Lease or finance a BMW? October 2026 payments side by side
The same car, both ways, from the same BMW Financial Services October 2026 program. Lease: 36 months, 10,000 miles a year, $3,000 due at signing, tax included. Finance: 60 months, $5,000 down, California sales tax and DMV fees financed, first payment in 45 days. Loyalty is not applied on either side here. A lease payment buys the car's depreciation over the term; the finance payment buys the whole car.
| Model | Car | Lease / mo | Finance / mo | Finance APR | Lease credit | Purchase credit | Residual at lease end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 BMW 228i Gran Coupe | $41,610 MSRP | $442 | $640 | 2.99% | — | — | $23,718 |
| 2026 BMW 330i Sedan | $49,615 MSRP | $482 | $739 | 0.9% | $1,000 | — | $28,281 |
| 2026 BMW 430i Coupe | $52,815 MSRP | $753 | $899 | 5.99% | — | — | $28,520 |
| 2026 BMW i4 eDrive40 | $60,650 MSRP | $588 | $926 | 3.99% | $3,750 | $3,750 | $33,358 |
| 2026 BMW 530i Sedan | $71,015 MSRP | $784 | $1,133 | 2.99% | $1,000 | $1,000 | $41,189 |
| 2026 BMW X1 xDrive28i | $45,800 MSRP | $507 | $677 | 0.9% | $1,000 | — | $25,648 |
| 2026 BMW X2 xDrive28i | $53,060 MSRP | $742 | $904 | 5.99% | — | — | $29,183 |
| 2026 BMW X3 30 xDrive | $53,180 MSRP | $589 | $798 | 0.9% | $1,000 | — | $30,313 |
| 2026 BMW X5 xDrive40i | $74,850 MSRP | $977 | $1,138 | 0.9% | $2,000 | $1,000 | $38,922 |
| 2026 BMW X5 xDrive50e | $81,025 MSRP | $1,005 | $1,289 | 2.99% | $3,000 | $2,000 | $42,133 |
| 2027 BMW X6 xDrive40i | $81,200 MSRP | $1,168 | $1,362 | 3.99% | — | — | $42,224 |
| 2026 BMW 230i Coupe | $43,900 MSRP | $606 | $718 | 5.99% | — | $750 | $24,145 |
| 2026 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe | $47,260 MSRP | $508 | $738 | 2.99% | — | — | $26,938 |
| 2026 BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe | $55,325 MSRP | $601 | $878 | 2.99% | — | — | $31,535 |
| 2026 BMW 330i xDrive Sedan | $53,365 MSRP | $523 | $801 | 0.9% | $1,000 | — | $30,418 |
| 2026 BMW M340i Sedan | $67,905 MSRP | $744 | $1,097 | 2.99% | $1,000 | — | $38,706 |
| 2027 BMW 430i Coupe | $57,555 MSRP | $824 | $988 | 5.99% | — | — | $31,080 |
| 2026 BMW M440i Coupe | $68,950 MSRP | $996 | $1,202 | 5.99% | — | — | $37,233 |
| 2027 BMW 530i Sedan | $65,765 MSRP | $793 | $1,060 | 2.99% | — | — | $38,144 |
| 2027 BMW 540i xDrive Sedan | $75,900 MSRP | $922 | $1,236 | 2.99% | — | — | $44,022 |
| 2027 BMW 550e xDrive Sedan | $81,165 MSRP | $989 | $1,327 | 2.99% | — | — | $47,076 |
| 2026 BMW 740i Sedan | $106,935 MSRP | $1,225 | $1,649 | 0.9% | $2,000 | $2,000 | $56,676 |
| 2026 BMW 750e xDrive Sedan | $117,635 MSRP | $1,393 | $1,825 | 0.9% | $3,000 | $2,000 | $62,347 |
| 2026 BMW 760i xDrive Sedan | $132,335 MSRP | $1,509 | $2,067 | 0.9% | $2,000 | $2,000 | $70,138 |
| 2026 BMW 840i Gran Coupe | $98,450 MSRP | $1,335 | $1,632 | 3.99% | $2,000 | $2,000 | $52,179 |
| 2026 BMW M850i xDrive Gran Coupe | $112,450 MSRP | $1,540 | $1,881 | 3.99% | $2,000 | $2,000 | $59,599 |
| 2026 BMW i7 | $126,185 MSRP | $1,361 | $1,872 | 0.9% | $7,500 | $7,500 | $66,878 |
| 2026 BMW ALPINA XB7 | $161,425 MSRP | $2,707 | $2,931 | 5.99% | — | — | $75,870 |
| 2026 BMW X1 M35i | $57,800 MSRP | $716 | $922 | 2.99% | — | — | $32,368 |
| 2026 BMW X3 M50 xDrive | $72,350 MSRP | $886 | $1,175 | 2.99% | — | — | $41,240 |
| 2026 BMW X5 sDrive40i | $71,825 MSRP | $934 | $1,088 | 0.9% | $2,000 | $1,000 | $37,349 |
| 2026 BMW X5 M60i | $100,875 MSRP | $1,353 | $1,670 | 2.99% | $2,000 | — | $52,455 |
| 2027 BMW X6 M60i | $104,750 MSRP | $1,519 | $1,781 | 3.99% | — | — | $54,470 |
| 2027 BMW X7 xDrive40i | $92,630 MSRP | $1,120 | $1,448 | 0.9% | $2,000 | — | $49,094 |
| 2027 BMW X7 M60i | $117,555 MSRP | $1,449 | $1,858 | 0.9% | $2,000 | — | $62,304 |
| 2026 BMW X7 M60i | $115,690 MSRP | $1,424 | $1,827 | 0.9% | $2,000 | — | $61,316 |
| 2026 BMW i4 xDrive40 | $67,115 MSRP | $647 | $1,041 | 3.99% | $3,750 | $3,750 | $37,584 |
| 2026 BMW i4 M60 | $76,450 MSRP | $840 | $1,208 | 3.99% | $3,750 | $3,750 | $42,048 |
| 2026 BMW i5 M60 | $90,725 MSRP | $1,064 | $1,462 | 3.99% | $3,750 | $3,750 | $48,084 |
| 2027 BMW i5 eDrive40 | $72,800 MSRP | $851 | $1,143 | 3.99% | $3,750 | $3,750 | $38,584 |
Where BMW Financial Services puts more into the lease
2026 BMW 228i Gran Coupe, 2026 BMW i4 eDrive40, 2026 BMW X5 xDrive50e, 2026 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe, 2026 BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe and 2026 BMW M340i Sedan and 5 more: the lease credit is larger than the purchase credit, or the money factor reads lower than the finance APR. Models listed under the next heading are not repeated here.
Where the finance rate is the cheaper money
2026 BMW 330i Sedan at 0.9%, 2026 BMW X1 xDrive28i at 0.9%, 2026 BMW X3 30 xDrive at 0.9%, 2026 BMW X5 xDrive40i at 0.9%, 2026 BMW 330i xDrive Sedan at 0.9% and 2026 BMW 740i Sedan at 0.9% and 7 more: a retail APR at or under 2% that is also below the same car's lease rate (money factor × 2,400), and you keep the car.
Is it better to lease or buy a BMW?
Lease if you want a new car every few years, drive under the mileage you choose, and prefer the lower payment — the residual column is the lender's residual value at the end of the term. Finance if you keep cars past the term or drive a lot; the payment is higher but it stops. Offers valid October 1 – November 2, 2026; vehicle must be delivered by November 2, 2026.
Open the estimator All BMW specials
Every figure is the estimator's own number on a real car in live partner-dealer stock; where its column does not say otherwise ($0 down, loyalty, deposits, finance) it uses 36 months, 10,000 miles a year, $3,000 due at signing, loyalty not applied, top-tier credit, California use tax estimated at 7.75% until you enter your ZIP, and a selling price negotiated 11% under MSRP, exactly as the estimator opens. The M2 Coupe, M3 Sedan, M4 Coupe, M5 Sedan, X5 M Competition, X6 M Competition and XM are custom-quote and not listed. Inventory changes without notice and all vehicles are subject to prior sale. Estimates assume top-tier approved credit and are not an offer of credit; the exact tax rate is set by the DMV at registration.