Managed IT services are usually priced per user or per device per month. For a small business the all-in figure typically lands in the low hundreds of dollars per user per month, covering helpdesk, monitoring, security, patching and backups. Scandifix plans start at $199/month.
The common pricing models
- Per user – a flat fee for each employee, covering all their devices – the most common and predictable
- Per device – a fee per workstation, server and network device
- Tiered – bronze/silver/gold bundles with more included at each level
- Block hours – a pool of prepaid support hours, better suited to break/fix than managed
What is usually included
- Unlimited helpdesk for staff
- 24/7 monitoring and maintenance
- Endpoint protection, email security, MFA, patching
- Backup and disaster recovery
- Onboarding/offboarding, vendor coordination, a quarterly review
What drives the price
- Number of users and servers
- Whether you have on-site infrastructure or are all-cloud
- Security and compliance requirements
- Response-time expectations and after-hours cover
- The state of your current setup – a lot of technical debt costs more to take on
Managed vs break/fix cost
Break/fix looks cheaper until something serious breaks. Managed IT trades a variable, unpredictable cost for a fixed one, and the monitoring means fewer serious failures. See break/fix vs managed and what a small business should spend on IT overall.
IT buyer’s guides
- What is a managed service provider?
- How much do managed IT services cost?
- Break/fix vs managed IT services
- What to look for in an IT support contract
- In-house vs outsourced vs co-managed IT
- How to switch IT providers
- Signs your IT provider is failing you
Thinking about managed IT in Edmonton? Call +1 (587) 400-9991 (also on WhatsApp) or request a quote. We start with a short review at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
How much is managed IT per user?
For a small business, commonly in the range of a few hundred dollars per user per month all-in, depending on what is included and the security level. Scandifix starts at $199/month.
Are there setup or onboarding fees?
Often a one-time onboarding fee to document your environment and put monitoring, backups and security in place. Ask for it to be quoted up front.
Is managed IT cheaper than hiring?
For most small businesses, yes – you get a team’s worth of skills (helpdesk, security, cloud, network) for well under one salary, with no recruitment, benefits or single-point-of-failure risk.
What is not included?
Usually: hardware and software purchases, major projects (a migration, an office move), and third-party licence costs – these are quoted separately.