Can you finance a printing equipment?

Yes, printing equipments 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 £5,000 to £500,000, and most deals are written over 12–84 months with a deposit of around 10–20%. Decisions typically take 24–48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

Printing Equipment Finance: Compare Rates from 200+ Lenders

Q: Can I finance used printing equipment?

Yes. Most lenders will finance a used press or large-format printer up to around 10 years old, though an independent valuation and condition report are typically required before approval, particularly for digital and litho presses where click count and consumables wear affect the machine's real remaining value more than age alone. A used press with a full service history from an established dealer will usually be viewed more favourably than one bought privately with no maintenance records. Because rates and terms for used equipment vary more between lenders than for new machines, it's worth comparing several quotes rather than accepting the first offer.

Q: What deposit do I need?

For hire purchase, most lenders ask for a deposit of 10-20% of the equipment's price, while finance leases and operating leases are typically available with no deposit at all, which helps a print business keep working capital free for stock and job costs. A larger deposit reduces the monthly payment, which matters more on a high-value digital or litho press than on smaller finishing kit. Print businesses with an established trading history and existing equipment can sometimes negotiate a lower deposit, particularly where the new machine is replacing an older one already financed with the same lender.

Q: How quickly can I get printing equipment finance?

Most applications are approved within 24-48 hours once the lender has your accounts and the supplier's quote, and for deals under £100,000 same-day approval is common for an established print business. High-value presses, and deals for a newer business or a more complex finance structure, may take 5-7 working days as the lender looks more closely at trading history and the equipment's specification. Having your accounts, recent bank statements, and a clear quote from the supplier ready before you apply is the main thing that keeps this timeline short, more than the value of the machine itself.

Q: Can I include installation costs in the finance?

Yes. Most lenders will include delivery, installation, and training costs in the finance agreement provided they're part of the supplier's invoice alongside the equipment itself, rather than needing to be paid separately upfront. This matters for a press or large-format printer, where installation can involve significant work such as levelling, power supply upgrades or crane access, and training operators properly before the machine goes into production. It's worth asking your supplier to itemise these costs clearly on the quote so the full project cost is captured in one finance application rather than leaving you to fund installation separately.

Q: Can a new or newly established print business get finance?

It's possible, though the options are more limited than for an established printer with several years of accounts. Lenders will typically want a larger deposit, a personal guarantee from a director, or evidence of committed work such as signed customer contracts, to offset the extra risk of lending to a newer business. Print businesses migrating from a related trade, such as a designer or agency moving into in-house production, sometimes find lenders more receptive if they can show relevant experience even without a long trading history in printing specifically. Comparing several lenders is particularly useful here, since appetite for newer businesses varies significantly between them.

Q: What happens if I sell the press or trade it in during the agreement?

You can't sell equipment that's still on hire purchase or lease finance without settling the outstanding balance first, since the lender retains an interest in it until the agreement ends. Most lenders will provide a settlement figure on request, and if you're upgrading to a newer press or a different type of equipment, many will let any shortfall or surplus from the trade-in be rolled into the new finance agreement rather than requiring it to be cleared in cash beforehand. It's worth requesting the settlement figure early in the process, since it affects what a dealer will actually offer for the existing machine against a new one.

Typical Cost

£5k – £500k

Approval Speed

24–48 hours

Same-day for < £100k

Rates From

4.5% APR

What would a printing equipment cost per month?

Printing Equipment price (ex VAT) £75,000

Deposit 10%

Agreement term 60 months

Annual interest rate 9%

Balloon payment £0

Your estimate

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

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

Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate: From 4.9% APR
Term: 12–84 months
Deposit: 10–20%
Ownership: Yours at the end
Best for: Print shops wanting to own equipment outright

Finance Lease

Rate: From 4.5% APR
Term: 12–84 months
Deposit: None required
Ownership: Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for: Tax-efficient, claim 100% of payments against profit

Operating Lease

Rate: From 5.2% APR
Term: 24–60 months
Deposit: None required
Ownership: Return at end
Best for: Always have latest print technology. Off balance sheet.

Representative example

On a purchase price of £75,000: a 10% deposit of £7,500, then 48 monthly payments of £1,582 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £83,436, 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
Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75	£150,000 – £350,000	Offset Press
HP Indigo 7900	£200,000 – £400,000	Digital Press
Konica Minolta AccurioPress C14000	£80,000 – £150,000	Production Digital
Mimaki JFX200-2513	£40,000 – £70,000	UV Flatbed Printer

Tax benefits

Printing equipment qualifies for Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), letting you deduct the full cost from taxable profits in year one, up to £1,000,000. HP agreements allow capital allowances. Lease payments are fully deductible from profits.

Market context

Printing equipment, digital and litho presses, large-format printers and finishing kit, is bought by print businesses, in-house corporate print rooms and packaging converters, ranging from a single digital press for a small print shop to a full production line for a larger printer. Finance suits the industry well because a press is a major, long-lived capital item and spreading the cost over its working life matches how print businesses are typically paid, against ongoing job work. Replacement is generally driven by print quality, speed and substrate capability customers now expect, rather than the press failing. An established used market gives smaller printers a route to good secondhand equipment.

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.

Frequently asked questions

Can I finance used printing equipment?

Yes. Most lenders will finance a used press or large-format printer up to around 10 years old, though an independent valuation and condition report are typically required before approval, particularly for digital and litho presses where click count and consumables wear affect the machine's real remaining value more than age alone. A used press with a full service history from an established dealer will usually be viewed more favourably than one bought privately with no maintenance records. Because rates and terms for used equipment vary more between lenders than for new machines, it's worth comparing several quotes rather than accepting the first offer.

What deposit do I need?

For hire purchase, most lenders ask for a deposit of 10-20% of the equipment's price, while finance leases and operating leases are typically available with no deposit at all, which helps a print business keep working capital free for stock and job costs. A larger deposit reduces the monthly payment, which matters more on a high-value digital or litho press than on smaller finishing kit. Print businesses with an established trading history and existing equipment can sometimes negotiate a lower deposit, particularly where the new machine is replacing an older one already financed with the same lender.

How quickly can I get printing equipment finance?

Most applications are approved within 24-48 hours once the lender has your accounts and the supplier's quote, and for deals under £100,000 same-day approval is common for an established print business. High-value presses, and deals for a newer business or a more complex finance structure, may take 5-7 working days as the lender looks more closely at trading history and the equipment's specification. Having your accounts, recent bank statements, and a clear quote from the supplier ready before you apply is the main thing that keeps this timeline short, more than the value of the machine itself.

Can I include installation costs in the finance?

Yes. Most lenders will include delivery, installation, and training costs in the finance agreement provided they're part of the supplier's invoice alongside the equipment itself, rather than needing to be paid separately upfront. This matters for a press or large-format printer, where installation can involve significant work such as levelling, power supply upgrades or crane access, and training operators properly before the machine goes into production. It's worth asking your supplier to itemise these costs clearly on the quote so the full project cost is captured in one finance application rather than leaving you to fund installation separately.

Can a new or newly established print business get finance?

It's possible, though the options are more limited than for an established printer with several years of accounts. Lenders will typically want a larger deposit, a personal guarantee from a director, or evidence of committed work such as signed customer contracts, to offset the extra risk of lending to a newer business. Print businesses migrating from a related trade, such as a designer or agency moving into in-house production, sometimes find lenders more receptive if they can show relevant experience even without a long trading history in printing specifically. Comparing several lenders is particularly useful here, since appetite for newer businesses varies significantly between them.

What happens if I sell the press or trade it in during the agreement?

You can't sell equipment that's still on hire purchase or lease finance without settling the outstanding balance first, since the lender retains an interest in it until the agreement ends. Most lenders will provide a settlement figure on request, and if you're upgrading to a newer press or a different type of equipment, many will let any shortfall or surplus from the trade-in be rolled into the new finance agreement rather than requiring it to be cleared in cash beforehand. It's worth requesting the settlement figure early in the process, since it affects what a dealer will actually offer for the existing machine against a new one.

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Printing Equipment Finance