Rent vs buy: the break-even calculator

Seeded with today's cheapest verified rental rates (2026-07-08). The formula is shown: check our math.

GPURental rate ($/hr)Hardware price to buy ($)Your usage (hours per week)Electricity price ($/kWh)Card power draw (watts)

Formula: break-even hours = hardware price ÷ (rental $/hr − electricity $/hr) whereelectricity $/hr = watts ÷ 1000 × $/kWh. Resale value, cooling and your time are not included: renting also means zero capex risk, buying means the card is yours at hour break-even+1.