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Lease-purchase vs own calculator

By Fernandez · Updated October 2026

Put a lease-purchase and a conventional loan on the same timeline for the same truck.

$
mo
$
wk
$
$
%
mo

Lease-purchase: paid, minus equity

$80,080

Loan: paid, minus equity

$58,981

Equity at month 36

$51,920 vs $14,358

  • Lease-purchase cash out$132,000
  • Loan cash out$73,339
  • Estimated truck value$51,920

By this month the lease-purchase term and balloon are paid, so you own the truck. Value uses an EXAMPLE depreciation curve. Not financial advice.

Own the truck and the MC, and the loads are your choice. We dispatch carriers under their own authority.

Our dispatchers find and negotiate the loads; you approve each one and sign the rate con. 5% of gross for one truck with an MC 6 months or older, no setup fee.

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How it is calculated

  • Lease-purchase cash out = weekly payment x weeks paid by the compare month, plus the balloon if the term has ended.
  • Loan cash out = down payment + monthly payment x months paid.
  • Equity = estimated value minus what is still owed. A lease-purchase has none until the balloon is paid.
  • Net cost = cash out minus equity. Lower is better.

Worked example

At month 36Lease-purchaseLoan
Truck price$90,000$90,000
Terms$750 a week, 156 weeks, $15,000 balloon$10,000 down, 11.5% APR, 60 months
Cash out$132,000about $73,300
Equityabout $51,900 (owned)about $14,400
Net costabout $80,100about $59,000

EXAMPLE figures, not offers. Here the lease-purchase driver owns the truck at month 36, but paid about $21,000 more for it than the loan path cost by then.

What to take from it

If the lease-purchase net cost is far above the loan, the extra is the price of getting in with less cash or weaker credit. Sometimes that is worth paying; often a used truck with a smaller loan is the better route. Check the weekly take-home and walk-away cost in the lease-purchase deal analyzer and budget repairs with the maintenance reserve calculator.

The lease vs buy truck guide explains true leases, TRAC leases and lease-purchases, and the commercial truck lease agreement template shows the clauses to read.

General information about financing, leasing and tax, not financial, tax or legal advice. RigCaptain is not a lender, broker, dealer or insurer. Read every contract and ask a tax professional or attorney about your own deal.

Own the truck, choose the loads

Under your own MC, the gross is yours and so is every load decision. A dispatcher calls you back.

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Questions

Is it better to lease or buy a semi truck?
It depends on your cash, credit and plans. Buying with a loan usually costs less over time and builds equity sooner, but needs a down payment and approval. A lease-purchase can get you into a truck with less cash, often at a higher total cost and with no equity until the end. Compare both in the calculator.
Lease purchase vs owner operator: what is the difference?
A lease-purchase driver usually runs under the carrier's authority and pays for a truck the lessor owns until the term ends. An owner-operator owns or finances the truck and often runs under their own authority, choosing loads and a dispatcher. The calculator compares the truck costs; the control is a separate question.
Should I lease or buy a truck for my business?
Look at total cost, equity, repair responsibility and tax treatment. A true lease (not lease-purchase) can keep payments low and repairs predictable, while a loan builds ownership. A tax professional can explain how each is treated for your business. This is general information, not financial or tax advice.
Why does the lease-purchase show no equity?
Because before the balloon is paid, the lessor owns the truck. If you stop before the end, you usually keep nothing you paid toward it. Move the compare month past the end of the term and the lease-purchase shows the truck's value as equity, net of everything paid.
How is the truck's value estimated?
With an EXAMPLE depreciation curve: a larger drop in year one, then a steady yearly percentage. It is not an appraisal. Real values depend on make, miles, condition and the market. Use the semi truck value estimator with real comparables for your truck.
What happens to my payments if a lease-purchase ends early?
That depends on the contract. In many lease-purchase deals the truck goes back to the carrier and the weekly payments already made count as rent, so you leave with no equity. Some contracts also charge a fee or keep the escrow. Read the default and termination sections before you sign, and price the exit with the deal analyzer.
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