Jun 14, 2025

How much does it cost to lease a copy machine

When you start comparing rental options for fax machines and scanners alongside the lease price of a robust multifunction copier, you quickly realise that “cost” is far more than a monthly figure on an invoice. Leasing can safeguard your cash flow, but it can also tie up capital if you overlook hidden variables such as maintenance, consumables, and equipment downtime. So, what does a fair lease look like? Why do some offers seem dramatically cheaper than others? And how can Perth businesses ensure they never overpay? Below, we break down every element that influences copy-machine leasing, offer insight into parallel rentals for fax and scanning gear, and show how PrintCom’s 35-year track record saves West Australian organisations thousands each year.

Understanding Copy Machine Leasing Costs

In broad terms, a standard mid-volume A3 colour copier with scan and fax capabilities will lease for AUD $75–$190 per month on a 36- to 60-month agreement. High-volume production models with 70+ pages-per-minute output can push past $350 monthly, while compact desktop units linger near $40. Those headline figures, however, rarely tell the whole story. Lease agreements often bundle service fees, page allowances, and automatic toner shipment. Savvy finance teams therefore evaluate the “cost-per-page” rather than the sticker price alone. In 2024, the Australian market average for a managed monochrome page sits at $0.012, and full-colour at $0.08. Any lease that exceeds these benchmarks without demonstrable uptime guarantees or on-site response commitments should raise a red flag.

Another misconception is that leasing is merely an alternative to purchasing. In reality, it is a strategic hedge against technology obsolescence, sudden repair bills, and fluctuating print volumes. With Australian office equipment depreciating roughly 20 % per year, ownership can eventually cost more than five-year financing even before maintenance is considered. PrintCom clients frequently swap to the latest energy-efficient device mid-lease without penalty, effectively resetting their total cost of ownership (TCO) while maintaining consistent monthly budgeting. This agility becomes crucial for growing companies that might print 5,000 pages this quarter and 25,000 the next.

Factors That Influence Lease Pricing

Why does the same copier cost one firm $90 per month and another $140? The answer lies in five primary inputs: hardware tier, lease term, service inclusions, page volume, and credit profile. Each variable can move the dial by 10–30 %. Below is a quick reference of how these factors interrelate.

• Hardware tier: Entry-level, mid-segment, or production-class, determined by pages-per-minute (PPM) and duty cycle.
• Lease term: 24-month agreements carry higher monthly payments but lower interest; 60-month terms invert that relationship.
• Service plan: Click-charge packages bundle toner, drums, and labour into a predictable per-page rate.
• Monthly volume: Vendors typically include a base allowance—printing above it incurs overage fees.
• Credit rating: Stronger credit yields better financing rates and sometimes upfront discounts.

To illustrate the combined impact, consider two hypothetical Perth firms. Company A prints 8,000 pages per month on a 48-month lease, chooses a 45 PPM colour multifunction, and opts for full coverage service. Company B prints 4,000 pages, selects a 30 PPM unit, and prefers a minimal maintenance add-on. The resulting cost gap? Nearly $40 each month, despite near-identical hardware. Leasing is therefore not one-size-fits-all—negotiation and accurate print-volume forecasting remain paramount. PrintCom’s fleet-assessment audit provides these figures upfront, preventing overspecification and bloated invoices.

Rental Options for Fax Machines and Scanners

Copy machines often dominate the conversation, yet dedicated imaging peripherals still play pivotal roles in industries such as healthcare, legal, and logistics. For firms that scan thousands of archival documents but rarely need high-speed printing, standalone rental options for fax machines and scanners can shave 20–40 % off operating expenses compared with all-in-one devices. PrintCom maintains an authorised inventory of Brother, Kyocera, Epson, and Fuji Xerox scanners that start at $25 per month, while compact fax rentals begin around $19. Bundling a scanner lease with a mid-range copier may trigger bonus consumable credits or extended warranties—an incentive seldom advertised by national chains yet standard in PrintCom’s transparent pricing model.

The comparison table below demonstrates typical Perth market rates versus PrintCom’s current offers. Notice how the inclusion of priority on-site repairs, a 4-hour response window, and automatic firmware upgrades brings the effective monthly cost in line with more basic packages offered by non-authorised dealers.

Comparing Leasing, Renting, and Buying: Total Cost of Ownership

Many CFOs instinctively lean toward outright purchase, believing it the cheapest path in the long run. Yet the Australian Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply reports that unmanaged consumables, downtime, and end-of-life disposal add 28 % to the sticker price over five years. Conversely, rental programs offer maximum flexibility but no equity. Leasing sits neatly in the middle—predictable, tax-deductible payments paired with ownership transfer if desired. Below, a real-world five-year TCO comparison underscores the point.

*Downtime costs estimated at $40 per hour in lost productivity, industry median.

The numbers confirm what PrintCom’s clients experience daily: a well-structured lease, especially when paired with an all-inclusive service contract, often halves five-year expenditure. Moreover, finance leases are recorded as operating expenses—preserving balance-sheet ratios that matter when pursuing external investment or bank funding.

How PrintCom Lowers Your Printing Expenses

PrintCom doesn’t merely drop a copier at your reception desk and disappear until renewal. Our end-to-end approach—from discovery workshop to quarterly optimisation reviews—ensures your print environment remains lean, dependable, and future-proof. As an authorised dealer for Brother, Kyocera, HP, Oki, Epson, Fuji Xerox, and Samsung, we draw from an expansive catalogue rather than shoehorning a single brand into every scenario. Qualified technicians based in Perth arrive on-site within four hours for 92 % of service calls, and our extended warranties stretch to five years—two years beyond most manufacturer baselines. By aligning device speed, duty cycle, and energy consumption with actual user behaviour, we routinely slash clients’ cost-per-page by up to 38 %.

Need proof? A WA logistics firm running disparate desktop printers faced monthly consumable bills of $2,400 and frequent outages. After PrintCom consolidated their fleet into three Kyocera TASKalfa 3554ci copiers under a 48-month lease, overall spend dropped to $1,090, downtime fell 70 %, and the company now enjoys automatic toner replenishment. Similar results repeat across legal practices, schools, and mining camps thanks to the following PrintCom deliverables:

• Complimentary fleet audit and print-volume analytics
• Customised lease or rental structures (24 – 60 months)
• Bundled consumables and proactive parts replacement
• Secure print, scan-to-cloud, and mobile workflow integration
• Eco-mode configurations that cut power usage up to 45 %

Conclusion

Leasing a copy machine typically spans $75–$190 per month for mainstream business models, but the real determinant of value is the combined cost-per-page, service coverage, and risk mitigation embedded in the agreement. Similar logic applies when evaluating rental options for fax machines and scanners: the cheapest headline number seldom accounts for downtime or consumables. By benchmarking market averages, dissecting hidden variables, and leveraging PrintCom’s authorised multi-brand capability, your organisation can lock in predictable print costs, upgrade technology on schedule, and keep staff productive. In short, a well-negotiated lease—backed by Perth’s most experienced service team—transforms printing from a cost centre into a controllable, strategic asset.