Ask three IT providers for a quote and you will probably get three different shapes of answer: one priced per user, one per device, and one offering a block of hours. Each can be reasonable, but they are hard to compare side by side, and the cheapest-looking number is often the one that leaves the most out.
This guide explains how managed IT is usually priced, what moves the monthly figure up or down, and the questions that make two quotes comparable.
The four common pricing models
Per user
One monthly fee for each person, covering the devices and accounts they use. It suits most offices, where each person has a laptop, a phone and a Microsoft 365 account, and it keeps the invoice predictable as you hire. The detail to check is what counts as a user: some providers charge for shared mailboxes or part-time staff, and others do not.
Per device
A fee for each laptop, desktop, server and network device. It suits businesses where devices outnumber people, such as a clinic with shared workstations or a warehouse with scanners and kiosks. It becomes awkward when every person has several devices, because the bill grows every time someone gets a tablet.
Tiered bundles
Packages with names like bronze, silver and gold. They make shopping simple, but look closely at what moves between tiers. Security tools, after-hours support and on-site visits are the usual differences, and they are exactly the things you want to know about before signing.
Break-fix and block hours
You pay by the hour when something goes wrong, or buy a block of hours in advance. It can look inexpensive in a quiet year. The catch is that the provider earns more when things break, nobody is paid to prevent problems, and costs spike at the worst possible moment.
What moves the monthly number
- Headcount and devices. The biggest driver in any model.
- Security. Endpoint detection and response, email filtering, multi-factor authentication and backups of Microsoft 365 are the most common gap between a low quote and a high one. Check whether they are included or sold as add-ons.
- Microsoft licensing. Some quotes include Microsoft 365 licences in the per-user fee and others bill them separately. That alone can make one quote look far cheaper than another.
- Hours of coverage. Business-hours support, round-the-clock monitoring and round-the-clock response are three different things.
- On-site needs. A remote-first service costs less to run than one with frequent site visits, and distance from the provider matters.
- Older systems. On-site servers, legacy business applications and multiple locations all add work.
- Regulated data. Clinics, law firms and accounting practices handle information that needs extra documentation and controls. In Alberta, for example, health custodians have obligations under the Health Information Act.
What “unlimited support” usually leaves out
Plenty of agreements promise unlimited support. Almost all of them still exclude some of the following, so ask for the exclusions in writing:
- Projects, such as office moves, migrations and new locations
- Hardware and software purchases
- Licences, in some agreements
- Non-urgent work after hours
- Support for specialist software, where the vendor has to be involved
Seven questions to ask any managed IT provider
- Is the price per user or per device, and exactly what counts as a user?
- Which security tools are included, and which cost extra?
- Are Microsoft 365 licences included, or billed separately?
- What are the response targets, and are they written into the agreement?
- What is the minimum term, and how much notice do we need to give to leave?
- Who owns the admin accounts, domains and documentation, and what happens to them if we leave?
- Is there an onboarding fee, and what exactly does it cover?
Red flags in a quote
- A multi-year term that renews automatically unless you cancel within a narrow window
- Admin accounts or your domain registered in the provider’s name, not yours
- No written response targets, only reassurance
- Security described as “as needed”, with no list of tools
- An onboarding fee with no defined deliverables
How CyberTab prices managed IT
We charge a flat monthly fee per user for the services you choose, so the invoice does not jump in a bad month. Agreements are month-to-month with 30 days notice, response targets are written into the agreement, and your tenants and domains stay in your name throughout.
We quote after a free 45-minute assessment, because the right figure depends on your headcount, your systems and which services you actually need. You get our recommendations on the call either way.