Ledge
← Free Tools
CALCULATOR

Equipment Rent vs. Buy

Enter your numbers and see which option costs less over your ownership window — before you sign anything.

Renting

What the yard charges per day — drives the total rent cost directly.

$

How many days you'd actually use it — also sets the break-even threshold.

days/yr

Round-trip haul fees per year. Small but adds up fast on heavy iron.

$
Total rent cost (5yr)

Buying

Full sticker price before any down payment or trade-in.

$

Cash you put down up front — reduces what you finance but hits cashflow day one.

$

Your dealer or bank rate. Higher rates increase total buy cost significantly.

% / yr

Longer terms lower monthly payments but increase total interest paid.

years

Oil changes, filters, wear parts, scheduled service. Budget 1–3% of purchase price/yr.

$

Annual premium to insure the equipment. Rental typically includes this — ownership doesn't.

$

Yard space, trailer, or indoor storage cost. Easy to overlook; adds to buy cost every year.

$

What you'd get if you sold it at the end of your window. Rule of thumb: heavy equipment loses ~15%/yr — a $80k machine is worth ~$35k after 5 years. Check dealer trade-in sheets or Iron Planet listings for your model.

$
Total buy cost (5yr)
How long are you planning to use this equipment?
Track equipment costs on every job
Ledge tracks labor, materials, and equipment against your estimate — job by job.
See Ledge in action →