HP Subscription Laptops: Why You Should Never Rent a Computer

Published February 14, 2026 · 6 min read

By the JustCancel Team

Just when you thought subscriptions couldn't get more absurd, HP launched a program that lets you rent a laptop for a monthly fee. Not lease-to-own. Not financing. Pure rental. You pay every month, and when you stop paying, you ship the laptop back. After 2 years of payments, you've spent more than the retail price — and you own nothing.

This isn't a new concept (Adobe did it with Creative Suite, BMW tried it with heated seats), but HP is pushing it further than any hardware company has dared. Let's break down exactly why this is such a bad deal.

The Math Doesn't Work

Here's what HP is offering and what you'd actually pay:

In 16 to 22 months, you've paid the full retail price of the laptop. But you don't own it. There's no buyout option. You're paying full price for the privilege of giving it back.

The Cancellation Trap

HP offers a 30-day trial period. Sounds generous — until you read the fine print. Cancel on day 31 of the $129.99 OMEN Max plan, and you owe over $1,429 in early termination fees. That's right: you're locked in for 12 months whether you like the laptop or not.

Here's how the cancellation terms break down:

• Days 1-30: Cancel with full refund (return the laptop)
• Days 31-365: Pay remaining months on your 12-month contract
• After 12 months: Cancel anytime, pay through current month
• After cancellation: Return the laptop within 14 days or get charged full retail price

This is the same dark pattern we see with gym memberships, Adobe Creative Cloud, and cable companies — make it easy to sign up, expensive to leave.

What You Get (and Don't Get)

Included:

• 24/7 support from a live agent
• Coverage plan (basically extended warranty)
• Upgrade to a new model after 12 months
• Soft credit check (no hard pull)

Not included:

• ❌ Ownership — ever
• ❌ Buyout option
• ❌ Freedom to sell it if you don't want it anymore
• ❌ Freedom to modify it (it's HP's property)
• ❌ Anything after you stop paying

The “Upgrade Every Year” Myth

HP's biggest selling point is upgrading to a new laptop every 12 months. Sounds great — but consider: you're paying $600-1,560 per year for this privilege. For that money, you could buy a brand new mid-range laptop every single year and actually keep all of them.

Or you could buy one good laptop for $1,000-1,500 and use it for 4-5 years like most people do, saving thousands.

The Bigger Problem: Everything Is a Subscription Now

HP isn't alone. The “subscription-ification” of everything is accelerating:

• Adobe: Killed perpetual licenses in 2013, now charges $55-90/month
• BMW: Tried charging $18/month for heated seats
• HP (printers): Already runs HP Instant Ink — your printer stops working if you cancel
• John Deere: Subscription for tractor software features
• Mercedes: $1,200/year to unlock full acceleration on your EV
• Peloton: A $2,500 bike that's largely useless without a $44/month subscription

The average American now spends $219/month on subscriptions — and most don't even realize it. Adding a laptop subscription on top of streaming, software, gym, and cloud storage is exactly how subscription creep bleeds your budget dry.

What to Do Instead

1. Buy refurbished. A 1-year-old laptop is 30-50% cheaper and works perfectly fine.
2. Use 0% financing. Many retailers offer 12-24 month 0% APR. Same monthly payments, but you own it.
3. Audit your existing subscriptions. You probably have enough subscription fat to pay for a new laptop outright. Upload your bank statement to JustCancel — most people find $200+ in subscriptions they forgot about.

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