Leasing a printer can be a smart option for businesses looking to manage costs and avoid hefty upfront expenses. And the business benefits of leasing a printer are certainly easier to appreciate when you can see the numbers.
On average, our multifunction printer rental costs range from $35 to $200 per month, or up to $500 for high-capacity or specialised machines. Pricing will depend on the model, your print volume, contract length, and whether a service agreement is included.
While leasing is a great option for business-grade multifunction devices, smaller desktop printers are typically more cost-effective to buy outright.
Keep reading to learn more about what impacts your monthly lease cost and what to expect when comparing rental options.
Buying vs leasing a printer
Before exploring the costs, here’s a quick reminder of what each option means for your business:
Buying a printer means paying the full purchase price upfront and owning the equipment permanently. You keep it as long as you want, and it becomes a business asset on your books.
Leasing a printer involves a rental agreement where you pay monthly fees to use the equipment. At the end of the lease, you typically return it, buy it, or upgrade to newer equipment.
You can read more about what option is best suited for your business in our blog: Is it better to buy or lease a copier for your office?
Printer leasing prices: what influences your cost
Your monthly printer lease cost depends on the machine’s speed, features, and your business’s print volume. Generally, faster printers with more advanced capabilities cost more to lease, while basic models suitable for smaller teams have lower monthly payments. Here are a few more things that can influence cost.
Equipment type and features: Colour printing, finishing options, and advanced scanning capabilities all increase your monthly cost. A basic black-and-white printer will cost significantly less than a full-colour multifunction device.
Print volume: Your printing habits directly impact your costs. The more pages you print, the more paper and toner you’ll consume.
Lease length: Longer leases typically offer lower monthly payments but higher total costs. Shorter terms cost more monthly but give you faster access to newer technology.
Service inclusions: Full-service leases that include consumables like toner, maintenance, and repairs cost more upfront but provide predictable monthly expenses with no surprise bills.
Tax benefits: Lease payments are typically tax-deductible as business expenses. The immediate deductibility often makes leasing more cost-effective, especially when factoring in your business tax rate.
Payment structure: Some lease agreements offer flexible payment options like quarterly payments or seasonal adjustments that can better align with your business cash flow patterns.
Total cost of ownership (TCO)
TCO or Total Cost of Ownership, refers to the printer’s total cost over its entire lifetime and factors in print volume, usage patterns, maintenance costs, and consumable life. Below is an example of a lease TCO breakdown spanning over five years:
Year |
Setup Fee |
Monthly Payment |
Maintenance |
Paper |
Toner |
Energy |
Total Annual Cost |
| 2 | – | $3,420 | Included | $400 | Included | 240 | 3,910 |
| 3 | – | $3,420 | Included | $400 | Included | 240 | 3,910 |
| 4 | – | $3,420 | Included | $400 | Included | 240 | 3,910 |
| 5 | – | $3,420 | Included | $400 | Included | 240 | 3,910 |
| Total | $300 | $17,100 | 0 | $2,000 | 0 | $1,200 | $19,850 |
Based on a $285/month lease payment, a one-time setup fee, annual paper costs, and estimated energy consumption of a commercial printer for a mid-size office.
A TCO breakdown is a great way to compare leasing against purchasing new equipment. While the upfront cost difference is obvious, the five-year view reveals the true financial impact of each option on your business.
Flexible printer leasing solutions at Copysonic
At Copysonic, your lease reflects what you actually print, not what we think you should pay. If your business grows and you need to print more, we will adapt your agreement and give you the flexibility to scale up or down.
Want to see what leasing looks like for your business? Take a look at our leasing page or reach out to our team for a no-obligation chat.
