About consdr

consdr is a free calculator for people in Australia who are about to pay for a car. It compares a novated lease, a car loan and a cash purchase of the same car over the same term, and shows which one leaves you with more money at the end.

What it counts

A lease quote shows a weekly payment and a tax saving. A loan quote shows a rate. Neither tells you what the car costs you in the end. The calculator works that out from your salary and the car:

• Tax. Income tax by tier and the Medicare levy, with and without the lease.
• The car. The price, GST, stamp duty for your state, and fringe benefits tax (FBT) on the lease.
• The finance. Interest on the lease and the loan, the lease fees and the balloon at the end.
• Your savings. The interest your cash would earn in an offset or savings account if you didn't spend it.
• Running costs. Rego, insurance, servicing and fuel or charging, paid before tax in the lease.

The result is the money you have at the end of the term, compared with not buying the car at all. "How it is worked out" on the calculator shows every step with your numbers.

Where the numbers come from

Every fixed number links to the official page it comes from: the ATO, Treasury, APRA and each state revenue office. The calculator shows the date each one was checked. A number with no official source, such as the price of petrol, is marked as an example for you to change.

The guides explain the rules behind the numbers, and read the same values as the calculator.

Who makes it

consdr is built and run by Oleg Chibikov, a software developer. The code is open source on GitHub, so you can read how any number is worked out, or suggest a fix.

How the site is paid for

The site shows ads from Google AdSense. No lease provider, lender or car dealer pays consdr, and none of them can change a result. The numbers you type stay in your browser. The privacy policy has the details.

Not financial advice

consdr gives general information. It doesn't know your whole situation, and tax rules change. Check a written quote, and talk to a tax adviser or a broker before you sign.