Equipment Rate Calc

Rental vs Own Calculator

Compare monthly ownership cost against expected rental days, delivery fees, maintenance risk, and owned-machine utilization. Results update automatically as inputs change.

Inputs

Ownership

Use the current loaded business cost, not a rough market guess.

Use the current loaded business cost, not a rough market guess.

Profit & protection

Replace the default with the most recent number you can document.

Job assumptions

Replace the default with the most recent number you can document.

Use the current loaded business cost, not a rough market guess.

Use the current loaded business cost, not a rough market guess.

Use realistic paid or billable time and keep the unit consistent.

Calculations stay in this browser unless you explicitly save or share.

Monthly Ownership Cost0

How this calculator works

Ownership monthly cost = payment + insurance + storage + maintenance. Rental monthly cost = rental days x day rate + delivery and fees.

Read the methodology and editorial policy

Use the result as a cost checkpoint

Use this calculator to compare owning compact equipment with renting it for the jobs you actually expect to book.

This tool is best for deciding whether ownership cost makes sense. Its primary decision is whether expected monthly use justifies owning equipment instead of renting when needed. Review payments during slow months, repair exposure, storage, insurance, idle capital, and optimistic utilization assumptions before relying on the result.

Worked example

If ownership costs $2,900/month and rental costs $375/day plus $300 delivery, ownership breaks even near 7.7 rental days before risk adjustments.

Renting can still be smarter when work is seasonal, utilization is uncertain, or repair risk would strain cash.

Input and quote review

  • Use conservative rental days, not your busiest month.
  • Include delivery and damage waiver where rental quotes include them.
  • Compare ownership cost per billable hour with your hourly rate.
  • Add the value of convenience only after the math works.

Keep the final scope, assumptions, exclusions, allowances, change triggers, and post-job results with the estimate so future defaults are supported by evidence.

Common questions

Is this the final customer price?

No. It is a planning checkpoint. Walk the site, confirm scope and access, verify current costs, and apply contract, permit, tax, utility, safety, and professional requirements.

Where are saved inputs stored?

Only an explicit Save stores inputs in this browser's localStorage. Share places inputs in the URL hash. The calculator does not send them to Equipment Rate Calc.

Should I copy a competitor's rate?

Use market prices as a reasonableness check after calculating your own cost, scope, utilization, risk, and margin.

Important disclaimerPlanning estimate only. Verify current costs, measurements, production, scope, access, customer requirements, contracts, permits, insurance, taxes, and local rules before quoting or committing money. This is not financial, tax, accounting, lending, investment, valuation, depreciation, or legal advice; confirm material decisions with qualified professionals and official records.