Operating lease —
or more flexible long-term rental?
What operating leasing is, what it costs, who it pays off for — and when long-term rental is the better choice, where you get a new car from 20 610 Kč/month excl. VAT (for companies), with no down payment, for as little as 6 months.
What is operating leasing?
An operating lease is a form of financing similar to renting: the leasing company buys the car and lets you use it for an agreed period — usually 24–60 months — for a monthly payment. The car remains its property (and on its books) the whole time, and you return it at the end. The payment is based on the car's expected loss of value, so the leasing company bears the residual value risk.
The usual form is the full-service operating lease, where the payment also covers servicing, tyre changes and insurance. In return, the commitment is long, the annual mileage limit is fixed and early termination is usually expensive. That is why most providers offer it mainly to companies and fleets.
Operating lease, finance lease or long-term rental?
With a finance lease the car can be yours at the end of the term — it is practically a purchase in instalments. An operating lease and long-term rental, by contrast, are a fee for use: you do not acquire ownership, but always drive a new car. The difference is in flexibility:
| Operating lease | Financial lease | Long-term rental (CarAdvance) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For whom? | mainly for companies and fleets | for companies and private individuals | for companies and private individuals |
| Term | typically 24–60 months | typically 12–84 months | with us from just 6 months |
| Down payment | often yes (or a higher fee) | typically 10–30% | none, just a refundable deposit |
| Who owns the car? | the leasing company's; you return it at the end | can be yours at the end | the lessor's; you return it at the end |
| Residual value risk | the leasing company | partly yours with an open-end lease | no |
| Servicing, tyres, insurance | included in full-service mode | you pay separately | included |
| Mileage limit | fixed annual limit, fee for exceeding it | no limit | 2 000–4 000 km per month (depending on the car) |
| Early termination | usually expensive | by early repayment | short term, lower risk |
A general, indicative comparison — specific terms vary by provider and contract.
When to choose which option?
- Operating lease — if, as a company, you are planning for 3–5 years, have a larger fleet and are sure of your mileage.
- Finance lease — if you want the car to be yours at the end. Calculate it with the leasing calculator.
- Long-term rental — if you need flexibility: short commitment, no down payment, all costs in the fee and you can change the model at any time. Also available to private individuals.
Popular cars on long-term rental
Real monthly fees excl. VAT, with servicing, tax, insurance and tyres — from just 6 months.
Instead of an operating lease: long-term rental calculator
With fixed, real monthly fees — no residual value, no hidden costs.
An indicative calculation from current monthly fees. For a longer term we will prepare an individual offer.
Request an offerFrequently asked questions about operating leases
What is an operating lease?+
Operating leasing is a form of rental: the leasing company buys the car and lets you use it for an agreed period (usually 2–5 years) for a monthly payment. The car remains its property throughout, and you return it at the end. In the full-service version the payment also includes servicing, tyres and insurance.
What is the difference between an operating lease and a finance lease?+
With finance leasing you are practically buying the car in instalments: at the end of the term it can be yours. With operating leasing the car will never be yours — you only pay for its use, and the leasing company bears the residual value risk.
Can a private individual take out an operating lease too?+
Most providers offer it mainly to companies. For private individuals, a similar and more flexible solution is long-term rental — with us from just 6 months, with no down payment.
What is the difference between an operating lease and long-term rental?+
The principle is similar (you pay for use and return the car at the end), but long-term rental has a shorter commitment, no down payment and allows a more flexible change of model. Operating leasing is usually a longer contract of 3–5 years.
How is the operating lease payment calculated?+
Main components of the payment: the car's loss of value over the term (purchase price minus expected residual value), financing costs and, with full service, also servicing, tyres and insurance. With long-term rental you don't need to calculate this: the calculator below shows the total cost with fixed, real monthly fees.
Can the fee be claimed as a business expense?+
Both operating leasing payments and long-term rental fees can be claimed as business expenses. For passenger cars, restrictions on VAT deduction and other tax rules may apply — consult your accountant about the exact treatment.