IT financing for SAP Business One: leasing, hire purchase or rental
You do not have to pay for an ERP project all at once. This page shows the ways to finance SAP Business One, how they differ in ownership, accounting and liquidity, and which model suits which situation.
As of: 6 November 2026
On this page
The short answer
There are five ways to pay for SAP Business One: purchase from your own funds, purchase with a loan, leasing, hire purchase and rental as a cloud subscription. With leasing and rental you pay for use; with hire purchase the licenses become your property with the last installment. Which model costs you less depends on liquidity, accounting and taxes; discuss the tax side with your tax advisor.
The financing models in detail
Each card leads to its own page with the process, pros and cons, and frequently asked questions.
- Models comparedPurchase, loan, leasing, hire purchase and rental in one table: ownership, balance sheet, taxes and liquidity.Read more about Models compared
- LeasingUse it for fixed installments without tying up capital. What to agree on term and lease end.Read more about Leasing
- Hire purchasePay in installments, depreciate from day one and own the software after the last payment.Read more about Hire purchase
- Rental (cloud)SAP Business One as a cloud subscription from €38 per user and month, formerly known as ASP.Read more about Rental (cloud)
- Summary and checklistThe key points at a glance and ten questions to settle before you sign.Read more about Summary and checklist
Why companies finance their ERP project
Most of the money in an ERP implementation is spent at the start: licenses, consulting, data migration and training are due before the system delivers its first benefit. Financing spreads these costs over the years in which you work with SAP Business One.
- Liquidity: Capital remains available for inventory, staff or machinery.
- Predictability: Fixed installments are easy to plan in the budget.
- Project scope: You do not have to cut useful components such as training or data migration for budget reasons.
On the other hand, total costs are higher: every form of financing includes interest or a margin for the financing partner. A cash purchase is therefore almost always cheaper if the money is available and not needed elsewhere.
What can be financed
A project with SAP Business One consists of several cost items. Which of them a financing partner covers is set out in the respective contract. Ask explicitly about services and training, because unlike licenses and hardware they have no resale value.
- Licenses (Professional, Limited, Starter Package)
- Implementation: consulting, setup, data migration, customizing
- Training for key users and end users
- Hardware such as servers, if you run SAP Business One on premise
- Maintenance and support (ongoing)
For an idea of scale, our pricing page lists three project examples for implementation and licenses:
| Project | Scope | Implementation and license |
|---|---|---|
| Simple solution | Service company, approx. €2 million annual revenue, 4 users, implementation approx. 1 week | approx. €15,000 |
| Standard solution | Wholesale, approx. €10 million annual revenue, 8 users, implementation approx. 3–4 weeks | approx. €30,000–40,000 |
| Complex implementation | Manufacturing, approx. €20 million annual revenue, 20 users | approx. €60,000–80,000 |
Source: SAP Business One prices and costs, retrieved on 6 November 2026. You can estimate your own project costs with the ERP calculation.
Which model suits which situation?
| Your goal | Obvious model |
|---|---|
| Lowest total cost, capital available | Purchase from your own funds |
| Ownership and your own depreciation, spread payments | Hire purchase or purchase with a loan |
| Fixed installments, licenses not on your own balance sheet (German GAAP) | Leasing |
| No servers of your own, costs per user and month | Rental as a cloud subscription |
The differences in ownership, balance sheet, depreciation and VAT are shown in the comparison of financing models.
Four steps to the right financing
Determine project costs
Compile licenses, implementation, training and hardware if needed, for example with the ERP calculation or in a consultation.
Choose the model with your tax advisor
Purchase, leasing, hire purchase and rental affect the balance sheet, taxes and key figures differently. Your tax advisor should assess this for your company.
Compare offers
Obtain offers from your bank or a financing partner and compare total costs over the full term, not just the monthly installment.
Sign the contract before the project starts
Clarify when the first installment is due and which invoices the financing partner will pay before the first services are billed.
Frequently asked questions
Can SAP Business One be financed?
Yes. Besides a purchase from your own funds, a loan, leasing, hire purchase or rental as a cloud subscription are options. Which cost items a financing partner covers is set out in the respective contract.
What is the difference between leasing and hire purchase?
With leasing, the lessor remains the owner and you pay installments for use. With hire purchase, you are the beneficial owner from the start, depreciate the software yourself, and legal ownership passes to you with the last installment.
Can SAP Business One be rented?
Yes, as a cloud subscription with a monthly fee per user. According to our pricing page (as of October 2026), a Professional user costs €91, a Limited user €47 and a Starter Package user €38 per month. Implementation costs come on top.
Is financing more expensive than buying?
In total, usually yes, because interest or a margin for the financing partner is added. In return, your capital remains available and the costs are spread over the years of use. Compare the total costs over the full term.
Can implementation and training be financed too?
That depends on the financing partner. Because services have no resale value, check explicitly in the offer whether consulting, data migration and training are included.
Editorial team: init consulting AG, SAP Business One Gold Partner headquartered in Kösching near Ingolstadt, Germany, founded in 1999. Last reviewed on 6 November 2026. This page does not replace tax or legal advice.
