If you put on conferences or events where interpreting equipment is needed from time to time, you may be wondering if you should buy or rent your equipment.

While there are plenty of folks out there who would be happy to sell you all of the gear you need (and perhaps don’t need), here are four reasons why you might want to rent, rather than buy:

1. Cost

When dealing with items like sound booths, wireless lapel microphones, wired and wireless hand-held mics, mixers, amplifiers, and whole lot more, costs can get pretty high. By renting the equipment you need, only when you need it, you can potentially keep your overall costs down.

2. Changing Technology

Even if you’d like to keep your entire interpreting tech in house, it’s important to realize that technology changes fast. Renting gives you access to an up-to-date stock of interpreting gear, so you’ll always have access to the latest tools, available for any type of interpreting your company may require.

3. Professional Preferences

Professional interpreters could very well be better accustomed to equipment you don’t own, depending on the type of service you’re asking for. If you’re limited to only what you have in stock, the overall quality of the event you’re hosting could suffer. Renting will give you a wider choice of options when it comes to different types of interpreting equipment.

4. Maintenance and Set Up

Setting up and maintaining interpreting equipment — especially the kind that needs more care and finesse — can be a hassle at times. When you rent, you get to benefit from the expertise of on-site technicians. You also won’t be responsible for maintaining the equipment (since it isn’t yours to begin with) over the long haul, which could save you a lot of headaches in future days.