Aesthetic Equipment Leasing in Ireland: Lease vs Buy

Leasing lets a clinic use an aesthetic machine for a fixed monthly payment instead of paying the purchase price up front, but you usually end up paying more in total than a cash purchase. We have not found a verified Irish rate we can quote, so this guide gives you the questions and the arithmetic to test any offer a lender or distributor makes.

What is the difference between leasing and hire purchase?

Leasing is not one product. The label covers several structures, and they behave differently:

• Operating lease. You rent the machine for a term, and the lender keeps ownership and the residual risk. Often there is a hand-back or upgrade option at the end.
• Finance lease. You pay most of the machine's cost over the term, and at the end you may pay a final sum or a small rental to keep it.
• Hire purchase. You pay in instalments and become the owner on the last payment. This is closer to a loan than a lease. See our companion guide on equipment finance.

Names vary between providers, so ignore the label and read the agreement. Ask for the total amount payable, who owns the machine, and what happens at the end.

How do you work out what a lease really costs?

Whatever you are offered, compute this:

1. Monthly payment multiplied by the number of months.
2. Add any arrangement fee, documentation fee, insurance requirement and end-of-term payment.
3. Subtract any resale value you expect to receive, if you own it at the end.
4. Compare the result with the cash price.

The difference between that figure and the cash price is what you pay for spreading the cost. Express it as a percentage of the cash price and ask yourself whether the cash you keep earns more than that in your clinic. If a machine adds revenue from the first month, the answer is often yes. If it is a speculative treatment, it often is not.

Should a clinic lease or buy?

Our payback calculator guide shows how to estimate how many treatments it takes to cover the machine, which is the number a lease must beat.

Which lease clauses should you read twice?

• Minimum term and early exit. What it costs to end the agreement if the clinic closes or the machine fails.
• Maintenance. Who pays for servicing and lifed parts, and whether payments continue while the machine is down.
• Insurance. Lenders typically require the machine to be insured, and may name themselves on the policy. Check with your insurer on cover.
• Personal guarantee. Small clinics are often asked for one. Take advice before signing.
• End of term. Final payment, hand-back condition, or automatic extension at a rental.
• Location and movement. Whether you may move the machine if you change premises.

Can you lease a used aesthetic machine?

Sometimes, but it is harder. Some lenders prefer new equipment from an established supplier because it has a clear invoice price and a known resale route. A private sale gives them an invoice from an individual, which many are unwilling to fund. A dealer sale with a proper invoice is more likely to be accepted. Ask the lender before you commit to a seller, not after. The trade-offs between buying new and used are covered in our new vs used guide.

Where does leasing go wrong?

The common failure is a clinic that signs for a machine at the top of its price range because the monthly figure looks small. Monthly figures hide the total. Another is a lease on a machine with weak local service, where the payments carry on while the machine sits idle. A third is a lease that outlasts the useful life of the platform, so you are paying for a device you have replaced.

Before you sign, ask the lender for the schedule in writing and have your accountant look at the tax treatment. Revenue's guidance on the 12.5% straight-line wear and tear allowance says the machinery must continue to belong to the person claiming it and be used wholly and exclusively for the trade (Revenue note, via Chartered Accountants Ireland). The note does not explain how that applies to a lease, so do not assume you can claim on a leased machine.

If you are leasing to buy from the used market

Treat the machine and the lease as two separate decisions. First, inspect the machine, check service records and agree the price. Then take the invoice to the lender. You can browse units on our classifieds, and our IPL and laser hair removal categories show what is listed. Ask the seller whether they will accept payment from a lender, and how long that takes.

If you are leasing a new machine and want to move on the old one, you can list it for free, with no commission, which reduces the net cost of the upgrade.

Sources and notes

• iwoca: hire purchase vs finance lease: ownership and end-of-term options (UK lender).
• Revenue note on wear and tear allowances: 12.5% rate, ownership and trade-use conditions.
• Department of Enterprise: Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme: loan sizes, terms and equipment eligibility.

Machine figures are Aesthetic Machines Ireland researched ranges, not completed-sale data.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to lease or buy aesthetic equipment?

If you have the cash and demand is proven, buying costs less overall. Leasing helps when cash is tight and the machine pays for itself quickly, but compare total payable, not the monthly figure.

What is the difference between leasing and hire purchase?

With a finance lease the lender keeps ownership and you only use the machine, while with hire purchase you own it after the last instalment. A lease may end with a hand-back, a sale on the lessor's behalf or a low-cost extension, per iwoca.

Can I lease second-hand aesthetic equipment in Ireland?

Some lenders will, usually against a proper dealer invoice. Private sales are harder to fund, so ask the lender before you agree to buy.

Can I claim capital allowances on a leased machine?

That depends on who owns the asset for tax purposes. Revenue's note on the 12.5% wear and tear allowance requires that the machinery belongs to the claimant, so ask your accountant before relying on it (source).

Is there government-backed funding for clinic equipment?

The Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme offers €25,000 to €3 million, and its page says growth loans can cover machinery or equipment. The page gave an end date of 30 June 2026 or until fully subscribed, so check whether it is still open with a participating lender (Department of Enterprise).

What should I ask a leasing company?

Ask for total amount payable, ownership at the end, early exit charges, insurance requirements, who covers servicing and whether a personal guarantee is needed.

Does the lender own the machine?

Under a finance lease, yes, until any buy-out. Do not sell a leased machine without the lender's consent.

Rates and terms vary by lender, so get written quotes and take financial advice before signing.