Hardware, software and the whole project
Technology finance for hardware, software and full implementations.
Fund servers, fleets of laptops, ERP rollouts, security and solar. Your broker explains which lenders fund intangibles and what that costs.
What is a technology finance?
Technology finance is lending used to acquire IT hardware, software licences, cloud implementations, security systems and solar installations, structured so the cost is spread across the years the technology is actually used. Terms are shorter than other asset finance because the equipment dates quickly.
Technology spending has shifted from boxes to projects. A modern ERP or practice-management rollout might be 30% hardware and 70% licences, configuration, data migration and training — none of which a traditional asset financier can repossess. Specialist technology funders exist precisely for this and will fund the whole project cost, including the intangible portion, usually at a premium over hardware-only lending.
Terms run shorter here than elsewhere in asset finance, typically two to four years, because a laptop fleet or server refresh has a real working life of about that long. Financing a three-year asset over five is a false economy: you finish paying for equipment you replaced eighteen months earlier. Operating leases with scheduled technology refreshes are common for exactly this reason.
Solar and security systems sit slightly apart. Both are fixed to a building, so lenders look at whether the borrower owns the premises or has enough lease term remaining. Commercial solar in particular is often financed against the projected energy saving, with repayments structured to sit below the reduction in the power bill — an arrangement worth modelling carefully before signing.
Technology finance at a glance
| Amount | $10,000 – $1,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Term | 12–60 months |
| Rate type | Fixed |
| Indicative rates (Q3 2026) | 8% – 18% p.a. · see rate history |
| Security | Secured by the asset |
| Repayments | Monthly |
| Typical speed | 2–5 business days |
| Best for | Businesses running a hardware refresh, a major software implementation or a commercial solar installation |
| Consider something else if | Small consumable IT purchases better handled from operating cash |
| Tax | Hardware is generally depreciated while software and subscriptions may be treated differently. Confirm with your accountant. |
Advantages
- Spreads a large project cost across its useful life
- Specialist funders will include software and implementation
- Refresh structures avoid being stuck with obsolete hardware
Trade-offs
- Intangibles are priced above hardware-only finance
- Shorter terms mean higher monthly repayments
- Fixed installations depend on premises ownership or lease term
How to apply for a technology finance
- 01
Scope the project
Hardware, licences, implementation and training, and the realistic working life of each component.
- 02
Choose lender and structure
Your broker matches hardware-only or whole-project funders and compares chattel mortgage against a refresh lease.
- 03
Fund and deploy
The financier pays vendors, often in stages across a phased rollout.
Documents lenders commonly ask for
- ID and ABN
- Vendor quotes itemising hardware, licences and services
- Financials or bank statements depending on the amount
What people finance with a technology finance
Lenders we compare for this
Flexicommercial, Macquarie, Angle Finance, Moneytech and others on our panel. See the full panel.
Estimate your repayments
- Number of repayments
- 48
- Total interest (est.)
- $18,920
- Total repaid (est.)
- $93,920
This calculator provides an estimate only and does not account for fees, charges or the specific terms a lender may offer. It is not financial advice or an offer of finance.
Key terms
What is technology finance?
Technology finance is business lending used to acquire IT and technology assets, including hardware, software licences, implementation services, security systems and solar installations, repaid over the useful life of the technology.
Can software be financed?
Yes, through specialist technology funders that fund licences, subscriptions and implementation costs alongside hardware. Because software cannot be repossessed, it is priced above hardware-only asset finance and not every panel lender offers it.
What is a technology refresh lease?
A technology refresh lease is an operating lease with a scheduled upgrade point, letting a business hand back and replace hardware mid-cycle. It suits laptop fleets, servers and devices where obsolescence is the main risk.
Technology finance FAQs
When does an operating lease make more sense than owning?
An operating lease suits assets you want to use but not own — typically technology that dates quickly, or equipment you replace on a fixed cycle. The financier retains ownership and residual risk, you pay for use over the term and hand the asset back at the end, often with fair wear and tear and usage conditions attached. It keeps replacement predictable, but you build no equity, and exceeding the agreed usage can trigger additional charges.