If you are searching for how much it costs to lease a copier, you have probably noticed that nobody gives a straight number. There is a reason for that. A copier lease is not like a price tag on a shelf. Two offices can lease machines that look alike and end up with very different monthly payments.
At Automated Business Machines (ABM), we have helped Georgia businesses with copiers and printers since 1991. We do not publish prices, because the right payment depends on your office. What we can do is show you exactly what moves the number, so you can ask better questions and compare quotes with confidence.
The Short Answer
The monthly payment on a copier lease comes from a handful of choices. Some are about the machine itself. Others are about how long you lease and what is included. Change one, and the payment changes.
Here are the main factors:
- Print and copy speed
- Color or black and white
- Features and finishing options
- Your monthly print volume
- The length of the lease term
- Whether service and supplies are bundled in
- What happens at the end of the term
Let’s go through each one.
Factors About the Machine
Speed
Speed is measured in pages per minute. A faster machine has a stronger engine and is built to handle bigger jobs without slowing down. That usually means a higher payment.
The trap is paying for speed you do not need. A small office that prints a few short documents a day does not need a machine built for a busy copy room. On the other hand, a machine that is too slow for a busy team leads to lines at the copier and wasted time. The goal is to match the speed to how your team really works.
Color or Black and White
A color machine costs more to lease than a black and white machine of similar size. Color needs extra toner and more parts inside the machine. Color pages also usually cost more to print than black and white pages.
Ask yourself how much color you truly use. Many offices print mostly black and white, with color for a few items like proposals or marketing pieces. In that case, a color machine can still make sense, as long as you keep everyday jobs in black and white. A good setup can even route certain jobs to black and white by default.
Features and Finishing Options
Today’s machines do much more than copy. Most are multifunction printers that also scan, send faxes and email documents. The more features you add, the more the lease usually costs.
Common add ons include:
- Stapling and hole punching
- Booklet making
- Extra paper trays or a large capacity paper drawer
- A faster document feeder for scanning stacks of paper
- Security features for sensitive documents
- Larger paper sizes, such as tabloid
None of these are bad choices. They just add up. Pick the ones that save your team real work, and skip the ones that sound nice but would rarely be used.
Equipment Brand and Model
We sell, lease and rent copiers and multifunction printers from Sharp, Toshiba, Xerox and Lexmark, desktop printers from Brother and HP, HP large-format printers, and Zebra label printers. Each brand offers a range of models, from small desktop units to large floor standing copiers. A larger, more capable model costs more to lease than an entry level one. You can browse what is available in our equipment catalog, then talk with us about which model fits your space and workload.
Factors About How You Use It
Monthly Volume
Volume is how many pages you print or copy each month. It affects your cost in two ways.
First, it helps decide which machine you need. A machine built for heavy use costs more than one built for light use, because it is made to run harder and last longer.
Second, if your lease includes service, the per page charge or included page allowance is usually based on your expected volume. If you print far more than you estimated, you may pay extra for the pages over your allowance. If you print far less, you may be paying for pages you never use.
The fix is simple: look at your real numbers. Check recent meter readings or invoices from your current machine. If you do not have those, we can help you estimate.
Number of Users and Locations
Volume often goes up with the number of people sharing a machine. One busy device for a whole office may cost less overall than several smaller ones, but only if it can keep up. Spreading work across a few right sized machines can also be the smarter move for offices with more than one floor or location. We can look at your layout and help you decide.
Factors About the Lease Itself
Term Length
The term is how long the lease runs. A longer term spreads the cost over more payments, so each payment is usually smaller. A shorter term means larger payments but gets you to the end of the agreement sooner.
Think about how your business may change. If you expect to grow, add staff or move, a shorter term gives you a chance to update your equipment sooner. If your needs are steady, a longer term can keep the monthly payment lower. Also keep in mind that technology keeps improving, and a machine you love today may feel dated down the road.
Service and Supplies: Bundled or Not
This is one of the biggest sources of confusion when comparing quotes. Two leases can show different payments simply because one includes more.
A bundled lease often covers:
- Repairs and maintenance
- Parts
- Toner
- Regular service visits
An unbundled lease covers only the equipment. You then pay separately for service and supplies, or you buy a service agreement on your own.
A bundled payment looks bigger on paper, but it also makes your costs easier to predict, since you are not surprised by a repair bill or a toner order. When you compare quotes, always ask what is included so you are comparing the same thing.
If you already own equipment, call us with the make and model and we will tell you how we can help. If you want to take this further and manage printing across your whole office, our managed print services are another option to ask about.
End of Term Options
What happens when the lease ends also shapes the payment. Common options include:
- Returning the equipment and leasing a newer model
- Renewing the lease
- Buying the equipment at the end
If a lease is set up so you can buy the machine at the end, the payment is built differently than one where you plan to return it. Read this part of the contract closely. Ask what it costs to return the machine, what condition it must be in, and what the buyout terms are, if any. Surprises at the end of a lease are easy to avoid if you ask early.
Your Business Credit
Lease approval and terms can also depend on your business’s credit and financial history. This is normal for any kind of lease, and it can affect the terms you are offered.
How to Compare Copier Lease Quotes
When you have two or more quotes in hand, line them up on the same basis. Ask each one:
- What machine is being quoted, and at what speed?
- Is it color or black and white?
- How many pages are included each month?
- Are service, parts and toner included?
- How long is the term?
- What are my options at the end?
- Are there extra fees for delivery, setup or returning the machine?
A quote that looks lower may leave out service or supplies. A quote that looks higher may cover everything. The only way to know is to compare the details.
Is Leasing Right for You?
Leasing works well for many offices because it spreads out the cost and makes it easier to update equipment. Some businesses prefer to buy, and others only need a machine for a short project. If you only need equipment for a short time, look at our copier and printer rentals option as well.
If leasing sounds like a fit, you can read more about copier and printer leasing on our site.
Get a Quote That Fits Your Office
The honest answer to “how much does it cost to lease a copier” is that it depends on the factors above. The good news is that you control most of them. When you know your volume, your color needs and the features you really use, you can get a quote that fits.
We serve businesses across Georgia, including Columbus, metro Atlanta, Macon and Albany, plus Phenix City, Auburn and Opelika, with our headquarters at 1730 Boxwood Place in Columbus and a branch office in Leesburg near Albany. Call Automated Business Machines at (706) 940-6942, and we will talk through your needs and put together a quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to lease a copier?
The cost depends on the machine's speed, color or black and white, features, your monthly volume, the lease term and whether service and supplies are included. Because every office is different, we do not publish prices. Share your needs with us, and we will prepare a quote that fits your business.
Does a longer lease term lower the monthly payment?
Usually, yes. A longer term spreads the cost over more payments, so each one is often smaller. The tradeoff is that you stay with the same machine longer. If your office may grow or change, a shorter term can give you a chance to update sooner.
Is service included in a copier lease?
It depends on the lease. Some leases bundle repairs, parts and toner into the payment, while others cover only the equipment. Always ask what is included, because it explains why two quotes can look so different. We can quote either way, so you can compare clearly.
What happens at the end of a copier lease?
You typically have a few choices. You can return the machine and lease a newer one, renew the lease, or buy the equipment if your agreement allows it. Ask about return conditions and buyout terms before you sign, so there are no surprises when the lease ends.