AS/RS (Automated Storage) financing. Soft-pull pre-qualification, no credit impact.
AS/RS (Automated Storage) financing covers loans, leases, and equipment finance agreements (EFAs) for businesses purchasing as/rs (automated storage) in the material handling category. Average asset price is about $1,500,000. Typical terms 36 to 84 months with a typical replacement cycle of 15 years.
Below we cover rates by credit tier, qualifying documentation, used-vs-new dynamics, Section 179 implications, and how to compare lenders on this equipment.
| Average asset price | $1,500,000 |
| Typical term length | 36 to 84 months |
| Minimum credit score | 580+ |
| Replacement cycle | 15 years |
Borrow against the equipment. Own from day one. Standard amortization.
Lease with $1 purchase option at term-end. Tax-favorable for Section 179.
Lease with fair-market-value buyout. Lowest monthly payment; return or buy at residual.
Equipment Finance Agreement. Loan-like instrument, lien on the equipment, fixed payments.
See the universal guide on loan vs lease vs EFA vs $1 buyout for the full breakdown.
To qualify for AS/RS (Automated Storage) financing, expect lenders to look for: a credit score of 580+, and % to % down.
We look at more than credit. Strong revenue, time in business, and down payment can offset a sub-650 score. Our specialty programs approve challenged-credit applications across most equipment classes.
AS/RS (Automated Storage) financing is available for credit scores as low as 580 with the right program match. Expect terms in the 36 to 84 month range, down payments of % to %, and APRs from 12% to 22%.
Loan approval is subject to lender review. Credit profile, revenue, time in business, and other factors determine approval.
Used AS/RS (Automated Storage) financing typically funds units up to 10 to 15 years old, with rates 1 to 3 points above new-equipment financing. Lenders pull valuation from industry sources (NADA, Iron Solutions, Mascus, or auction results).
Get a quote on used or newFor most buyers, financing-to-own wins when you want long-term equity in the asset, your tax position favors Section 179 depreciation, and the equipment holds value through the term. Leasing wins when you want the lowest monthly payment, plan to upgrade frequently, or need to preserve working capital.
Read the full lease-vs-buy breakdown, with side-by-side cost comparisons.
Section 179 lets you deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment in the year you put it into service (subject to annual limits). Most AS/RS (Automated Storage) qualifies. The 2026 §179 limit and deduction phase-out apply.
Read the universal Section 179 guide for current-year limits, eligibility rules, and the §179-vs-bonus-depreciation interaction.
Buyers who finance AS/RS (Automated Storage) rarely fund just the equipment. The actual loan principal is the bundle of items the lender wires to the seller, and that bundle is bigger than the spec sheet implies. The list below covers what shows up on the funding statement.
Base equipment. The unit itself, in the configuration the seller is offering. For AS/RS (Automated Storage), base pricing typically runs $1.5M to $2.1M , with the higher end reflecting software, control, and integration packages rather than the base unit alone.
Attachments, options, and add-ons. Buyer-selected items show up on the invoice as separate lines. These are financeable in nearly every case. The decision is whether to roll them into the loan principal or pay them out of pocket at delivery.
Delivery, setup, and training. Commissioning, software activation, control integration, and operator training can add 4 to 10 percent of base price. The training piece is the most commonly overlooked: a unit that arrives without trained operators sits idle until the manufacturer schedule allows.
Sales tax and use tax. Sales or use tax is owed in most states and typically rolls into the financed amount; the lender remits it at closing. State conformity rules vary, and a few states offer manufacturing or production exemptions that change the math. Confirm the tax line with the seller before signing rather than discovering it at funding.
Extended warranty, service contract, and consumables. Service and software-maintenance contracts on this class of equipment commonly run 8 to 18 percent of base price annually. Bundling the first year into the loan is standard. Bundling multiple years into the loan converts a recurring expense into a financed asset, with the same trade-off as financing any other soft cost.
Equipment financing is more buyer-driven than the rate sheets imply. Two applications for the same AS/RS (Automated Storage) at the same price can land at meaningfully different rates because of where the buyer sits on the four profiles below. Knowing where you fit lets you frame the application to its strongest reading.
A business moving operations to a new state or region and replacing equipment that does not move efficiently. Lenders see this fairly often in field services and construction. The application looks clean as long as the business operation continuity is documented.
A business with a grant award, set-aside, or rebate that covers part of the equipment cost. We fund the remainder. The grant documentation goes into the file at application; timing of the grant disbursement versus loan funding is the detail that determines structure.
An operator adding a second shift, a second line, or duplicate equipment to meet existing demand. Cleanest story to approve because the demand is already documented in the historical revenue. Loan term often matches the equipment useful life rather than being shortened against perceived risk.
A buyer with an executed contract that the equipment will fulfill. We use the contract as supporting documentation, particularly for newer businesses. Expect to share the contract value, term, and counterparty.
The five factors below drive most of the rate variance we see across AS/RS (Automated Storage) applications. Lenders weigh them in roughly this order and price the deal off the combination. Your application is a story our team reads against these five factors.
Lenders fund off the bill of sale and the seller representation. If the equipment shows up different from what is documented, the loan still funded and the discrepancy is yours to resolve. The walk below catches the issues before signing, when negotiation is still open and the cost of a fix is the seller side.
The patterns below are not unique to AS/RS (Automated Storage). They are the standard places where equipment finance transactions surprise the borrower post-funding. Each is preventable at the application or document-review stage.
If your equipment qualifies for a sales-tax exemption (manufacturing, agriculture, certain non-profit uses), the exemption certificate must be submitted at the time of the purchase to apply. Submitting it after the fact often means filing for a refund with the state, which takes months. Confirm the exemption status before signing.
Adding new equipment financing through the same lender often includes cross-collateral language that ties the new equipment to the prior loan and vice versa. Not always bad, but it limits flexibility if you need to sell or refinance one piece of equipment without paying off the other.
We require physical damage insurance on the financed equipment for the life of the loan, with us named as loss payee. If your policy lapses, we place force-placed insurance at three to five times the cost of an open-market policy and bill you for it. Keep proof of insurance current with us.
On most equipment loans under $250,000, owners with 20 percent or more equity sign personal guarantees. Read the guarantee language. Some guarantees are limited to the specific loan; others are continuing and cover any future borrowing from the same lender. Limit the guarantee to the specific transaction when possible.
AS/RS (Automated Storage) financing typically prices at 7-12% APR for prime credit (720+ FICO) and 11-17% for fair-to-challenged credit (600-679). Standard terms run 36-72 months with 0-15% down. Approvals close in 24-72 hours on app-only programs (typically under $150K) and 3-7 business days on full-financials deals. Required documents: driver license, voided business check, last 3 months bank statements, and the equipment quote.
The financing structure that fits depends on the actual situation. Below are the most common decision branches we walk through with buyers, in plain "if X, then Y" form.
What actually happens day-by-day, from application to equipment in service. Most buyers underestimate one or two of these steps; knowing them up front prevents surprises.
The equipment purchase price is one line on the financed amount. The actual cost of ownership over the life of a as/rs (automated storage) deal includes the items below. Buyers who only budget for the purchase price often hit cash-flow surprise within the first 12 months.
The rate ranges, structures, and program details on this page are informed by our internal financing book and the public industry resources below. We link out so you can verify any specific claim or go deeper.
Ed Stapleton Jr. is a serial entrepreneur who has started or acquired over a dozen businesses. He founded Fund My Equipment as the resource he wished he had along the way.
Soft-pull prequalification across 22 equipment categories. No credit impact. Decisions in 24-72 hours.
