HaaS (Not the F1 Team): Is Subscription-Based Hardware the Future?

In Formula 1, Haas team doesn’t build its own engines—they source them from Ferrari. It’s a smart way to stay competitive without the burden of manufacturing everything themselves.

Tech is taking a similar turn with its own HaaS—Hardware as a Service. Instead of buying and managing their own infrastructure, companies are subscribing to hardware, on demand. It’s flexible, scalable, and just like in F1, it lets teams focus on performance—not parts.

Put simply, Hardware as a Service (HaaS) works a lot like renting instead of buying. A company doesn’t own the hardware—they use equipment that belongs to a provider, which is usually set up at their office or data center. Everything’s covered by an agreement that lays out who handles what, from maintenance to support. It’s a bit different from cloud-based models like Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), where the hardware stays off-site, fully managed by the provider.

Even if you’ve never personally encountered this trend, it is becoming the default choice for companies, especially in tech . but at the individual level, whether as developers or everyday consumers are facing a real issue concerning the choice between personal property and this new model, that makes you gain a lot of time but it also pulls you into a system where you’re constantly paying, often without realizing how little you actually need what you’re renting.

Of course, this shift isn’t without its weird side. I still remember the movie “Repo Men”, where people get artificial organs on credit—and if they miss payments, the repo guys literally take them back? Sure, that’s sci-fi (for now), but it makes you wonder: when everything’s on subscription, what happens if you stop paying? Does your smart fridge lock the door until you renew? Okay, maybe not—but relying on rented hardware means companies could cut you off, limit features, or push upgrades you don’t really need. Owning your gear might seem old-school, but at least your screwdriver doesn’t come with a monthly fee.

On the other hand, this isn’t just about nostalgia for the old days of owning, fixing, or upgrading our own gadgets. I’m not against progress—I actually believe the value of the HaaS model depends entirely on the situation and the user’s real needs. For the right person, and the right use case, it can be a smart, flexible way to access technology.

So, which is cheaper? HaaS or Hardware Ownership

Let’s shift gears for a second—from control and consumerism to cold, hard cost. Because for businesses, especially startups and scaling teams, HaaS can actually be a financial power move. Instead of burning capital on hardware that might be outdated in a year, they pay only for what they use, when they use it. No massive upfront investments. No warehouse of dusty servers. In that sense, HaaS isn’t just convenient—it’s strategic.

From a business perspective, The goal isn’t just to sell hardware once and move on. It’s to minimize CAC (the cost of convincing someone to become a customer) and maximize LTV (the total revenue a business expects to earn from a single customer over time). Subscriptions stretch the customer relationship across months—or years—making each user more valuable the longer they stick around.

The chart shows that the cost to get a new customer (CAC) hasn’t changed much, but the money earned from each customer over time (LTV) has gone up. This means companies are making more profit from each customer, which is a good sign for subscription models.

Not sure which model fits your needs?

Here’s an easy chart to help you figure out if HaaS (Hardware as a Service) or owning your own hardware is a better fit for you. It’s a quick way to compare based on what matters most like cost, control, or how easily you can grow.

Environmental Impact

HaaS (Hardware as a Service) could have both good and bad effects on the environment. On the positive side, sharing hardware and upgrading it in one place might help reduce e-waste, since parts can be reused or recycled more easily. But if companies are always sending out new devices, it could lead to more production and energy use. Finding the right balance will be key to making HaaS truly eco-friendly.

Consumer Dilemma

For regular people, it’s a tough choice. Subscribing to devices like phones, laptops, or smart home gear can make it easier to upgrade or fix them. But it also means paying nonstop and never really owning what you use. At some point, you have to ask: is the convenience worth giving up ownership? That’s the big question behind the debate about personal tech today.

So in the end, HaaS isn’t all good or all bad—it’s a tool. For some, it offers freedom from maintenance and endless flexibility. For others, it feels like giving up control and walking straight into an endless subscription trap. Like any tool, its value depends on who’s holding it—and why.

Is HaaS empowering us—or making us dependent? That’s the real question every user, developer, and company has to answer for themselves.