technology · Equipment & asset finance
IT hardware finance
IT is a rolling cost, not a one-off purchase. We structure the funding to match a three-year refresh instead of stretching it over five.
What is it hardware finance?
IT hardware finance is funding for laptops, desktops, servers, networking gear and monitors, usually structured over a short term or as a rental because the equipment has a fast refresh cycle and limited resale value. Australian businesses commonly refresh IT on a three-year cycle and fund it accordingly.
IT hardware sits awkwardly in most business budgets. It is essential, it is expensive in lumps, and it is worth very little after three years. Buying outright from cash flow means large irregular hits to working capital, which is why many Australian businesses now fund IT on a short term or a rental that matches the useful life of the equipment.
The structure question is really about ownership at the end. If you want to keep the machines, a short technology finance term does the job. If you would rather hand them back and take new ones, an operating lease or rental removes the disposal problem and keeps the monthly cost flat as you refresh. Neither is universally better; it depends on how long your business actually holds equipment.
IT hardware finance at a glance
| Typical price range | $5,000 – $250,000 |
|---|---|
| Finance term | Up to 48 months |
| Useful life | About 4 years |
| New or used | New hardware is the norm and is what lenders will fund; refurbished equipment is rarely financed on its own because residual value is too low to secure. |
| Indicative rates (Technology finance) | 8% – 18% p.a. · rate history |
| Finance structures | Technology finance (recommended), Operating lease, Equipment loan |
How lenders assess it hardware finance
IT hardware depreciates quickly, so lenders keep terms short — usually 24 to 36 months and rarely beyond 48. Technology finance and operating leases are the common structures because they let a business hand equipment back and refresh at the end of the term rather than owning obsolete gear. Installation, configuration and extended warranties can often be bundled. Small purchases can fall below minimum funding amounts, so IT is frequently combined with a wider fit-out or equipment facility.
Before you buy
- Match the finance term to your refresh cycle; financing laptops over five years means paying for machines you have already replaced.
- Include configuration, deployment and extended warranty in the quote so they can be funded with the hardware.
- Consider whether servers should be replaced at all, or whether the workload is better moved to a cloud service you expense monthly.
Commonly financed
Dell Latitude and OptiPlex · Lenovo ThinkPad and ThinkCentre · HP EliteBook and ProDesk · Apple MacBook Pro and Mac mini · Cisco Meraki and Ubiquiti networking
Estimate it hardware repayments
- Number of repayments
- 48
- Balloon at end of term
- $25,600
- Total interest (est.)
- $37,609
- Total repaid (est.)
- $165,609
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 IT hardware finance?
IT hardware finance is funding for computers, servers and networking equipment, usually structured as technology finance or an operating lease. Terms are typically 24 to 36 months, reflecting how quickly the equipment depreciates and is replaced.
Why are IT finance terms shorter than equipment terms?
Lenders set terms against useful life and resale value. A laptop is worth very little after three years and a server little more, so funding over five years would leave the debt exceeding the asset’s value for most of the term.