Tablet and mobile device finance
Put tablets and rugged handhelds into the hands of field engineers, drivers and shop floor teams without the fleet cost landing in one month.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a tablet and mobile device?
Yes, though tablets are about the softest asset in the sector. They are small, portable, carried off site daily, and worth very little once used, so no funder is relying on the hardware. What they are lending against is your business: filed accounts, trading history and bank conduct. Agreements are normally lease or hire purchase. Used devices are rarely funded. The uncomfortable detail is that the device management software, the mobile data contracts and the application licences usually cost more over time than the tablets did, and those sit outside the equipment agreement.
Used kit: Rarely. Refurbished tablets are abundant and cheap, which removes any reason for a funder to take them as security; where they are financed at all, the decision rests entirely on the business.
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What would a tablet and mobile device cost per month?
Asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what the buttons show, with the equivalent APR beside it. Your exact rate depends on the asset, the term, the deposit and the lender.
Prime is an established, profitable business with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining — the asset itself carries part of the risk, which is why finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 5.15% flat rate (equivalent to 9.9% APR representative), you would repay around £628 a month; total amount repayable approximately £30,150, of which £5,150 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Rates shown are indicative flat rates with the equivalent APR alongside — the two are not the same number. Indicative only and does not constitute a quote or an offer of finance. Subject to status and lender approval.
How lenders treat it
I will not dress this up. A fleet of tablets is unsecured lending with a schedule attached. They leave the premises every morning, they get damaged, they are trivially easy to sell privately, and their trade value after a year is close to nothing. I fund them because the businesses buying them are usually doing something sensible — digitising a paper process that costs them money — not because the hardware protects me. So I want to see the accounts, how long you have traded and whether the fleet size makes sense against headcount. Rugged devices interest me slightly more than consumer tablets, because they cost more, last longer and are plainly tools rather than perks.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Apple iPad with mobile data | Tablet for mobile and field teams |
| Apple iPad Pro 13-inch | Tablet for design and site work |
| Microsoft Surface Pro | Detachable tablet computer for staff |
| Microsoft Surface Go | Compact tablet computer for light use |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 | Rugged Android tablet for field work |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 | Android tablet for office and sales teams |
| Zebra ET60 rugged tablet | Rugged tablet for warehouses and vans |
| Zebra TC53 handheld | Rugged handheld computer for operations |
| Honeywell CT47 mobile computer | Rugged handheld for logistics teams |
| Panasonic Toughbook G2 | Rugged detachable tablet for harsh sites |
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Who buys one
Field service companies replacing paper job sheets, logistics operators needing proof of delivery, construction firms running site inspections and snagging, and retailers giving floor staff stock lookup. Care providers use them for visit logging and medication records. The trigger is usually a client or regulator wanting auditable digital records, or the realisation that re-keying paperwork in the office costs more each year than equipping the field team properly.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
We publish the deals we arrange, with no client named and no rate quoted. See what we have funded in IT and office equipment.
How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Tablet and mobile device finance questions
Can we finance tablets with the mobile data included?
The devices can be financed; the airtime almost always cannot. Mobile data is a monthly service from your network provider and is consumed rather than owned, so it sits outside an asset agreement. Some suppliers offer a bundled device and airtime contract, which is a telecoms arrangement rather than asset finance.
Is a rugged handheld a better funding proposition than a consumer tablet?
Slightly. Rugged devices carry higher unit values, survive years of field use and are clearly work tools, so a funder reads the purchase as operational rather than discretionary. The asset security is still negligible, but the overall application tends to be viewed more favourably than an equivalent spend on consumer hardware.
What if devices get lost or damaged during the agreement?
The finance commitment continues regardless, which is worth understanding before you sign. Replacing lost or broken units is your responsibility and usually handled through insurance or a supplier support plan. Budget for breakage in field environments, since it is a normal operating cost rather than an exception.
Can device management software be funded alongside?
Where it is purchased up front for a fixed period it can often be included in the project. Where it is a rolling monthly subscription it stays separate. Funders place no value on the licence itself, but including it gives a complete picture of the rollout, which helps an underwriter understand the purchase.
Is it worth financing a small number of tablets?
Usually not on their own, and we would tell you so rather than waste your time. The sums are small enough that a business card or unsecured facility is simpler. Where tablets form part of a larger technology project, folding them into the same application makes much more sense.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
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Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Get your quote
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 0333 772 4864 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.