Should you rent or buy a GPU?
Compare your own prices and usage. See total costs, monthly running costs, and when buying pays for itself.
Use the current rate for the GPU you need, including any required server charges.
Include the GPU, case, CPU, memory, storage and power supply you would buy.
Use measured power at the wall if available.
Your cost comparison
Example values are illustrative, not live market prices. Update them with current quotes before deciding. This simple model excludes resale value, repairs, cooling, internet, taxes, cloud storage and idle server charges.
How is break-even calculated?
Renting costs hourly rate × hours per month. Owning costs the hardware price upfront plus system watts ÷ 1000 × hours per month × electricity price each month. The break-even point is the hardware price divided by the monthly saving from owning. If electricity costs as much as or more than renting, buying never breaks even in this model.
What should you check before buying?
Compare GPUs with enough VRAM for your workload, then verify current rental availability and hardware quotes. A cheap cloud rate may come with limited availability or additional storage and transfer fees. Buying can make sense for frequent, predictable use; renting keeps the upfront cost low and makes it easier to switch GPUs.