Lease-to-own · $500 – $3,500Take it home now.
Own it in twelve months — or ninety days.
For the sofa, the washer, the laptop — when a loan isn't on the table. No credit needed, approval in minutes, return it any time. We'll also tell you what it really costs, because most lease-to-own pages won't.
A lease with a buy button
Lease-to-own isn't a loan, so there's no APR and no credit requirement. The provider buys the item and leases it to you; every payment moves you closer to owning it, and you can stop and return it at any point.
Pick the item at a participating retailer
Furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics, tires, jewelry — online or in store.
Soft check, approval in minutes
Income and checking account matter; your score doesn't. A first payment is due at signing.
Pay weekly, bi-weekly or monthly
Own it after 12 months — or buy it out early, which is where the savings are.
What a $1,200 sofa really costs
Same sofa, three ways to pay. The agreement you sign shows these figures for your item — read the total of payments, not the weekly amount.
Illustrative. Lease totals vary by provider and state (commonly 1.6×–2.4× the cash price over a full term); early-purchase windows are typically 90–100 days. Loan figures use our representative APR; your offer may differ. Rates & fees · Full comparison
When lease-to-own makes sense
- You can pay it off inside the early-buyout windowThen it's roughly the cash price. This is the whole game.
- A loan was declined and the item can't waitA dead fridge, a mattress, a work laptop.
- You want the option to walk awayReturn the item, owe nothing more.
- You'll need the full 12 monthsAt ~2× sticker, an installment loan — even at a high APR — is cheaper.
- You're hoping to build creditMost providers don't report. A reporting lender does.
What you own, and when
Until the last payment, the provider owns the item and you're leasing it. These are the four moments that matter in every agreement.
- Day 0First payment at signing. You take the item home.
- ~Day 90Early-purchase window closes. Buy out for the cash price + fee.
- Any dayReturn the item, end the lease, owe nothing further.
- Month 12Final lease payment. Ownership transfers to you.
The honest comparison
Lease-to-own wins when
Credit is the blocker. No minimum score, approval leans on income.
You'll pay it off in 90 days. Then it costs about what the store charges.
You want an exit. Return the item and stop — no collections, no deficiency.
An installment loan wins when
You need the full year. $1,447 vs. ~$2,500 on the sofa above — and that's at our high representative APR.
You need cash, not an item. Loans go to your account; leases go to a store.
You want it on your credit report. Reporting lenders turn on-time payments into history. Installment loans
Before you sign a lease
Is lease-to-own a loan?
No. It is a lease with an option to buy. The provider owns the item; you make weekly, bi-weekly or monthly lease payments and own it after the full 12-month term, or earlier by paying the buyout price. Because it isn't a loan there is no APR — the cost is expressed as the total of lease payments.
Is there a credit check?
Providers run a soft check and look mainly at income and your checking account. No minimum credit score is required, which is why lease-to-own is often approved when loans aren't. Bad credit loans
How much does it really cost?
Over the full 12 months, the total of lease payments is commonly 1.6 to 2.4 times the retail price. The early-purchase option — usually within 90 to 100 days — brings the cost close to the sticker price plus a small fee. The lease agreement shows the cash price, the total of payments and the early buyout schedule before you sign.
What is the 90-day early purchase option?
Most agreements let you own the item for the cash price plus a processing fee if you pay within roughly 90 days. It is the only way lease-to-own is cheap; if you can't realistically pay it off in that window, an installment loan is usually less expensive.
What if I can't keep paying?
You can return the item and end the lease with no further payments owed, which is the main protection a lease offers over a loan. Payments already made are not refunded.
Does lease-to-own build credit?
Usually not. Most lease-to-own providers do not report to the major credit bureaus. If building credit matters, an installment loan from a reporting lender does more.
See your lease-to-own limit
Soft check, approval in minutes, and the real total printed before you sign. If a loan would cost you less, we'll show you that too.
Checking your eligibility does not affect your credit score.