Printer Lease Buyer's Guide by Lease My Printer

Who this guide is for

This guide is for Australian business owners, office managers and finance teams weighing up a printer or copier lease. It is written to help you make a clear decision before you talk to any provider, so you know what a fair lease looks like and which questions matter most.

Quick answer: Neither leasing nor buying is automatically cheaper. Leasing turns one large purchase into a fixed monthly payment with service, genuine toner and parts included. Buying is a single upfront cost plus your own running costs. The right choice depends on your print volume, your cash flow preference and how long you keep equipment.

Should you lease or buy?

Start by being honest about the true cost of owning a printer. The purchase price is only part of it. Toner, parts, service callouts and downtime all add up over the life of the device, and they are easy to underestimate.

When leasing makes sense

You want one predictable monthly cost instead of a large upfront outlay.
You want maintenance, parts and toner bundled in so there are no surprise service bills.
You expect to move to newer technology every few years rather than run one device until it fails.
You would rather keep cash and finance facilities free for core business needs.

When buying makes sense

You have capital available and prefer to own the asset outright.
Your print volume is low and stable, so a simple desktop device may serve for years.
You are comfortable arranging your own service, toner and repairs as they come up.
You do not need to refresh equipment on a regular cycle.

Lease Buy

Illustrative comparison only, not a quote.

The real cost of owning a printer

The total cost of ownership is more than the sticker price. Across a typical managed office fleet, consumables and service usually make up the largest share of what a printer costs over its life.

Cost component	Typical share of total cost	Notes
Consumables (toner)	35 to 45%	Largest variable cost
Equipment or lease	15 to 20%	Fixed monthly cost on a lease
Service and maintenance	10 to 15%	Included in a managed lease
Paper	Variable	Bought separately either way
Energy and IT support time	10 to 20%	Often hidden costs

On a managed lease, consumables, service and parts sit inside the one monthly figure, so the components above become predictable rather than a series of separate bills.

How to decide

Estimate your monthly print volume so the device is sized to the work.
Add up the true cost of owning, including toner, parts, callouts and downtime, not just the purchase price.
Compare that against an all inclusive monthly lease over a 3 to 5 year term.
Factor in how often you want to upgrade and how your accountant treats each option.
Request a like for like quote so you are comparing the same device on both paths.

On market rates: Quocirca Print Services 2024 benchmarks Australian managed print click rates at around 0.8 cents per mono page and roughly 6 cents per A4 colour page for small and medium business volume bands. These are market figures for context. A per page rate is quoted with each lease based on the device, term and your expected monthly volume, so your figure reflects your actual usage. Figures here are indicative only and are not a quote.

What a printer lease includes

A managed lease is designed to fold the running costs of a printer into one monthly payment, so you are not chasing separate service and toner bills through the year.

Included for the full term

The device itself, with delivery and professional installation at your premises.
All maintenance and break fix servicing, covering parts and labour.
Genuine toner and consumables, managed so you always have the correct supply.
Remote diagnostics and technical support, with no extra callout charges.

Quoted or bought separately

The per page rate for prints and copies, quoted with each lease based on the device, term and your monthly volume.
Paper, which is bought independently because stock preferences vary between businesses.
Optional finishing units or high capacity trays, which are itemised in your quote rather than bundled into the base rate.

A fair inclusion list is your baseline. If a monthly figure looks low, check what it actually covers. A lease that excludes service or toner will cost more once those bills arrive, so always compare on what is included, not just the headline number.

Contract clauses and red flags to check

Most lease regret comes from the contract, not the printer. Read these clauses before you sign, and ask the provider to explain any that are unclear.

Clause	What to check
Minimum term and early exit	The term length and the cost to exit early. Confirm the figure before you commit.
End of term options	Whether you can upgrade, continue at a reduced rate, return the device, or buy it out where the agreement allows.
Automatic rollover	Whether the lease renews on its own and how much notice you must give to stop it.
Service and consumables	Exactly what the monthly figure covers, especially toner, parts and callouts.
Operating vs finance lease	Whether you are using and returning the device, or carrying the asset towards ownership.
Insurance and risk	Who insures the equipment and bears the risk of loss or damage during the term.
Genuine parts and dealer status	Whether the provider is an authorised dealer using genuine consumables and parts.
Data at lease end	How the internal drive on a multifunction device is sanitised when the lease ends.

Operating lease vs finance lease

An operating lease lets you use the device for a fixed monthly fee and return it at the end of the term, with service usually bundled in. A finance lease is structured around your business carrying the asset and its risks, often pointing towards ownership through a final payment or buyout. On a finance lease, service and consumables are not always included, so check what the monthly figure actually covers.

Red flag: a term longer than five years. The Australian Taxation Office sets the effective life of a photocopier or multifunction device at five years (Taxation Ruling 2022/1). A lease that runs to seven years can leave you paying well past the point the equipment has depreciated. Terms of 3 to 5 years line up with how long the device is expected to last.

Watch the rollover and notice window. Some leases renew automatically unless you give notice inside a tight window, and those dates are easy to miss. Confirm in writing whether your lease auto renews and exactly when you must act to change or end it.

How LeasemyPrinter handles end of term: Your lease does not renew automatically. We contact you well before the end date to confirm your choice, and you decide from three options: upgrade to a newer device, continue on your current equipment at a reduced rate, or return it at no cost. Nothing rolls over automatically without your written approval. At lease end the internal drive on a multifunction device is securely sanitised and a sanitisation record is provided on request.

Comparing printer brands

The brands below are compared on published manufacturer specifications, not first party testing. Match the brand to your volume, your colour needs and whether you print A4 or A3, rather than choosing on the name alone.

Kyocera

ECOSYS and TASKalfa devices, popular for reliability and low per page running costs across everyday office volumes.

Reliability and low running cost

HP

LaserJet Enterprise devices, well suited to offices that need advanced document security features.

Security features

Toshiba

e-STUDIO copiers and multifunction devices covering A3 colour at competitive rates for busier offices.

A3 colour multifunction

Brother

Compact MFC series multifunction devices built for small teams that print in A4.

Compact, small teams

How to choose a brand

Estimate your monthly volume and your colour to mono split.
Decide whether you need A3 or only A4.
List any finishing or workflow needs, such as stapling, booklet making or scan to folder.
Check the service and support arrangement for your location.
Request a like for like quote so the same class of device is priced on each option.

Brands we lease: LeasemyPrinter leases Kyocera, HP, Toshiba and Brother. We do not currently lease Konica Minolta, Ricoh or Canon. If one of those is the right fit for your business, the closest match in our range is the Toshiba e-STUDIO A3 colour family, leasing from $160 per month ex GST on a 36 to 60 month term.

Questions to ask any supplier

Take this checklist to every provider you speak to. The answers make it easy to compare quotes on the same basis.

What is the total monthly cost, and over what term?
What exactly is included: device, service, parts, toner and support?
How is the per page rate set, and is it fixed for the term?
Does the lease renew automatically, and how much notice do I give to stop it?
What are my choices at the end of the term: upgrade, continue, return or buy out?
What is the cost to exit the lease early if my needs change?
What is the response time for a service callout, and is support based in Australia?
Are you an authorised dealer using genuine consumables and parts?
How is the data on the device sanitised when the lease ends?
Can you provide a like for like quote against my current or preferred device?

Your consumer protections

Leasing business equipment in Australia comes with real protections. Knowing them helps you push back on unfair terms.

Under the Australian Consumer Law, statutory consumer guarantees such as repair, replacement or refund apply to business equipment supplied for under $100,000 (source: ACCC).
The Australian Taxation Office sets the effective life of a photocopier or multifunction device at five years, which is why terms of 3 to 5 years are standard and longer terms deserve scrutiny.
GST of 10% applies to lease payments and is generally claimable on your Business Activity Statement, subject to your registration and circumstances.
Lease payments are commonly treated as an operating expense, but the correct treatment depends on the lease structure, your business type and current ATO rules.

On tax: An instant asset write off may apply if you buy rather than lease. Thresholds and eligibility change each income year, so check ato.gov.au for the current year and confirm the treatment for your business with your accountant before relying on it.

*Check with your accountant. Lease tax treatment varies by business structure, turnover and current ATO rules.

Talk to LeasemyPrinter

LeasemyPrinter is the trading name of Global Document Solutions Pty Ltd, an Australian owned printer and copier leasing business operating since 2010 from Nerang, Queensland.

Managed leases from $160 per month ex GST on a 36 to 60 month term, with service, genuine toner and parts included.
Next business day onsite service response Australia wide for confirmed service requests.
Same business day phone response Monday to Friday, Australia wide.
No automatic rollover: you decide at the end of every term.

Ready for a tailored comparison? Call us on 0414 641 504 or email info@leasemyprinter.com.au and we will match a device and lease to your volume, then set it beside the cost of buying so you can decide with the full picture.

0414 641 504 info@leasemyprinter.com.au