How Much Does It Cost to Lease a Printer 2026?

Leasing a Photocopier in the UK typically costs between £50 to £150 per month for a standard A3 office photocopier, plus a cost-per-copy charge of up to 1p for mono and 8p for colour. Most SMEs pay somewhere between £50 and £300 per month all-in once everything is added together, depending on the device, print volumes, contract terms and additional maintenance requirements.

While these are the headline figures, this guide also covers what actually drives that price, what should be included as standard, how cost-per-copy billing works, and most importantly what things to AVOID, so you know exactly what you’re pricing up before you request a quote.

UK Printer Leasing Costs 2026

Printer type	Typical monthly lease (ex. VAT)	Average cost-per-copy
Desktop A4 mono printer	£10 to £30	0.5p to 2p mono
Desktop A4 office photocopier	£20 to £60	1p to 3p mono, 4p to 10p colour
Standard office A3 photocopier	£60 to £150+	1p to 3p mono, 4p to 12p colour
Large office A3 photocopier	£150 to £300+	Usually negotiated per contract
Wide-format (A1/10) plotter	£35 to £170	Charged mainly on ink and media

These are guide figures. Your actual printer leasing quote depends on the model, whether it is a multifunction printer, your monthly volume, the term length and whether the machine is new or refurbished.

What Affects the Cost of Leasing a Printer/Photocopier?

A printer lease is really a bundle of separate cost which bundles into one quarterly or monthly figure.

• Mono or colour – Colour clicks on devices typically cost 8 to 10 times more than mono clicks, so if you are colour heavy organisation or not managing your colour volume correctly this can have a large impact on costs.
• Print volume – If your volumes are high particularly in colour expect a bigger bill for your monthly/quarterly usage. It’s important at the start of contracts you have a rough idea of both your mono and colour volumes, to accurately gauge and budget the costs.
• A4 or A3 – A3 devices will always cost more to lease due to the cost of the devices and them having more capability than A4 devices. It’s important to consider your need for A3 printing before entering into contracts.
• Brand, new vs refurbished – Established brands (Canon, Xerox, Ricoh, Konica) often offer both new and refurbished devices. Refurbished units cost less but usually have a higher running cost. Whereas new devices cost more initially but have lower running costs and longer lifespans.
• Lease term length – 24 to 60-month terms are common in the UK. Longer terms lower the monthly costs but lock you into that hardware for longer, while shorter terms cost more but let you refresh sooner.
• Features and security – Finishing options (stapling, booklet-making), larger paper trays and secure print software (increasingly expected in legal, healthcare and financial services) all add to the monthly/quarterly cost.

What’s Included in a Printer/Photocopier Lease?

A well-structured print lease should bundle the following:

• Cost of the hardware
• Delivery, installation, set-up (and even on-site demonstration)
• Servicing and engineer call-outs
• Genuine manufacturer parts (like Zora’s OEM parts for leased Canon devices)
• Toner or ink, supplied automatically
• Cost-per-copy rate covering mono and colour
• Print management software

Additional costs like paper, specialist wide-format media and accidental damage (beyond normal wear) are usually not included in a lease agreement. So, it’s always worth asking your supplier.

Based on our experience leasing printers in the UK, most lease frustrations come down to these elements not being confirmed or clarified in writing before contract signing. Our own Canon printer leasing agreements often bundle a free print audit, installation, 24/7 fleet monitoring, genuine OEM part repairs and SLA-backed call-outs into the monthly costs, with cost-per-copy’s starting from around £0.002 mono and £0.019 colour on suitable devices.

How Do Service Contracts (Cost Per Copies) Work?

Alongside the Lease rental, your supplier will give you a service contract which adds a cost-per-copy charge, billed monthly or quarterly against actual pages printed or copied.

In this service contract you are typically covered for all parts, warranty, call out, labour, maintenance and all mono/colour toners. There are several ways this can be structured so you need to be aware of the best ways to avoid overpaying on your contract.

• Flat cost-per-copy – A fixed rate per mono and per colour page. The most transparent and simple way (Pay As You Print, No Minimal Usage, No hidden Costs).
• Service inclusive – A combined lease and service contract which agrees a set amount of mono & colour printing each month/quarter. If your volumes are consistent this could be a good option which makes invoicing easier. Things to be aware of (If you don’t use your allowance, you lose it, if you go over your allowance you will be charged an excess cost per copy which can sometimes be at an inflated rate).

Agreements To Avoid

• Cost-per-development – These contracts tend to look cheap on the eye with low cost per copies offered on paper but it is important to note the (per development part) as if you print a colour copy this will often click a minimum of 4 times for 1 print which can lead to expensive payments.
• Coverage/tiered billing – Rate varies by ink coverage on the page and needs to be made clear before signing the contract to avoid unexpected costs.
• Copy inclusive/Service credit – Ensure your copy inclusive/service credit amount covers you for the length of the contract and isn’t going to leave you with a shortfall part way through a contract.

How Long Is a Printer Lease?

Most UK leases run for three years (36 months) or five years (60 months), with terms from 12 to 72 months available depending on the funder and value of equipment.

At the end of the term, you’ll typically choose to:

• Hand the equipment back
• Extend at a reduced cost, if the machine is still performing well and serviceable
• Upgrade to new equipment on a new agreement

Whatever you choose, end-of-life disposal falls under the WEEE Regulations 2013, so confirm your provider handles collection and recycling compliantly.

The one clause to watch out for is many agreements auto-renew unless you give written notice within a set window, commonly 90 to 120 days before term end. Firms regulated by the Finance & Leasing Association must set this out clearly, but it’s still on you to note the date.

How to Get the Best Printer Leasing Deal

• Know your monthly/quarterly volumes before entering into a contract.
• Compare the whole package across quotes, not just the headline amount presented on the proposal (check T&Cs).
• Get everything that’s included confirmed in writing from you supplier.
• Note your renewal notice period the day you sign the contract.
• Match the term to your business’s likely trajectory – growing fast may favour a shorter term or flexible lease.
• Ask about secure print release and other print management software if you handle sensitive data and need to be GDPR compliant.

Conclusion

Printer lease cost depends on your machine, your volume and how the contract is structured, but you shouldn’t have to guess at it. If you have questions or concerns speak to your supplier and get clarity on what you are paying for and when.

As an authorised Canon partner based in Cannock, serving the West Midlands and across the UK, we offer a free print audits and a written quotes setting out exactly what’s included, with no obligation. Get in touch with Zora Managed Services today to find out what affordable printer leasing would cost for your business.