Calculator
What does skipping the deposit actually cost?
Put in your rent and how long you plan to stay. We’ll show the move-in saving, the rewards you’d earn back, and how the two routes compare once the lease is done.
Zero Deposit calculator
What you pay on move-in day
R 0less to pay upfront
Cash you don’t have to find on move-in day — no lump sum, no loan.
What you earn back with ZD Rewards
R 0earned back over 18 months (0% of fees)
Effective fee after rewards
R 0 / mo
Monthly rewards build from paying on time and staying put, and are spendable in the app while you rent. The exit bonus pays out on a clean exit, once the final invoice is settled — so rewards grow the longer you stay.
The real cost: waiver vs a deposit
Waiver real cost = fees paid R 0 − rewards R 0 = R 0.
Deposit real cost = not refunded R 0 (70% of R 0) + cost of money R 0 (20% a year for 18 months) = R 0.
Waiver cost is after rewards, on a clean exit. Deposits are seldom refunded in full — damages, arrears and penalties come off first. And the deposit is tied up for the whole stay: borrowed, it costs interest; from savings, it earns nothing while the landlord holds it.
Illustrative figures. Reward rates follow the ZD Rewards programme model; the monthly waiver fee is set per building.
How to read the numbers
Less to find on move-in day
A deposit ties up a month or more of rent before you’ve unpacked a box. The waiver is a small monthly fee instead — so the cash stays with you.
Rewards give the fee back
Paying on time earns rewards every month, and a clean exit pays a bonus on top. The longer you stay, the more of the fee comes back.
Compare the real cost
Deposits are rarely refunded in full — damages, arrears and penalties come off first. Set your own assumption and see how the two routes compare.
Every figure here is illustrative. Reward rates follow the ZD Rewards programme model and the monthly waiver fee is set per building, so your actual numbers depend on the property you’re renting.
Ready to move in without the deposit?
Get in touch to bring ZD Rewards to your home, or see how the programme works end to end.