cost of that rental.
3. Create a user account and an organization — both are required to complete checkout.
4. Pay. A receipt is emailed to you and you are signed into Acasia Cloud automatically.

Full walkthrough: [Rent GPU capacity](/marketplace/rent-gpu-capacity).

## When to rent instead of buying through sales

| Rent from the Marketplace when                    | Talk to sales when                                             |
| ------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| You need GPU access quickly                       | Your deployment needs custom hardware, topology, or networking |
| Your capacity need is well defined and time-boxed | You need a large capacity commitment over a long term          |
| Listed capacity matches your workload             | You need dedicated hardware with root access                   |

Purchases made through the Acasia sales team have more room for customization but require a larger and longer commitment. See [Bare Metal](/bare-metal/overview).

## Listing your own hardware

<Note>
  Self-serve listing of GPU hardware you own is coming soon. Contact [acasia.com/contact](https://acasia.com/contact) to be notified when listings open.
</Note>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Rent GPU capacity" icon="cart-shopping" href="/marketplace/rent-gpu-capacity">
    Select capacity, set an end time, and check out.
  </Card>

  <Card title="The control plane" icon="microchip" href="/marketplace/control-plane">
    Telemetry, one-click model deployment, and cluster sizing.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Acasia Cloud" icon="cloud" href="/cloud/overview">
    Where you operate the capacity you just rented.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>