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Lease vs buy calculator: should I lease or buy a car?

Put a purchase and a lease side by side over the same stretch of time. See what each one actually costs you out of pocket, net of what the car is still worth — then decide with real numbers, not a sales pitch.

How long you'd have the car either way — usually the length of the lease (36 or 48 months is typical). Both options are measured over this same period.

If you buy

The loan is the purchase price minus this down payment.
If the loan is longer than the comparison period, the balance you'd still owe at the end is counted as a cost. (APR and term aren't needed if your down payment covers the whole price.)
Enter your own estimate if you have one. If you leave it blank, we use the same typical new car, industry-average depreciation curve as our Total Cost of Ownership Calculator — your specific model may hold value better or worse.

If you lease

Add together everything you pay at signing: the acquisition fee, the first month's payment, any down payment (also called a "cap cost reduction"), registration and documentation fees, and any security deposit you won't get back. Enter 0 if none.
This should match the comparison period above — if it doesn't, the comparison isn't apples-to-apples and we'll flag it.
The fee some leases charge when you hand the car back, if you know it. Leave at 0 if not.