Rent or buy an aerial work platform? The decision by utilisation, costs and obligations
Whether you should rent or buy an aerial work platform depends above all on utilisation: below around 150 days of use per year, renting is usually more economical; from around 250 days of use, buying can pay off. In between, three points tip the balance — how many different types you need, who organises inspection and maintenance, and how much capital you want to tie up.
Many companies face the question at some point: the rented aerial work platform was in use a lot this year, the rental invoices are adding up — would a machine of your own be cheaper? The honest answer depends on what costs arise in addition to the purchase price and whether the one purchased machine really covers all jobs. This guide shows the calculation, the owner's costs and the hybrid models in between.
Luibl knows both sides: Luibl Rental rents out aerial work platforms throughout Europe, while new and used machines are sold via luibl.net. You can find all rental machines on the page Rent an aerial work platform.
Utilisation decides: below around 150 days of use, renting an aerial work platform usually pays off more than buying
A purchased machine costs money even when it is standing idle. A rented one only costs money while it is working. This leads to the basic rule: the more often and the more evenly a machine is needed during the year, the sooner buying pays off.
Experience from the rental business results in three zones:
- Below around 150 days of use per year: renting is as a rule cheaper. This applies to most construction, trade and installation companies that need a platform on a project basis.
- Around 150 to 250 days of use: the decision depends on the machine class, purchase price and owner costs. A detailed calculation is worthwhile here.
- Above around 250 days of use: a machine that works almost daily at the same location — for example in the maintenance of a plant — can pay off as an owned asset.
Only count genuine days of use of the same type and height class. Twenty days with a 10-metre scissor lift and thirty days with a 26-metre articulating boom lift are not fifty days for one machine.
Anyone who buys an aerial work platform carries five cost blocks in addition to the purchase price
The purchase price is only the visible part. These five items belong in every comparison calculation:
1. Tied-up capital and depreciation
The money for the machine is no longer available for other investments. On top of that comes the annual loss in value, which you depreciate over the service life.
2. Inspection and maintenance
Mobile elevating work platforms must be inspected at least once a year by a person qualified to carry out inspections in accordance with BetrSichV § 14 and DGUV Rule 100-500. Added to this are maintenance according to the manufacturer's specifications, wear parts, batteries for electric machines and repairs. When renting, the rental company takes care of this organisation — when buying, the owner does.
3. Transport
A machine of your own has to be brought to every construction site. If you do not have a suitable low-loader, you still pay for transport, only now to a haulier.
4. Insurance and storage
Machinery insurance, a secure parking space, and for electric machines a charging point in winter.
5. Downtime and the wrong type
The purchased platform does not suit every job. It then stands in the yard while you still rent for the job. In practice, this is the largest hidden cost block.
Renting provides the right aerial work platform for every job – without organising inspections and storage
The biggest advantage of renting is not the price per day, but the choice. A company that works sometimes in a hall and sometimes on a facade does not need one platform, but several. The Luibl rental fleet includes Scissor Lifts from 6.30 to 34 m, Articulating Boom Lifts up to 48.15 m, Telescopic Boom Lifts up to 56.90 m as well as Mast Lifts, Spider Lifts and Truck-Mounted Platforms — in each case the machine the job requires. Which type suits which task is explained in the decision guide Which aerial work platform for which job?
In addition, there is what you do not have to organise when renting:
- Inspection: every rental platform is handed over with valid proof of inspection.
- Transport: Luibl Rental delivers with its own low-loader fleet from Passau and via a network of more than 200 locations.
- Maintenance and breakdowns: maintenance and repair are the responsibility of the rental company.
- Liquidity: no capital is tied up; you only pay for the period of use.
What renting actually costs is shown in the guide Rental costs for aerial work platforms.
Calculation: how to determine the break-even point between renting and buying an aerial work platform
The break-even calculation compares the annual costs of ownership with the rental costs for the same number of days of use. You need five values for this:
| Value | Where to get it |
|---|---|
| A Purchase price of the machine | Dealer's quote |
| B Service life in years | Planning or depreciation table |
| C Annual owner costs (inspection, maintenance, insurance, storage, transport) | Calculation or empirical values |
| D Expected residual value after the service life | Dealer, used market |
| E Effective daily rental rate for your typical rental period | Rental quote |
Annual ownership costs = (A − D) ÷ B + C Break-even in days of use = Annual ownership costs ÷ E
If your expected utilisation is well below the result, renting is cheaper. If it is well above, buying pays off.
The right rental value E is important: anyone who bundles their jobs rents by the week or month. A weekly rental costs around 4–5 daily rates, a monthly rental around 12–15 daily rates — the effective daily rate is then well below the single-day price. You should therefore use the value that matches your actual rental pattern. Capital costs and the risk of downtime are not yet included in this simple calculation; both shift the break-even point further in favour of renting.
Buy for base demand, rent for peaks and special equipment: the hybrid model
Between buying outright and renting outright lies the model that many larger companies choose:
- Base demand owned: the one platform that is needed almost every day — for example a small electric scissor lift for building services in your own plant.
- Long-term rental for plannable additional demand: machines that stand on a project for months, at tiered rates.
- Short-term rental for peaks and special cases: great heights, Spider Lifts for difficult ground or Truck-Mounted Platforms for changing sites — equipment that would never be fully utilised as an owned asset.
This keeps your own machine fully utilised, and the right type is available for all other tasks. Whether buying pays off for your base demand is clarified by the Luibl sales team via luibl.net.
Buying a used aerial work platform: these six documents and checkpoints are part of it
A used aerial work platform lowers the purchase price, but shifts risk to the buyer. Check before buying:
- Inspection log and last inspection: records of the periodic inspections and the rectification of defects.
- EC declaration of conformity and CE marking: proof of compliance with the Machinery Directive and DIN EN 280.
- Operating manual in German, complete and matching the machine.
- Operating hours and maintenance history: show how intensively the machine has been used.
- Condition of hydraulics, boom or scissor stack and chassis: leaks, cracks, play in the joints.
- Battery condition for electric machines: a battery replacement can account for a considerable part of the purchase price.
For used machines from a commercial rental fleet, the inspection and maintenance history is usually documented — ask specifically for it. You can find offers via luibl.net.
The operator obligations apply equally whether the aerial work platform is bought or rented
Whether rented or bought: the obligations towards the operators remain with the company that uses the platform. Only the obligations relating to the machine are distributed differently.
| Obligation | When renting | When buying |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification of operators (DGUV Principle 308-008) | Hirer | Owner |
| Written assignment | Hirer | Owner |
| Machine-specific briefing | Rental company at handover, hirer ensures it | Owner |
| Periodic inspection (at least annually) | Rental company | Owner |
| Maintenance and repair | Rental company | Owner |
| Risk assessment at the site | Hirer | Owner |
| PPE against falls from height (PSAgA) for the operator | Hirer | Owner |
What operators have to prove is explained in the guide IPAF and operator card.
Rent an aerial work platform from Luibl Rental, buy via luibl.net
Tell us about your typical jobs and the expected number of days of use per year. For renting, you will receive an itemised quote including transport; for buying, the sales team will present new and used machines to you via luibl.net.
Rent an aerial work platform — all types · Rent aerial work platforms · Request a rental quote now →
Frequently asked questions: rent or buy an aerial work platform?
When does it pay to buy an aerial work platform?
Usually only from around 150 to 250 days of use per year with the same type and height class. Below that, renting is as a rule cheaper, because there are no costs for inspection, maintenance, storage and downtime.
Is a used aerial work platform a good alternative to renting?
Only with high, even utilisation. The lower purchase price does not change anything about inspection, maintenance and transport, and the risk of repairs increases with the age of the machine.
Who is responsible for the UVV inspection of a rented aerial work platform?
The rental company. Luibl Rental hands over every aerial work platform with valid proof of inspection and organises the repeat inspection for long-term rentals.
Do operators need a different qualification for a purchased aerial work platform?
No. The same qualification in accordance with DGUV Principle 308-008 or the PAL Card with the appropriate category applies to purchased and rented platforms, together with a written assignment and a briefing.
Can I rent and buy aerial work platforms from Luibl?
Yes. Luibl Rental rents out aerial work platforms throughout Europe via luibl.eu, while new and used machines are sold via luibl.net.