How Do Interest Rates Impact Equipment Financing in 2026?

[Victor Johnsen]

Hey everyone, I’ve been wondering how interest rates in 2026 are affecting equipment financing lately. Are you guys seeing higher monthly payments or stricter loan terms compared to before? Has it changed how you decide to buy or lease equipment? Also curious if anyone’s holding off on big purchases because of rates right now. What strategies are you using to still make deals work?

 

[George]

Rates in 2026 aren't "cheap," but they're also not stopping the industry. The main shift is being more strategic about timing, cash flow, and asset selection.

 

[John Calvin Lewis]

Yeah it definitely feels like rates are making people think twice. Curious if more folks are leaning toward leasing now instead of financing to keep payments lower?

 

[IamBruce_Driver]

From what I've been seeing and hearing, monthly payments have gone up compared to a couple of years ago, especially for larger machines or longer loan terms. Lenders also seem to be a bit more cautious, with stricter credi trequirements, higher down payments, and closer reviews of cash flow before approving financing.

 

[Mr. McTuggart]

Yeah, I've noticed financing feels different going into 2026. Rates are still higher than what we were used to before 2022, so monthly payments, especially on bigger machines, can feel heavier. But it does seem like things are slowly starting to level out compared to the past couple of years.

 

[USVeteran]

You're definitely not the only one thinking about this right now. Rates are still higher than the "cheap money" years, so monthly payments are noticeably heavier for a lot of guys.

 

[James R.]

Back in 2021-2022, things were much easier-payments were lower, approvals came faster, and lenders were more flexible. Now, everything feels a bit tighter across the board.