Equipment finance for a new business: cameras, printers, machines and more

The right piece of equipment can change what a young business is capable of. A second 3D printer doubles output. A proper camera and lighting kit lifts content quality enough to win brand deals. A commercial label printer and packing bench can halve the time each order takes. The question is how to pay for it without draining the cash the business runs on.

What kind of equipment do young businesses fund?

The gear varies wildly by business model, but most requests fall into a few buckets:

Business type	Typical equipment
Online stores	Label printers, scales, packing benches, shelving, barcode scanners
Creators	Cameras, lenses, lighting, audio, editing machines, studio fit-out
Makers	3D printers, laser cutters, kilns, sewing machines, heat presses
Food and drink brands	Commercial kitchen gear, filling and labelling machines, cool rooms
Service startups	Laptops, specialised software set-ups, vehicles for site work

The best purchases share one trait: they directly lift capacity, quality or margin. Gear that mostly makes the business feel more real, but doesn’t change what it can produce or sell, is harder to justify with borrowed money.

How does the instant asset write-off affect timing?

For the 2025–26 income year, the ATO confirms that businesses with aggregated annual turnover under $10 million can immediately deduct the business portion of eligible assets that cost less than $20,000 each. The asset must be first used or installed ready for use between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026. The limit is per asset, so several qualifying items can each be written off.

Two cautions. First, a deduction reduces taxable income; it isn’t a refund of the purchase price. Second, buying something you don’t need just to claim a deduction is still spending money you don’t have to spend. Let the business case drive the purchase, and let the write-off shape the timing if you were buying anyway. Your accountant can confirm how it applies to you.

How do lenders look at equipment for a new business?

The options depend mostly on how long you’ve been trading and whether you own property.

Established trading, no property. If the business has a run of steady statements, an unsecured loan or line of credit sized on turnover can cover equipment along with other working capital. These typically range from $5,000 to $500,000.

Newer business, property equity. A property-secured business loan from $20,000 can fund equipment where trading history is still thin, because the security carries more of the weight. The trade-off is putting that property on the line, so the plan needs to hold up.

Specialist equipment funders. Some lenders finance the asset itself, particularly vehicles and machinery with a strong resale market. Niche creator or maker gear can be harder to fund this way.

If you know the equipment and the amount, see what you might qualify for. It’s a short enquiry with no credit check.

Should I buy, lease or borrow?

There isn’t one right answer, but the comparison is simple if you’re disciplined about it:

• Buy outright with cash when the gear is cheap relative to your cash position and you won’t need that cash for stock or ads soon.
• Borrow to buy when the gear will last well beyond the loan term and directly lifts revenue or margin.
• Lease when the tech dates quickly, when you might need to upgrade within a couple of years, or when preserving cash matters most.

Compare the total dollar cost over the period you’ll actually use the equipment, not the monthly figure. A low monthly payment over a long term can cost more overall.

Illustrative example: a maker’s second production machine

Illustrative only. A Melbourne maker sells custom 3D-printed homewares and has a four-week order backlog. A second commercial printer, spare parts and a ventilated enclosure would cost about $14,500 installed. The business has traded for 11 months with steady statements through a business account.

The maker estimates the second machine will clear the backlog in six weeks and lift monthly contribution by about $2,800. Because each item is under $20,000 and the machine will be installed before 30 June, the write-off may help at tax time, subject to her accountant’s advice. The funding conversation centres on whether the extra contribution comfortably covers repayments, which, on these numbers, it does.

What paperwork helps an equipment request?

The clearer the picture, the faster the answer. For an equipment purchase, have these ready:

• A quote or invoice from the supplier, with model, price and delivery or installation costs.
• What the equipment does for the business, in a sentence or two: more output, better quality, new product line.
• The expected lift, even roughly: extra orders per month, time saved, or higher prices you can charge.
• Business bank statements, usually the last six months or so.
• Details of any property you might offer as security, if trading history is short.

For creators, a list of current brand partnerships or platform income helps show how gear links to revenue. For makers, a backlog or waitlist is persuasive evidence that more capacity would sell. Keep receipts and records for tax purposes too; they support any write-off claim at the end of the year.

If you’re very new, read business loan with under six months trading for how lenders see early-stage equipment requests.

Equipment that earns its keep

If a piece of gear would unlock more output, better quality or healthier margins, it’s worth finding out how to fund it sensibly. Start your enquiry in about a minute. Asking is free of any credit check, one specialist handles it rather than a list of lenders, and a real person will call to walk through the options. Please fill in the form as accurately as you can — especially time trading, turnover and any property — so we can match you the first time. Creators may also want to read creator business finance, and makers marketplace and maker loans.