How Managed Print Services Compare to Leasing

Many offices use printers every day but don’t realize there’s a significant difference between managed print services and printer leasing, and that mix-up often leads to unnecessary costs and downtime. While both give you access to equipment, the service, support, and value you get vary widely. Learn more about the key differences and how Superior Office Solutions (SOS) can help you choose the right fit.

What Is Printer Leasing?

Printer leasing is pretty straightforward: you rent a copier or multifunction printer (MFP) for a fixed term (usually three to five years) at a flat monthly rate. You don’t own the device, but you get to use it like you do.

This model typically includes the equipment, basic maintenance, and often a limited number of service calls. Supplies like toner or paper may or may not be bundled in, depending on the provider. Leasing appeals to organizations that want predictable costs without the capital expense of buying a machine outright.

In short, leasing gives you access to hardware, but managing the day-to-day upkeep, supply ordering, and troubleshooting often falls back on your team.

What Are Managed Print Services?

Managed print services, on the other hand, offer a much broader solution. Instead of just supplying you with equipment, MPS providers take over the entire print environment. That includes installation, maintenance, automated supply replenishment, print tracking, performance reporting, and even workflow optimization.

With MPS, you’re outsourcing the burden of managing it, rather than simply leasing a machine. The goal is to reduce the time and money you spend babysitting your printers while keeping everything running smoothly and securely.

If leasing is about access, managed print services are about efficiency, visibility, and long-term value.

What Sets Them Apart?

The differences between printer leasing and managed print services aren’t always obvious on paper, but they show up fast in day-to-day operations. Here are the key ways the two options diverge:

1. Service and Support

With a basic lease, service tends to be reactive. Something breaks, you call someone, and they eventually come fix it. You’re often responsible for monitoring your supplies and printer health yourself. If you’re lucky, support is included. If not, you’re paying extra for every visit.

MPS flips this. Your provider tracks the device status in real time, proactively schedules maintenance, and ships toner before you run out. You don’t have to think about it—just print and move on.

2. Cost Control

Leasing gives you a flat monthly fee for the device, but doesn’t always include all the consumables or maintenance. It can be tough to track your real costs, especially if departments order supplies independently or overuse color printing.

Managed print services give you visibility. You’ll see exactly what’s being printed, by whom, and where the money’s going. That opens the door for smarter rules, reduced waste, and clear reporting.

3. Scalability

Leasing works best when your print environment stays relatively stable. If your business expands or your needs shift mid-contract, changes can get expensive.

With MPS, scaling up or down is built in. You can add or remove devices, reconfigure based on usage, and adapt to your team’s real needs without upending your entire agreement.

When Leasing Might Be the Right Call

Despite its limitations, leasing still has a place, especially for smaller offices or businesses with very light print needs. If you’re only running a couple of devices, don’t print high volumes, and have in-house IT support to handle issues, leasing may make sense.

It’s also a reasonable short-term strategy for temporary teams, remote offices, or startups trying to control fixed expenses while keeping things simple.

Still, it’s important to remember that leasing may look cheaper upfront, but the hidden costs of manual supply management, reactive service, and inefficiencies can add up over time.

Do you operate a nonprofit? Find out how nonprofits are using managed print services to cut expenses and improve workflows.

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When Managed Print Services Deliver More Value

For organizations that rely heavily on print, especially in healthcare, law, education, or finance, managed print services are almost always the better option.

Let’s look at a few common signs your business would benefit from MPS:

You’re constantly ordering toner last-minute or running out.
Your IT team spends too much time dealing with printer issues.
You have little visibility into how much you’re spending, or where.
Different departments are using different machines, with no standardization.
You need to meet strict compliance standards (like HIPAA or FERPA).

MPS helps address all of these by giving you centralized control, predictable costs, and far less manual intervention. And for organizations managing multiple locations, it ensures consistent equipment, support, and performance across the board.

Hybrid Options Exist And Work

Here’s something most businesses don’t know: you don’t have to pick one or the other. At Superior Office Solutions, we often design hybrid models that combine leasing and managed print services based on the unique needs of each location, team, or device.

For example, a high-traffic reception area may be fully managed, while a backup printer in the warehouse operates on a basic lease. You get the right level of service where it matters most, without overpaying for areas with minimal print needs.

How SOS Helps You Choose (and Manage) the Right Model

Choosing between printer leasing and managed print services shouldn’t feel like guesswork. That’s why we start every engagement with a full print environment assessment. We look at:

Device usage and placement
Supply ordering patterns
Maintenance history
Security and compliance needs
Growth projections

From there, we build a solution that fits your business’s future. Whether that’s a lease agreement, a full MPS rollout, or a combination of both, we tailor the plan to match your workflow, budget, and goals.

We also stick around. With SOS, you’re not just leasing hardware, but partnering with a team that monitors performance, handles service calls, manages supplies, and ensures your print strategy continues to deliver value long after install day.

The Bottom Line

Leasing and managed print services both offer ways to equip your office with the printing power it needs. But what you’re really choosing between is ownership vs. oversight. Do you want to just use the machine? Or, do you want to get the most out of it, with less stress, more control, and better results?

Partner With SOS for Expert Managed Print Services

SOS helps businesses get clarity, cut waste, and take control of their print environment. If you’re not sure which direction to go, or suspect your current setup is costing you more than it should, let’s talk.

Reach out today for a free print assessment, and we’ll help you build the right strategy from the ground up.