#decision

$500 upfront vs $15/month sounds like 33 months to break even. Bake in opportunity cost on the upfront, annual price increases on the subscription, and resale value at end-of-life — the real break-even is usually 18-24 months.

A rent-vs-buy calculator that only compares mortgage to rent is missing 60% of the math. Here are the seven lines that move the break-even year by 3-7 years when included honestly.