Buy, lease or rent – what makes sense?

That depends less on price than on who is to bear the risk of breakdown and loss of value.

Buying is economical with a long service life and stable requirements, but ties up capital and leaves the risk of loss of value with the buyer.

Leasing preserves liquidity and allows a predictable monthly amount; the accounting and tax treatment depends on the specific contract.

Robot-as-a-Service shifts operation, maintenance and the risk of breakdown to the provider and is particularly suitable for getting started or for time-limited projects.

With systems whose technology is advancing quickly, a shorter commitment is often more economical than a long one – the residual value after five years is hard to forecast in robotics. In detail in guide to buying, leasing and RaaS.