Home › Buy, lease or rent?
Guide
Should you buy, lease or rent a photocopier?
Each option suits a different kind of office. Here's how they compare on cost, commitment and who fixes the machine, so you can pick the right one.
The short answer
Buy if you print very little and are happy to deal with toner and repairs yourself.
Lease if you want a new machine and are happy to commit to a fixed term, often several years.
Rent if you want one monthly price with toner and repairs included, and no long contract.
Side by side
Buying, leasing and renting compared
| Buy | Lease | Rent from SolvePrint | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | The full price of the machine | Usually none | None |
| Monthly cost | Toner and repairs as they come up | Lease payment, plus page charges | £10 to £30, plus pages printed |
| Commitment | None | Fixed term, often 3 to 5 years | No long fixed contract |
| Toner | You buy it | Usually in the page charge | Included in the page price |
| Repairs | You arrange and pay | Usually a separate service agreement | Included, by our own engineers |
| At the end | You own an ageing machine | Return it, renew, or settle | Hand it back |
| Best for | Very low volumes | Long-term, larger needs | Small offices and schools |
Swipe the table sideways to see all three options.
Buying
When buying a photocopier makes sense
If you print a few hundred pages a month, a small printer you buy outright can be the cheapest option. You pay for toner as you need it and replace the printer when it wears out.
The catch is the running costs. Toner, repairs and downtime all come out of your pocket, and business copiers are expensive to fix without a service contract.
Leasing
When leasing makes sense
A lease spreads the cost of a new machine over a fixed term. It can suit a larger office that wants a new machine and knows it will need it for years.
Most copier leases are finance agreements, often with a separate service agreement for toner and repairs. Ending early usually means paying off the rest, and many renew automatically unless you give notice. How photocopier leasing works.
Renting
When renting makes sense
Renting suits small offices and schools that want one predictable bill and no surprises. You pay a monthly rental plus the pages you print, and toner and repairs are included.
With us there is no finance company and no long fixed contract. The terms are agreed in writing before you start.
A worked example
- Office plan: A4 colour print, copy and scan, £20 a month
- 1,000 black pages (£3.00) and 500 colour pages (£12.50) a month
- £35.50 a month, toner and repairs included
- Over 3 years: £1,278 in total, with no VAT to add
Before you decide
Five questions to ask yourself
- How many pages do we print a month, in black and in colour?
- Do we ever need A3?
- How long will we need the machine?
- Who will fix it when it breaks, and how quickly?
- What will it cost in total over that time, including toner and repairs?
Not sure? Tell us how you print and we'll say honestly which option suits you, even if it isn't renting from us.
Who you deal with
Run by copier engineers, not salespeople
We have worked on business copiers since 2018. We install and repair every machine ourselves, so when something goes wrong you speak to the person who fixes it, not a call centre.
If switching won't save you money, we'll tell you.We don't sell machines people don't need.
Buying, leasing and renting: questions
Is it cheaper to lease or buy a photocopier?
It depends on how much you print and for how long. Compare the total over the whole period, including toner, repairs and page charges, not just the machine price or the monthly payment.
Is renting the same as leasing?
No. A lease is usually a finance agreement with a finance company for a fixed term. Renting from us is a simpler monthly agreement with us, with toner and repairs included. See photocopier leasing, explained.
What happens at the end of a lease?
You usually return the machine, sign a new agreement, or the lease rolls on if notice wasn't given in time. Read how to get out of a photocopier lease.
Who repairs a photocopier I buy?
You do, or a company you pay for a service contract or call-outs. Toner is also extra. Factor both into the price.
Contact
Ask us which suits you
Tell us how you print and we'll say honestly whether buying, leasing or renting suits you best.
07743 730963 info@solveprint.co.uk