Investing in a copier is more than picking a device that fits your budget. Understanding the full picture — from upfront pricing to long-term operational expenses — is essential to making the right decision for your Fox Cities business.
As a small Wisconsin business ourselves, we know first-hand how these types of IT investments can impact workflow, profitability, budget, and more. Our IT experts are here to help you weigh the pros and cons of various options, understand hidden costs, and choose a copier solution that aligns with your operational goals.
Copier Lease or Rental vs. Purchasing
When considering a copier for your business, you’ll have to decide whether to lease or purchase the equipment. The right choice depends on your company’s financial priorities, operational needs, and long-term goals.
“Computer Corner offers flexible copier solutions, starting with a discussion about your printing needs. Whether you lease or buy outright, we provide tailored options to fit your budget and goals,”
— Alex Rodgers, Business Development Manager
Leasing & Renting
Renting or leasing a copy machine can be a great option for businesses that want to minimize upfront costs while still maintaining access to modern equipment.
- Lower Upfront Costs: Leasing eliminates the need for a large initial investment, making high-end models more accessible to businesses of all sizes.
- Predictable Monthly Payments: With fixed monthly payments, leasing simplifies budgeting and cash flow management.
- Regular Upgrades: At the end of your lease, you can usually upgrade to newer copy machine models, ensuring your technology stays up-to-date without the hassle of selling or disposing of outdated equipment.
- Minimal Maintenance Responsibility: In most cases, the leasing company takes care of ongoing copier maintenance, so your business doesn’t have to tackle that alone.
Keep in mind that at the end of the lease, you still won’t own your equipment. It’s important to weigh the total costs and review the lease’s fine details carefully to ensure everything aligns with your business needs.
Purchasing
Buying a copier outright might align better with certain business needs. Opt for purchasing if long-term cost savings, full ownership, and the ability to customize your copier use are priorities.
- Full Ownership: Buying outright gives you complete ownership of the equipment. You get to use it indefinitely without contractual restrictions or obligations.
- Lower Long-Term Costs: While you’ll have higher upfront costs, purchasing is often more cost-effective, especially if you use the copier consistently.
- Flexibility: Ownership allows you to modify, upgrade, or use the copier in ways that suit your business without being bound by specific terms or waiting on the copier company for maintenance or approval.
Factors Affecting Copier Pricing
Certain factors can significantly influence copy machine pricing, whether buying or leasing. From functionality to contract terms, here’s what you need to know about the variables that impact copier costs.
Features and Functionality
The features and capabilities of your copier play a significant role in how much it costs.
- Speed (Pages Per Minute or PPM): Copiers with higher PPM ratings are designed for fast-paced environments and businesses with high daily print volumes. While they save time, high PPM models typically come with a higher price tag.
- Print Quality: Advanced print capabilities, like color accuracy and finishing options, can influence copier pricing. If your business requires high-resolution graphics or sharp text, you’ll likely need to invest more.
- Multi-Functionality: What functionality does your business need? Modern copiers combine printing, scanning, copying, and faxing into one device. While convenient, these all-in-one machines cost more upfront.
- Connectivity: Features like wireless printing, mobile app integration, and compatibility with cloud storage platforms can improve workflow efficiency, but they can also cause prices to go up.
Volume and Usage
How much and how often you plan to use the copier can significantly affect upfront and ongoing costs. Understanding your expected usage and print volume can help you find the right balance.
Copiers designed for high monthly output are generally more expensive upfront, but they’re built to withstand heavy workloads without frequent breakdowns.
On the flip side, lower-volume copiers may seem more affordable, but overuse can lead to increased maintenance and repair costs that negate the initial savings.
Contract Terms
If you’re considering leasing a copier, contract terms can greatly influence the overall cost. Read the lease agreement carefully to consider hidden fees that can impact costs.
- Lease Duration: Shorter leases generally come with higher monthly payments but provide flexibility to upgrade as your needs change. Longer leases can lock you down but generally offer lower monthly costs.
- Maintenance Agreements: Adding routine maintenance and repairs to the contract can add to the overall costs. Consider the age and expected usage of the copier to determine if a maintenance agreement is worth the additional expense.
- Termination Fees: Many contracts include penalties for early contract termination. These fees can add up if your business shifts or the copier technology no longer suits your business.
Additional Costs to Consider When Investing in a Copier
While the upfront cost of a copier is an important consideration, additional expenses can significantly impact the total cost of ownership. Understanding these ongoing costs can help you better budget for your copier solution and avoid surprises.
Supplies & Consumables
While your copier is generally a one-time expense, supplies needed to operate it are not. Copier supplies and consumables are an ongoing expense that can add up quickly, especially in high-volume environments.
These supplies include toner cartridges, ink, paper, and more. Prices can vary widely depending on the copier model and the quality of the supplies you buy.
Maintenance and Repairs
Even high-quality, reliable copiers require maintenance. Those repair costs can escalate over time,
Many businesses opt for comprehensive maintenance contracts to cover the costs of repairs and preventive servicing. These agreements can provide peace of mind but are often costly for companies with low copier usage.
Plus, those agreements leave your business reliant on the service provider’s scheduling and availability, which can cause longer delays.
“Computer Corner resolves most office printing issues onsite and typically offers same-day service to minimize downtime. Our team is dedicated to keeping your business running smoothly and efficiently.”
— Alex Rodgers, Business Development Manager
IT Support
Additional IT-related costs can arise for networked copiers that integrate with the rest of your company’s IT infrastructures.
Setting up your new copier to work within your network can require IT support to ensure user access, security protocols, and connections to cloud services. Any custom configurations, such as secure print release or document workflow automation, may require specialized IT expertise.
Beyond installation and integrations, copiers require regular troubleshooting, firmware updates, and compatibility upgrades as IT systems evolve. This ongoing work may require extra IT support or hiring a third-party IT service provider.
How Much Does a Copier Cost?
Copier costs vary depending on the features, size, and capacity. In addition to the purchase cost, be sure to keep in mind your monthly supplies costs, as well as any service contracts tied to your new copier purchase (these can range in cost from $100 to $500 a month).
- Entry-Level Copiers — $1,000–$2,500
- These are great for small offices with low printing usage, and often come with printing, scanning, and copying capabilities.
- Mid-Range Copiers — $3,000–$4,500
- Meant for companies with a bit more printing needs, these copiers can print in color, duplex, and scan.
- High-Performance Copiers — $5,000+
- These printers are best for large offices with higher printing needs and include additional features like stapling, binding, hole-punching, and network connectivity.
The cost for leasing a copier depends on the type of copier and length of your lease, but typically range from $50 to $1,000 a month.
Make An Informed Decision for Your Fox Cities Business
Considering all these costs, you can start developing a realistic budget that aligns with your business needs. Whether you lease a copier or buy one outright, understanding the big picture of total costs will help you avoid surprises and maximize the return on your investment.
At Computer Corner, we’re here to help Oshkosh and Fox Cities businesses handle all their printing and copying needs. From choosing the right copier to handling installation, integration, and ongoing maintenance, we can support your business through the whole process.
“Computer Corner supports printing environments of all sizes, from a single printer to offices with multiple copiers and dozens of desktop printers. Whatever your setup, we provide reliable service to keep your operations running seamlessly.”
— Alex Rodgers, Business Development Manager
Learn more about our managed printing services and take the stress of dealing with complex printers and copiers off your plate.
