Road map ROI
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Comparing two options? See which costs you least.

Lease or buy, hire or outsource, this supplier or that one. Name your options, add what each costs. Your own time counts.Free. Your own time counts.

Step 1

What are you comparing?

Name each option. Two is enough; you can add up to four.

2 short steps
Example numbers

Lease a van costs least: about $1,880 less than buy a van over 3 years

Lease a van✓ Costs least$19,320
Buy a van$21,200
Total over years$19,320
Money out in the first 3 months$3,660
Per month, on average$537

How the sum works

For each option the calculator adds what you pay up front, the monthly cost for every month, and the yearly cost for every year. It takes off what the thing is worth at the end, if you could sell it. If you add your own hours, they count at the hourly value you give. The option with the lowest total costs least over the years you choose. The Math tab shows every addition.

A worked example

A van on a lease costs $1,500 up front, $420 a month and $900 a year for insurance and service. Buying one costs $24,000, $1,400 a year, and you could sell it for $7,000 after 3 years. Over 3 years the lease costs $19,320 and buying costs $21,200, so the lease costs $1,880 less. Buying also needs $25,400 in the first 3 months, against $3,660 for the lease. These are example figures, not market prices; put in your own quotes.

What the numbers leave out

  • Cash today. Two options can cost the same over 3 years while one needs far more money in the first months. The result shows the cash in the first 3 months for the cheapest option.
  • Tax. Prices go in before tax. What you can reclaim or deduct depends on your business and country, so ask your accountant.
  • Risk and fit. Who fixes it on a busy day, what happens if you stop early, and whether it fits the way you work.

Deciding about software? The software calculator compares renting a tool, buying one, paying someone to build it, and building it yourself with AI.

Questions

What can I compare with this calculator?

Any choice where each option has a price: leasing or buying a van, two suppliers, renting or buying equipment, hiring or outsourcing. Name up to four options and give each one what it costs up front, every month and every year, and what it is worth at the end.

Should I enter prices with or without tax?

Before tax, the same way for every option, so they compare fairly. Whether you can reclaim VAT or deduct a cost depends on your business and country, so ask your accountant.

Why does my own time count?

An hour you spend setting something up or running it is an hour you are not spending on paid work. Add your hours and what one hour of your time is worth, and the calculator adds it to that option's total. Leave the hours out if they are the same for every option.

Does it count interest or later money for less?

No. It adds plain sums in today's prices, which is enough for most small-business choices. If a loan or a lease rate is part of the deal, put the real monthly payment in the monthly box.