Leasing or financing a laser device: instalments, term and process
A professional laser device is rarely paid for in cash. This page explains how you can lease or finance a laser device: the differences between leasing, hire purchase and a bank loan, what the monthly instalment depends on, which term is suitable, whether it is possible without a deposit and what happens at the end of the term.
You will also find out what the credit check and documents involve, how quickly a decision arrives and how to weigh the instalment against the revenue per treatment. The examples used are SIACSKIN devices such as the DEWEON 4LD, the EUPHEUS M8 and the PICOLO S. You should clarify tax questions with your tax adviser.
What is the difference between leasing, hire purchase and a bank loan for a laser machine?
The difference lies in who owns the device and who finances it. With leasing, the leasing company remains the owner, and you use the device in return for a fixed monthly instalment over the agreed term. With hire purchase you likewise pay instalments, and with the final instalment the device passes into your ownership. With a bank loan you buy the device yourself straight away and repay the loan plus interest to the bank.
In day-to-day business you notice little of this: the device is on your premises and earns its instalment. Differences show up on the balance sheet, in tax and at the end of the contract, which you discuss with your tax adviser. SIACSKIN offers purchase, financing, leasing and hire purchase via its principal bank.
What does the monthly leasing instalment for a laser machine depend on?
The instalment depends above all on the net price of the device, the term, any deposit and your creditworthiness. The longer the term, the lower the instalment, but the higher the total of all payments. A deposit or an agreed residual value also lowers the instalment. Added to this is the current level of interest rates, which the bank or leasing company factors into its offer.
The range is wide because device prices vary greatly. At SIACSKIN the entry level begins with the PICOLO S from approx. €130 per month, the EUPHEUS M8 for RF microneedling starts at approx. €270 per month and the DEWEON 4LD diode laser at approx. €470 per month. The figures are exclusive of VAT and subject to creditworthiness.
How do I calculate the leasing instalment using the rule of thumb of 1% of the net price?
Take the net price of the device and calculate 1% of it: that is the guide value for the monthly instalment over a term of 60 months. A device with a five-figure net price therefore costs a three-figure sum per month. VAT is added, and the actual instalment depends on your creditworthiness. With a shorter term the instalment rises, with a deposit it falls.
You will find the current net price on the respective product page. This is how the guide values fit in: the DEWEON 4LD starts at approx. €470 per month, the FRACO CO2 XL at approx. €800 per month and the AlexDUAL UFO at approx. €1,190 per month. You receive a binding offer once SIACSKIN has checked the financing.
What term makes sense when leasing a laser machine?
The usual term is 36 to 60 months, and the SIACSKIN guide value for the instalment refers to 60 months. A long term keeps the instalment low and preserves liquidity, particularly in the start-up phase. A short term costs less interest but demands good utilisation from the outset. The term should never be longer than the period in which you are certain to use the device.
A look at the service life helps here. The handpiece of the DEWEON 4LD is designed for around 100 million shots, and the crystal of the AlexDUAL UFO likewise for 100 million shots. With normal utilisation that lasts beyond a term of 60 months. What applies after the final instalment, such as transfer of ownership or residual value, is governed by your contract.
Can I lease or finance a laser machine without a deposit?
Yes, at SIACSKIN financing is possible without a deposit on request, provided the credit check is positive. You then begin with the first instalment and need no equity for the device itself. This is important for founders whose reserves are going into rent, fittings and marketing.
A deposit can still make sense: it lowers the monthly instalment and the total interest, and it improves the chance of approval if creditworthiness is borderline. Work through both options and keep a reserve for the first few months, when the diary is not yet full. With a device such as the EUPHEUS M8 from approx. €270 per month, the burden remains manageable even without a deposit.
What happens to the laser machine at the end of the lease term?
That depends on the contract: depending on the arrangement, you return the device, buy it at the agreed residual value, extend at a lower instalment, or it already belongs to you. With hire purchase the device passes into your ownership with the final instalment, and with a bank loan it belongs to you from the start. Leasing contracts are available with and without a residual value and with or without a purchase option. Read this point carefully before signing, because it helps determine what the device costs you overall.
With a laser device that has a long service life, taking it over is usually the obvious choice: it is established, the team is trained, and it carries on working. Which option your offer provides for is something you clarify when enquiring via the Financing and Leasing page.
How does the credit check work when financing a laser machine?
The bank or leasing company checks whether you can reliably pay the instalments over the entire term. For existing businesses it looks at turnover, profit and current commitments, as well as information on your payment history to date. For young companies, the personal creditworthiness of the owner counts for more. The outcome decides not only yes or no, but also the interest rate, deposit and any collateral.
You do not have to go from bank to bank yourself for this. You submit a non-binding enquiry to SIACSKIN, SIACSKIN checks the financing via its principal bank and additionally via partner banks and leasing companies, and gets back to you within 24 hours.
What documents do I need for a leasing enquiry for a laser machine?
As a rule you need proof of identity, proof of your business and current business figures. For existing businesses these are usually the latest annual financial statements and current management accounts. Founders instead submit a personal financial disclosure, together with a brief concept covering location, prices and expected treatments and, if available, the tenancy agreement for the premises. In addition there is the quotation for the device you want.
The more complete the documents, the faster the decision. Exactly which documents are required in your country and for your legal form is something you find out after enquiring via the Financing and Leasing page.
How quickly do I get approval for leasing a laser machine?
At SIACSKIN you receive an initial response within 24 hours of your enquiry. SIACSKIN checks the financing and gets back to you with the result or with queries. How quickly the binding approval then follows depends above all on how complete your documents are and how clear-cut your creditworthiness is. For newly founded businesses it usually takes a little longer than for a business with several annual financial statements, because there is more to check.
You speed up the process if you have proof of identity, proof of your company and your figures ready at the time of the enquiry and know which device, which term and which deposit you want. The enquiry itself is non-binding.
How does financing a laser machine work, from the enquiry to the first instalment?
The process has five steps: enquiry, check, contract, delivery and start of the instalments. You submit a non-binding enquiry and state the device and the desired term. SIACSKIN checks the financing and gets back to you within 24 hours. After approval you sign the contract with the bank or leasing company, and then delivery takes place.
Installation is carried out by SIACSKIN technicians free of charge, and training on the device is included in the purchase. As a rule you confirm acceptance of the device, and the instalments begin according to the schedule agreed in the contract. If, for example, you order a DEWEON 4LD in a colour of your choice, also clarify the delivery date at the time of the enquiry, so that your opening and the first instalment fit together.
Why do leasing enquiries from new businesses fail, and what improves the chances?
It usually fails because of negative entries in the credit report, missing documents or an instalment that does not fit the planned turnover. A newly founded business without a long company history, by contrast, is not a reason for exclusion: SIACSKIN expressly offers financing, leasing and hire purchase via its principal bank to business founders as well, and additionally involves partner banks and leasing companies.
You improve your chances with a deposit, a second person as co-applicant or guarantor, a coherent concept and a device whose instalment suits the start-up phase. The PICOLO S starts from approx. €130 per month, the EUPHEUS V and the EUPHEUS M8 from approx. €270 per month. If an enquiry is rejected, it is worth asking for the reason: often a different term or a different financing partner helps.
How do I convert the leasing instalment into device costs per treatment?
Divide the monthly instalment by the number of treatments you carry out with the device per month. With 40 sessions each session bears one fortieth of the instalment, with 80 sessions only one eightieth. You set this amount against your treatment price, together with working time and consumables. This shows you the utilisation at which the device has earned its instalment and what is left over after that.
An example on the cost side: the DEWEON 4LD starts at approx. €470 per month, and because hair removal usually takes 6 to 8 sessions per client, utilisation can be planned months ahead. With the SIACSKIN price calculator you enter your own prices and your number of treatments.
What is included in the leasing instalment, and what additional costs will I face?
The instalment covers the device and the financing costs. Added to this are VAT and often equipment insurance, which the financing partner requires. Some contracts also include a one-off processing fee. So ask for the total of all payments over the term, not just the monthly instalment.
As for the device itself, at SIACSKIN installation by the company's own technicians, training and a 2-year manufacturer's warranty are included. Running costs depend on the technology: the TULIX manages without consumables and without a shot limit, whereas with the EUPHEUS M8 the needle tips are consumables. Also budget for electricity, maintenance and care products for aftercare.
Can I switch to a larger laser machine or add a second one during the term?
A second device is possible in principle under a new contract, whereas a switch within the current contract depends on the terms of your financing partner. Leasing and hire purchase contracts run for the agreed period. Anyone who wants to exit early generally has to settle the contract, and returning devices is not possible at SIACSKIN. So choose the first device so that it fits what you will be offering over the coming years.
The usual route is to expand: if tattoo removal with the PICOLO S is going well, the PICOLO L or the PICOLO XL is added later as a second device. For the new contract your creditworthiness is checked again, and instalments paid on time are your best argument.
Is the leasing instalment for a laser machine tax-deductible?
In many countries leasing instalments count as ongoing business expenses, and whether and how this applies to you is something to clarify with your tax adviser. A frequent basic principle is this: leasing instalments are booked as an expense in the year of payment, whereas a device that has been bought or acquired by hire purchase is depreciated over several years. The details depend on country, legal form and contract, and this also applies to VAT.
Do not make the decision on tax grounds alone. It is more important that the instalment fits your turnover and that your liquidity is preserved. Take the offer from the Financing and Leasing page to your tax adviser and have both options calculated.
