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Cryostat Finance

Spread the cost of histology cryostats from £10,000 to £45,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance, compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a cryostat?

Yes, cryostats are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £10,000 to £45,000, and most deals are written over 24–60 months with a deposit of around 10–20%. Decisions typically take 48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£10k – £45k

Approval Speed

48 hours

Same-day agreement in principle for < £20k

Rates From

4.5% APR

What would a cryostat cost per month?

£22,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical cryostat price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 4.9% APR
Term
24–60 months
Deposit
10–20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Histology labs wanting to own the instrument outright

Finance Lease

Rate
From 4.5% APR
Term
24–60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Tax-efficient, claim the full lease payment against contract income

Refinance

Rate
From 5.5% APR
Term
12–48 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
You already own the cryostat
Best for
Releasing capital from an owned cryostat

Representative example

On a purchase price of £22,000: a 10% deposit of £2,200, then 48 monthly payments of £464 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £24,472, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification Guide price Type
Standard Manual Cryostat, Entry Class (spec class) £10,000 – £18,000 Standard Manual Cryostat
Leica Biosystems-class CM1950-Type Cryostat (spec class) £18,000 – £30,000 Mid-Range Motorised Cryostat
Leica Biosystems-class CM3050-Type Cryostat (spec class) £28,000 – £40,000 Research-Grade Cryostat
Refurbished Motorised Cryostat (spec class) £10,000 – £20,000 Refurbished Motorised Cryostat

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Tax benefits

Cryostats qualify for Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), meaning you can deduct the full cost from taxable profits in year one, up to £1,000,000. For HP agreements, you claim capital allowances on the instrument. For leases, you typically deduct the full lease payment from profits.

Market context

Cryostats are bought by NHS and private pathology labs, veterinary diagnostic labs and research histology facilities to cut thin frozen sections for rapid diagnosis or immunohistochemistry work, most often used for urgent intra-operative frozen sections where a tissue processor's overnight cycle isn't fast enough. Private and contract histology providers running cryostats for rapid diagnostic work usually operate under service contracts with hospitals or clinics, and lenders take contract length into account when structuring finance for the purchase. Refrigerant servicing, blade and anti-roll plate replacement, and decontamination procedures between cases are ongoing running costs, and a service contract is standard given how central rapid diagnosis is to patient care. A solid market in refurbished motorised cryostats from specialist medical equipment resellers supports smaller labs and diagnostic start-ups.

Bad credit?

Several of our 200+ lenders specialise in businesses with imperfect credit histories. You may need a larger deposit or personal guarantee, but options exist. Checking your options here does not affect your credit score, because we do not run a credit search to match you. A lender will run their own checks only if you decide to apply.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I finance a refurbished cryostat?
Yes, refurbished motorised cryostats from specialist medical equipment resellers are financed on similar terms to new instruments, provided the refrigeration system and cutting mechanism have been properly serviced and tested. This is a common route for smaller diagnostic labs and new histology services. Ask the reseller for a written service and testing record, since this is usually what a lender relies on when assessing a used instrument's remaining working life.
Does my lab's diagnostic service contract affect the finance term?
Yes, if your cryostat work depends on a service contract with a hospital, clinic or veterinary group, a lender will want to understand the contract's length and stability, since that underpins your ability to service the finance over the term offered. An established, renewing contract generally supports better terms than a newly won or short-term one. Providing a summary of your contract's value, duration and renewal history alongside your application will usually speed up the underwriting decision.
What ongoing costs should I plan for alongside a cryostat purchase?
Refrigerant servicing, blade replacement, anti-roll plate wear and decontamination consumables are recurring costs separate from the finance payment. Given how critical correct operation is for diagnostic accuracy, most labs run an annual service contract, which some lenders will bundle into the finance agreement if asked. Treating these running costs as a fixed monthly reserve, alongside the finance instalment, gives a more realistic picture of the cryostat's true cost to the lab.
How quickly can cryostat finance be arranged?
Straightforward applications from an established lab are typically approved within 48 hours to a few working days. Start-up diagnostic services, or those without a confirmed service contract, may need to provide more detail before terms are finalised. Having your accounts and, where relevant, a summary of prospective referral relationships ready at application stage helps keep the process moving quickly. Getting your referral pipeline or letters of intent together in advance is the best way to avoid unnecessary delay to a start-up application.

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