Glossary
What is Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)?
Last updated July 2026
Definition
Total cost of ownership (TCO) is the full lifetime cost of a purchase — price plus freight, holding, downtime, and disposal — not just the sticker price.
Also known as: TCO
A cheaper unit price can carry a higher TCO once carrying cost, reliability, and lead time are counted.
Fair-value benchmarking and inventory intelligence make TCO visible at the moment of buying.
Part of RFQ & sourcing automation.
See what your inventory is really costing you.
Tell us where the cash is trapped — excess stock, idle surplus, slow RFQs — and we'll show you the outcome Maintained can unlock.