A 60 month copier lease has the lowest monthly cost of any standard term. That is why dealers push it hard. But five years is a long time to be locked into a single machine, and the small monthly can hide some real risks. Here is what a 60 month lease actually costs and when it is the right call.
Why the 60 Month Monthly Is So Low
The leasing company spreads the cost of the copier over more payments. On a $12,000 machine, financing over 60 months instead of 36 lowers each payment by about 35 to 45 percent. The total cost over five years is higher than three years, but the cash flow each month feels easier.
Dealers like 60 month terms because they have a customer locked in longer. They also know that most buyers will sign a new lease at the end of the term.
Real 60 Month Pricing for 2026
Typical FMV monthly costs on a 60 month lease.
A 25 to 35 ppm black and white workgroup copier, $55 to $115 a month.
A 35 to 45 ppm color multifunction, $135 to $225 a month.
A 45 to 55 ppm color office copier, $225 to $345 a month.
A 60 ppm or above high volume color copier, $345 to $645 a month.
Compared to the same machine on 36 months, the 60 month monthly is about 30 percent lower. But the total contract value is 25 to 35 percent higher over the full term.
What Is Usually Included
A 60 month lease usually bundles service, parts, and a base page allowance. Common page allowances run 3,000 to 8,000 black and white and 1,000 to 5,000 color pages a month included.
Some 60 month leases offer escalators. The monthly may go up 3 to 5 percent each year to cover service cost increases. Read the lease for this language.
What Most Guides Miss
The biggest risk on a 60 month lease is technology drift. The copier you sign for today will look slow and outdated in year four. Workflows change. Print volume drops. Color usage rises. A five year lease that made sense in 2026 may feel wrong by 2030. To protect yourself, ask the dealer for a mid term upgrade clause. Many will allow you to swap into a newer model at year three with no penalty if you sign a new 60 month lease at the upgrade. That gives you the low monthly of a 60 month deal with a built in exit at three years. Most dealers will agree if you ask. Few will offer it unless you do.
The Hidden Cost of a 60 Month Lease
Early termination is brutal. If you cancel a 60 month lease at month 30, you owe the remaining 30 payments, sometimes discounted, sometimes not. On a $345 a month lease, that is up to $10,350 in early termination fees.
The same risk applies if your business moves, your office space shrinks, or you sell the company.
When 60 Months Is the Right Move
A 60 month lease fits well if your office is stable, your print volume is predictable, you do not expect to move in the next 5 years, and you want the lowest possible monthly cost.
When to Skip 60 Months
If you expect to grow, move, or change technology platforms in the next 3 years, a 60 month lease will limit your options. Look at 36 month leases instead, or even 48 month leases as a compromise.
Negotiation Levers on a 60 Month Lease
Two big ones. First, lock the monthly. No annual escalators. If the dealer insists, cap the escalator at 2 percent a year max. Second, push for that mid term upgrade clause. Get it in writing in the lease, not in a side email.
For more, read our 36 month copier lease guide and our copier lease cost breakdown.
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