When you're choosing a DaaS provider, don't look at the monthly rate first. What matters is what's included: damage cover, support for your employees, zero-touch setup, certified data wiping and fair return terms.
Ask every quote the same nine questions, whether it comes from a Device as a Service specialist like Everphone or from a leasing company with a service add-on.
The reason is simple. Two quotes with the same rate can cost very different amounts by the end of the term, because repairs, losses and return fees are either included in the rate or billed separately. The rate is the easiest number to compare. That's exactly why it's the one that misleads most often.
Our comparison of DaaS providers for company phones in Germany 2026 shows who is active in the market. With the questions below, you can assess any quote yourself, including one that doesn't appear in any comparison.
How DaaS providers in Germany differ
Behind the "Device as a Service" label, the German market hides very different business models. The biggest difference isn't the device range, but who takes care of day-to-day operations.
| Provider type | Core offering | What you should check |
|---|---|---|
| Specialised DaaS providers | Devices plus management, replacement, support and take-back | Whether the service goes equally deep for all device types |
| Leasing companies with a DaaS offering | Financing, service often as an add-on package | What's included in the base price and what costs extra |
| Distributors and IT service providers | Wide choice of manufacturers, service partly through partners | Who your direct contact is when a device is damaged |
| Rental platforms | Flexible terms, broad range | Whether there's central fleet management and MDM integration |
| Checkout financing | Rental directly at purchase in a retailer's online shop | Management and support stay with you |
None of these provider types is better or worse; they solve different problems. Checkout financing spreads purchase costs. A specialised DaaS provider also takes the device work off your IT team's hands. Before you request quotes, you should know which of the two problems you want to solve.
Choosing a DaaS provider with 9 questions
Ask every provider on your shortlist the same nine questions, in writing and before you negotiate price. An answer like "can be arranged individually" counts as a no until it's in the contract.
| # | Criterion | Question for the provider | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Damage | Are screen and battery damage covered by the rate? | Excess per claim, or insurance as a separate contract |
| 2 | Loss and theft | How is a lost device billed? | Replacement price instead of current value |
| 3 | Support | Who do employees call when their device stops working? | Only a ticket system for IT |
| 4 | Setup | Do devices arrive ready to use via zero-touch? | Delivered "factory fresh", your IT does the setup |
| 5 | MDM | Does the provider work with your existing MDM? | A specific MDM required without justification |
| 6 | Integration | Is there an API or ITSM integration, and what does it cost? | Orders only by email or spreadsheet |
| 7 | Data protection | Is there a data processing agreement with a list of subprocessors? | Data protection only as a paragraph in the T&Cs |
| 8 | Return and wiping | Is every device wiped and documented according to a standard? | Fees for wiping, strict condition grades |
| 9 | Contract | Can you add devices during the term and buy them at the end? | Minimum order volumes, collection periods, fixed terms per batch |
Questions 1 to 3 separate genuine service from pure financing. Questions 4 to 6 determine how much work stays with your IT. Questions 7 to 9 show how fairly the provider settles up at the end of the term.
Service and support when a device is damaged
Damage is the moment when a DaaS provider shows how it differs from financing. So don't just ask whether damage is "covered", ask exactly how a replacement works.
An example: Lena from sales drops her smartphone in the car park and the screen shatters. Does she now have to call IT, who opens a ticket with the provider, waits for a repair quote and approves an excess payment? Or does Lena report the damage herself and get a replacement device?
The more steps that land on your desk, the less the service takes off your plate. Ask for a written description of the process from damage to replacement device. That includes how Lena's data gets onto the new device.
At Everphone, this works via self-service:
- Lena logs in to the portal with her company email address.
- She reports the damage there and says where the replacement should go: the office address, or her home if she prefers.
- A new device from the Everphone warehouse is enrolled in the MDM and shipped to that address.
- Alongside the new device, the package contains instructions for transferring data (old -> new) and a return label.
- Lena transfers her data from the old device to the new one (if that's still technically possible).
- She then resets the old device, removes her accounts (instructions included) and sends it back in the same box.
- Everphone receives the old device, wipes all data with certified software, removes it from the MDM and repairs and refurbishes it if that makes economic sense. Which, by the way, it almost always does.
https://youtube.com/shorts/fZAGCDMdcpc?si=uOWY_FMF5ComtedJ
With loss, the billing basis is what counts. Replacing a three-year-old smartphone at the new price is expensive and bears no relation to its actual value. Reputable providers bill at current value.
For comparison: at Everphone, damage is covered by the rental and damaged devices are replaced as part of the service. In case of loss, the current value according to the residual value table applies.
Support belongs in the quote too. A DaaS provider should take over first-level support for your employees. Otherwise every question about eSIMs or data transfer still ends up with your IT. Also ask about fixed response times and have them written into the contract.
MDM and zero-touch: do devices arrive ready to use?
A good DaaS offering delivers devices so that they enrol in your MDM automatically when first switched on. This works through Apple's Automated Device Enrollment and Android's zero-touch enrollment. Both require the provider to source the devices through an authorised channel.
Apple adds devices to your Apple Business Manager automatically if you buy them from Apple, a participating authorised reseller or a mobile carrier and your organisation ID is on file (Apple Support). On Android, devices have to come from a zero-touch reseller that registers them for your company (Google).
So the question is: is the provider itself registered in these programmes, or does it buy through third parties? If it's the latter, ask who handles registration and how long it takes.
It also matters whether the provider works with your existing MDM or prescribes one. Switching MDM is a project in its own right. It's rarely worth doing just because you're changing device suppliers.
If orders currently go by email, ask about an API. Your ITSM or HR system can then order devices directly, and nobody has to type in serial numbers. At Everphone, the REST API costs nothing extra, and whatever is ordered via the API also shows up in the Everphone portal. You'll find details on the integration options page.
Data protection and returns: where reputable providers stand out
A DaaS provider that manages and replaces devices processes your employees' personal data. For that, you need a data processing agreement under Art. 28 GDPR.
Check two points in the agreement. First, the list of subprocessors, for example for logistics or repairs. The provider may not bring in other service providers without your authorisation. Second, the rule that once the contract ends, it deletes or returns all personal data, at your choice (Art. 28 GDPR).
For returned devices, this means every device is wiped according to a recognised standard, and you get proof for each serial number. A widely used benchmark is NIST SP 800-88, whose Revision 2 was published in September 2025 (NIST). A factory reset without a log isn't enough.
For comparison: at Everphone, certified wiping and refurbishment after return are included at no extra cost.
The second checkpoint on return is condition grades. Some contracts define what counts as normal wear and tear and charge for anything below that. Ask to see the grading criteria before you sign. How expensive this can get is described in our article on hidden costs in smartphone leasing.
Comparing DaaS quotes: total cost instead of monthly rate
Always compare quotes per device over the full term. Only then can you see which costs the provider carries and which land with you. Ask for these items in every quote:
| Cost item | What you need from the provider |
|---|---|
| Monthly rate × term | Rate per device model and term in months |
| Setup | Price per device or "included" |
| Damage | Excess per claim and any caps |
| Loss | Billing at current value or replacement price |
| Support | Whether employees can reach the provider directly |
| Return | Grading criteria and prices for additional charges |
| Wiping | Price per device or "included" |
| Integration | One-off and ongoing costs for API or ITSM integration |
| Internal working time | Hours of IT time per device per year that remain |
The last row isn't in any quote. Estimate it anyway. If your IT handles every damage case itself with provider A but not with provider B, that effort belongs in the comparison.
For the contract itself, flexibility during the term is what counts. Can you add individual devices at any time, or does the provider collect orders into batches with their own terms? Is there a minimum order volume? And what happens at the end: return, extension or purchase? At Everphone, a purchase option at the end of the term is available by arrangement.
How to weight the selection criteria for your company
Not every criterion matters equally to every company. A simple scoring matrix makes the decision traceable, including for procurement and management.
Take a company with 400 employees, 150 of them in field sales, and an IT team of three. Here, damage handling and support matter most. Every device failure in the field costs appointments, and IT has no time for device logistics.
| Criterion | Weight | Provider A (1–5) | Provider B (1–5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damage and replacement | 25% | 4 | 2 |
| Support for employees | 20% | 5 | 2 |
| Zero-touch and MDM | 15% | 4 | 4 |
| Data protection and wiping | 15% | 4 | 3 |
| Total cost per device | 15% | 3 | 5 |
| Contract flexibility | 10% | 4 | 3 |
| Weighted total | 100% | 4.05 | 3.00 |
Provider B is cheaper but loses, because it performs poorly on exactly the criteria that matter most to this company. A company with a large in-house IT team and a well-oiled repair process would weight things differently. Then B could be the better choice.
Which DaaS provider suits your company
If you want to relieve your IT of device logistics, damage and support, you need a DaaS provider with its own service, not pure financing. That applies to 20 employees just as much as to 20,000.
Financing or traditional leasing is enough if you have MDM, repairs and take-back well under control in-house and only want to spread purchase costs. In that case, a service provider would mean paying for services you don't need.
Companies with up to 250 employees can rent devices directly in the Everphone shop. For larger fleets, a short conversation with the Everphone team is worthwhile, where you go through the nine questions together for your situation.
Our recommendation for the next step: send the checklist to every provider on your shortlist before the first meeting. Only compare prices once all nine answers are in writing.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the leading Device as a Service providers in Germany?
Well-known providers include Everphone, Lendis, Devicenow (CHG-Meridian), Komsa, TKD Solutions and Grover Business. They differ mainly in how much of day-to-day operations they take over. You'll find an overview with each provider's strengths in our DaaS provider comparison 2026.
Is a DaaS provider the same as a leasing company?
No. Leasing finances devices. A DaaS provider also takes over operations: setup, replacement after damage, support and take-back. Some leasing companies offer service as an add-on package. Then it's worth checking how much of it is included in the base price.
Can I bring existing company phones to a DaaS provider?
With some providers, yes – at Everphone, for example, through buy and rent back. The provider buys your existing devices and rents them back to you, and your employees simply keep using them.
How many devices do you need for a DaaS provider to be worthwhile?
Device as a Service pays off for companies of any size. What matters isn't the number of devices, but how much time your IT currently spends on procurement, damage and returns. Read more in what is the minimum company size for Device as a Service?