Rent vs buy
Should you rent or buy your AV gear?
The honest answer to rent vs buy AV equipment: it comes down to how often the gear goes out. Here’s a break-even you can run on your own numbers, when each option wins, and how to get a rental quote if renting is the answer.
Need it for one event? Rent it.
Scope the package in the quote calculator, then send the inquiry. Rentals come from Harris Production Services, the AV company that builds GigLogix.
The math
The break-even in one line
Divide what the gear costs to buy by what it costs to rent for a day. That’s how many rental days it takes before owning pays off, before the costs of owning.
Worked example
- Purchase price
- $5,000
- Day rate at 5% of replacement value
- $250/day
- Rental days to break even
- 20
Then add storage, maintenance, insurance, transport, and the time spent prepping it, and subtract what you could sell it for later. 5% a day is a common rule of thumb, not a rate card, so use real quotes.
The honest split
When each one wins
Neither answer is always right. It depends on how busy the gear would be.
Rent when
- You need the gear for one event, or a handful a year
- The show is out of town and freight plus spares would eat the savings
- It’s a specialist piece, like a line array or a large-venue projector, you’d use a few times a year
- You want it prepped, tested, and supported instead of sitting in your storage unit
- Cash matters more than owning the asset this quarter
Buy when
- The same kit goes out every week and stays busy
- You have somewhere to store it, someone to maintain it, and a way to track it
- You keep paying to sub-rent the same pieces
- The piece holds its value and you can sell it when you move on
Already own gear?
See what your gear earns
GigLogix tracks every unit by serial number and reports on equipment utilization and job profitability. When it’s time to decide whether to buy more or rent, you’re working from your own numbers.
A Harris Production Services offer
Add dedicated venue WiFi to your AV rental.
Renting AV from Harris Production Services for an event? Ask us to add dedicated WiFi for the same dates and we’ll quote it as one package. The network runs on Cisco Meraki and switches on for your event dates.
This is a rental service from Harris Production Services in NJ and PA, not a GigLogix software plan. Event WiFi in GigLogix software is coming soon: join the waitlist.
A Harris Production Services offer
Local help from Harris Production Services
The AV company that builds GigLogix also rents gear and runs event WiFi in South Jersey and the Philly suburbs.
Same-day support
Something goes wrong on show day? You get an answer the same day, not a ticket number.
Pickup — Atlantic City, NJ
Pick up gear or drop off returns at the Atlantic City shop.
Pickup — West Chester, PA
Same deal west of Philadelphia, at the West Chester shop.
FAQ
Rent vs buy questions
When does it make sense to rent AV equipment instead of buying?
Rent when the gear would sit idle most of the year: one-off events, specialist pieces, or out-of-town shows where freight and spares add up. Buy when the same kit goes out every week and you can store, maintain, and track it.
How do I work out the rent vs buy break-even?
Divide the purchase price by the daily rental rate. A $5,000 package that rents for $250 a day breaks even after 20 rental days. Then add what ownership really costs: storage, maintenance, insurance, transport, and the gear’s resale value.
How do I get a rental quote?
Scope the package in the free AV quote calculator, then send the details through the contact page. Harris Production Services, the AV company that builds GigLogix, rents gear in South Jersey and the Philadelphia area and sends back a real quote.
Can I bundle venue WiFi with an AV rental?
Yes. Rent AV from Harris Production Services and ask for dedicated WiFi for the same event, and we quote it as one package. The WiFi runs on Cisco Meraki and switches on for your event dates.
What if something breaks during my event?
Rentals come with same-day support, and you can pick up or swap gear locally in Atlantic City, NJ or West Chester, PA instead of waiting on a shipped replacement.
Run the numbers, then talk to us.
The quote calculator is free. The rental inquiry takes a couple of minutes.