Leasing & Finance
Lease vs. Buy Calculator
Settle the most common copier-buying argument.
Enter values to see your estimate.
Estimates only, not a quote.
Want your exact numbers? The calculator gives a ballpark. For exact numbers, this is the next step.
Lease coming up for renewal? We'll email you at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before it ends so you don't auto-renew without checking your options.
Leasing spreads the cost and bundles service; buying is cheaper over the long run if you keep the machine. The right answer depends on your term, the buyout, and how you value cash flow. This calculator totals both paths over the same horizon and tells you which wins, by how much, and when the lines cross.
How it works
Buying totals the purchase price plus maintenance over the term, minus any resale value. Leasing totals the monthly payments plus the end-of-lease buyout plus its maintenance. We also walk month by month to find the breakeven, the point where cumulative lease cost overtakes the upfront purchase.
When leasing makes sense, and when buying does
The cheaper option on paper isn't always the right one; cash flow and how long you'll keep the device matter too.
Lease when:
- You want predictable monthly cost and bundled service.
- You'll refresh the equipment at term end rather than run it for years.
- Preserving cash for the business matters more than the lowest total cost.
Buy when:
- You'll keep the device well past the payback point.
- You have the cash and want the lowest lifetime cost.
- You want to avoid FMV buyout surprises and end-of-lease return hassles.
Watch the buyout
The buyout line decides more leases than the monthly payment does. A $1 buyout means you own the machine. That's a financed purchase. A 10% or fair-market-value buyout means you either pay again to keep the device or hand it back. FMV figures are negotiated at term end and routinely land around 10–15% of the original price, so enter a realistic number here rather than $1 if your lease isn't a dollar-out, otherwise the comparison flatters leasing.
Further reading How to Read a Copier Lease — The clauses that decide what a copier really costs you.
Common questions
When does leasing win?
When the buyout is low (a $1 buyout is effectively a financed purchase), when you want service bundled, or when you'll replace the machine at term end anyway.
What's the catch with FMV leases?
A fair-market-value buyout can be 10%+ of the original price and is negotiated at term end, enter a realistic buyout, not $1, or leasing will look cheaper than it is.
What term should I compare over?
Use the lease term you're being offered, usually 36 or 60 months, so both paths cover the same horizon. Comparing a 60-month lease against owning for only three years stacks the deck.
Is a $1 buyout the same as just buying?
Almost. A $1-out lease is a financed purchase: you own the device at the end for a dollar. You pay interest through the payments, so it costs a bit more than paying cash, but you keep the asset, unlike an FMV lease.
Does this include the tax treatment?
No, leasing and buying are taxed differently (lease payments are typically operating expense; a purchase is capitalized and depreciated). This tool compares cash cost only. Check the tax angle with your accountant before deciding.