Renting or leasing fitness equipment: how does it work for your business?
Written by Thibaud Martens, fitness advisor at Fitnessdepot
Renting or leasing fitness equipment through Fitnessdepot means your company can use a complete gym for a fixed monthly amount, instead of paying everything at once. This option is available for businesses with a VAT or company number.
You choose a term between 24 and 60 months, a down payment is not mandatory, and you select the residual value yourself: 5% or 16%. Delivery, installation, and maintenance can be included in the monthly amount. Complete gyms are available from € 150 per month.
Below you can read how renting and leasing work, who it is interesting for, what choices you can make yourself, and how a project proceeds from the initial consultation to the installed gym.
Why do companies choose renting or leasing?
Setting up or upgrading a gym requires a significant investment. Strength equipment, racks, cardio, sports flooring, and installation quickly add up to tens of thousands of euros. Not every company wants to tie up that amount of capital in equipment all at once.
- No large upfront investment. You spread the cost across fixed monthly payments.
- Your cash flow remains free. The money you do not tie up in equipment can be used for staff, marketing, or interior design.
- Professional equipment right away. You do not have to compromise on quality to keep the initial investment low. For a PT studio or corporate gym, this exudes professionalism from day one.
- Predictable costs. One fixed monthly amount, which can also include installation and maintenance.
Renting or leasing: what is the difference?
With renting (operational rental), you rent the equipment and pay monthly for its use. With leasing, you finance the equipment over a fixed term and can acquire it at the end of the contract for the agreed residual value. In both cases, you pay a fixed monthly amount and do not need to invest upfront.
Which formula fits best depends on your company and your plans. It is best to discuss how to process this accounting-wise with your accountant. We will run the simulation so you can compare the figures side by side.
What choices do you make yourself?
Within the formula, you tailor three parameters to your situation:
| Parameter | Options | Effect on your monthly payment |
|---|---|---|
| Term | 24 to 60 months | Longer means a lower monthly payment |
| Down payment | Not mandatory | A down payment lowers your monthly payment |
| Residual value | 5% or 16% | A higher residual value lowers your monthly payment, but you pay more upon acquisition at the end |
For a starting PT studio, a low monthly payment is often more important than a low residual value. An established club or company might prefer to pay off faster. After the credit check, you will receive a proposal with clear terms and monthly payments.
Installation and maintenance included in the monthly fee
A question we often get: can the installation be included in the financing? Yes. Delivery, assembly of the equipment, installation of the sports flooring and finishing of the room can all be part of the renting or leasing package. This means you do not have to pay those costs upfront either.
The same goes for maintenance. We inspect the equipment, lubricate moving parts and carry out minor repairs where necessary. If you include this in the contract, you will have a single fixed monthly fee for use, installation and service. So you start with:
- professional equipment;
- a fully installed gym, set up by our own team;
- a single fixed monthly fee.
Who is renting or leasing fitness equipment interesting for?
The formula is exclusively for business users with a VAT or company number, such as:
- personal trainers starting their own studio;
- companies looking to build a corporate fitness facility;
- hotels and hospitality projects wanting to offer a compact yet high-quality gym;
- physiotherapy and physical therapy practices;
- gyms and clubs looking to expand without blocking their cash flow;
- wellness centres.
Whether you have a small studio or a large enterprise, the contract is tailored to your project.
How does it work, step by step?
- Introduction and space analysis. We review the space, your goals and the number of users together. By appointment, we can also visit the location to take measurements.
- Proposal with a 3D drawing. We assemble the equipment, racks, flooring and accessories and create a free 3D drawing so you can see in advance how everything fits.
- Quotation and leasing simulation. You receive a quotation and a simulation of your monthly fee based on the duration, down payment and residual value you choose.
- Application and approval. We submit the application. After the credit check, you will receive the final proposal.
- Delivery and installation. Our own team delivers and installs everything, and takes the packaging back with them.
If you want an idea of the budget first, use the corporate fitness price configurator. You can calculate your monthly fee via the renting and leasing page.
What equipment can you lease?
Basically everything that belongs in a professional gym: racks and all-in-one stations, cable stations, weight benches, dumbbell sets, cardio equipment, sports flooring and accessories. We work with brands such as Martech, DKN Technology, Concept2 and VB Rubber.
In a compact corporate or hotel gym, we often choose a multifunctional rack as the centrepiece, such as the Martech M8 2.0 Ace (€ 3,750) or the Martech M10 (€ 5,250), supplemented with a dumbbell set from 5 to 40 kg (€ 2,350) and a Concept2 RowErg (€ 1,195).
Practical tip: include the sports floor and installation directly in the contract. Those who pay for these separately and in advance lose a large part of the benefit of spreading the costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I lease fitness equipment as an individual?
No, renting and leasing via Fitnessdepot is exclusively for businesses with a VAT or company number, such as companies, PT studios, practices, hotels, and gyms.
What is the term of a leasing contract for fitness equipment?
You can choose a term between 24 and 60 months; the longer the term, the lower your monthly amount.
Do I have to pay a down payment?
No, a down payment is not mandatory, but it can lower your monthly amount.
What happens at the end of the contract?
With leasing, you can acquire the equipment at the end for the residual value you chose at the start, which is 5% or 16% of the value.
Is installation included in the monthly amount?
Yes, delivery, assembly of the equipment, installation of the sports floor, and, if desired, maintenance can be included in the renting or leasing package.
How much does it cost to lease a gym per month?
This depends on the equipment, the term, the down payment, and the residual value, but complete gyms are available from € 150 per month; after the space analysis, you will receive a customized simulation.
Read also: building a corporate gym in steps and the customer case setting up corporate fitness for 100+ employees. You can find more about our approach for businesses at tailored corporate fitness.
Ready to calculate? Request a customized proposal with a free 3D design and leasing simulation, or schedule a free space analysis.
Updated on November 1, 2026.
