A photocopier lease versus buy calculator with real assumptions

Compare the total cost of buying outright against operating renting (the Spanish standard rental structure) across a 5-year horizon. The calculator shows total spending under each option and a verdict on which is more economical for your specific inputs.

What the calculator includes

The buy total combines the upfront purchase price, annual service contract cost across the contract period, minus the assumed residual value at end. The rent total sums monthly rental payments across the contract period. Both totals discount future cash flows to present value at the discount rate you specify — this reflects that future spending matters less than spending today.

What the calculator does not include

Several factors sit outside the calculator's scope. Consumables (toner, drums, paper) typically come through MPS cost-per-page billing rather than the lease or service contracts — they apply equally to both scenarios. Tax treatment differs between rental (full expensing) and purchase (capitalised amortisation) — see the Spanish tax treatment article for details. Operational simplicity is harder to quantify but real — rental contracts bundle service into one monthly payment while purchase requires separate service contract management.

How to interpret the verdict

For most Spanish SMBs in 2026, the renting option produces a slightly lower NPV than purchase plus separate service contract. The gap is typically modest — 5-15% of the purchase price — and the operational simplicity of renting tips many buyers toward that option even at parity cost. If your inputs produce a verdict heavily favouring one option, the underlying assumptions deserve scrutiny: very low residual assumptions tilt toward renting; very low service costs tilt toward buying.