Printer rental lets an office, school or practice use a proper multifunction copier without paying for it up front. You usually pay a monthly rental plus a per-click charge for every mono or colour page, and the click normally covers toner and service. The catch is in the contract: the term, the minimum billing, the escalation and what happens at the end. Tell us how much you print and what you need, and local copier dealers will send you a free, no-obligation quote.
What a photocopy machine rental includes
Most office copiers today are multifunction machines: they print, copy, scan to email or folders and sometimes fax. A rental is usually made up of:
- Monthly rental for the machine over a fixed term, often 36 to 60 months.
- Per-click charges for each mono and colour page, covering toner, parts and service.
- Installation and setup on your network, with user codes if you need them.
- Service with a response time when it breaks down.
Some dealers also offer short-term and month to month rental for events, elections or a site office.
How to choose the right copier
Start with your real page count: check the meter on your current machine or count reams of printer paper used. Then decide on A3 or A4, mono or colour, the speed in pages a minute, a document feeder that scans both sides, a finisher for stapling and booklets, and how many paper drawers. Do not rent a machine far bigger than you need, but an underpowered copier breaks down more often. For very low volumes, buying a small printer may be cheaper: see printers.
Contract terms and common mistakes
Read the contract before you sign. Check the term, the minimum billing (a monthly minimum of clicks you pay for even if you print less), the yearly escalation on the rental and click rate, the cancellation terms and what happens at the end: return, upgrade or continue. Common mistakes: signing for colour clicks you never use, not reading the settlement clause on an upgrade, and accepting a vague service promise. Ask for the response time in writing. If you own the machine already, ask about a service contract or printer repairs instead.
What affects the cost and what to ask
Rental and click rates vary by machine, volume and term, so dealers quote per office. What affects the cost: speed, colour, A3 capability, finishing, the term and your page volume. Ask:
- What is the monthly rental and the mono and colour click rate?
- What is the minimum billing and the yearly escalation?
- What is the service response time, and is toner included?
- Can we cancel or upgrade, and what does it cost?
- Is the machine new or refurbished?
What to include in your request
- Your monthly mono and colour page count
- A3 or A4, and the speed you need
- Scan, stapling or booklet finishing
- Contract length or short-term dates
- Service response time you expect
Photocopier and Printer Rental for different clients
- Families and individuals: a small rented multifunction for a home business that prints and scans every day
- Small businesses and start-ups: one rented copier with mono clicks for a practice, agency or small firm
- Companies and offices: a fleet of rented multifunctions across floors and branches on one contract
- Shops, restaurants and salons: a compact copier in the back office of a store group for orders and rosters
- Events, conferences and clubs: short-term copiers for a conference office, race headquarters or exhibition
- Schools, churches and NGOs: a fast A3 copier for exam papers, worksheets and newsletters, with booklet finishing
- Government and municipalities: copiers rented through a tender with set click rates and service levels
- Designers, agencies and resellers: a colour production copier on rental for a quick print shop counter
Frequently asked questions
How much does printer rental cost?
What is a per-click charge on a photocopier?
Can I rent a copier for a short time?
Who will quote me for a photocopier rental?
Photocopier and Printer Rental by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg