How Much Does Managed IT Actually Cost? A Plain-English Breakdown for SMBs

If you’ve ever requested a quote from a managed IT provider and received a number with no explanation, you’re not alone. Managed IT pricing is notoriously opaque — and that opacity usually benefits the provider, not you.

Per-User vs. Per-Device Pricing

Most providers price managed IT one of two ways: per user or per device. Per-user pricing covers everything a single employee uses — their laptop, phone, accounts, and helpdesk access. Per-device charges separately for each workstation, server, and network device. For most SMBs, per-user pricing is simpler and more predictable.

What a Typical Range Looks Like

For a fully managed engagement — proactive monitoring, helpdesk, cybersecurity tools, patching, and vendor management — most SMBs in the 10–50 employee range should expect $100–$175 per user per month. Anything significantly below that range usually means something important is excluded.

What Should Be Included

A solid contract should cover: 24/7 monitoring, helpdesk support, patch management, endpoint security (actual EDR — not just antivirus), Microsoft 365 management, and vendor coordination. If any of these are add-ons, read the fine print.

What’s Usually Not Included

Hardware replacement, major IT projects like server migrations, compliance audits, and new user onboarding are commonly billed separately. This isn’t automatically a problem — project work is legitimately different from ongoing support — but you should know upfront what triggers an extra invoice.

The Hidden Cost of Cheap IT

The lowest quote isn’t the best deal. A single ransomware incident, a server failure with no backup, or a week of downtime can cost far more than a year of proactive managed IT. Price it both ways before you decide. We’ll give you a straight answer on cost.