Subscription vs Buy Break-even Calculator

About this calculator

This calculator finds the break-even point between paying a recurring subscription and making a one-time purchase: months to break even = purchase price / monthly subscription cost. Past that many months, the one-time purchase ends up cheaper than continuing to pay the subscription.

Consumers comparing software licences versus SaaS plans, streaming versus buying media, or leasing versus buying equipment use it to decide which option saves money given their expected usage horizon. Enter the purchase price and the subscription's monthly (or periodic) cost to see exactly when buying wins.