What You'll Actually Pay for Managed IT Services
"How much does managed IT services cost?" is the first question most business owners ask us — and the honest answer is: it depends on your headcount, your industry, and how much of your stack you want us to own. This guide walks through the pricing models used across the industry in 2026, what's typically included, and how to compare quotes without getting burned.
The Four Common Pricing Models
1. Per-User Pricing
The most popular model for knowledge-work businesses. You pay a flat monthly fee for every employee who uses a computer, email, or phone system, regardless of how many devices they have.
Typical range: $100 – $250 per user per month
Best for: Offices where people have a laptop, a phone, and maybe a tablet
Why owners like it: Predictable — hire someone, add a line item; offboard someone, remove it
2. Per-Device Pricing
You pay a monthly fee for each managed endpoint — workstations, servers, firewalls, switches, printers.
Typical range: $75 – $150 per workstation, $300 – $600 per server, $50 – $100 per network device
Best for: Businesses with lots of shared devices (manufacturing floors, retail POS, warehouses)
Watch for: "Per device" quotes that quietly exclude servers or network gear
3. Tiered / Package Pricing
Providers bundle services into Bronze / Silver / Gold (or Core / Pro / Ultra) tiers. Higher tiers add things like advanced security tooling, vCIO strategy time, or after-hours support.
Typical range: $1,500 – $10,000+ per month depending on tier and company size
Best for: Companies that want a clear "good / better / best" choice
Watch for: What's in the base tier vs. what's an add-on — SOC monitoring, EDR, and backup are often upsells
4. All-You-Can-Eat (Fully Managed)
A single all-in monthly fee covering every device, user, project, and support ticket — sometimes including hardware refresh.
Typical range: $175 – $350 per user per month
Best for: Owners who want one line item and zero surprise invoices
Watch for: Caps on project hours, "reasonable use" clauses, and exclusions for cloud migrations
What Should Be Included at Every Tier
If a provider quotes you a low price but the following aren't included, the real cost is higher than the sticker:
24/7 endpoint monitoring and patching
Managed antivirus / EDR
Email security and spam filtering
Backup and disaster recovery for endpoints and critical servers
Helpdesk during business hours with a real SLA (not "we'll get to it")
Basic vCIO / strategic guidance — quarterly business reviews at minimum
Onboarding and offboarding of employees
What's Usually an Add-On (Budget Accordingly)
Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace licensing (typically $6 – $57 per user per month, passed through)
Cybersecurity add-ons: SIEM, SOC-as-a-Service, phishing simulation, dark web monitoring
Compliance work: HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, CMMC readiness
Hardware procurement and refresh
Cloud migration projects (one-time)
After-hours and weekend support
What IT Support Costs Per Month by Company Size
Rough all-in ranges based on 2026 US market data, assuming a fully managed engagement with per-user pricing:
5 – 15 employees: $1,000 – $3,500 / month
15 – 50 employees: $3,000 – $12,000 / month
50 – 150 employees: $10,000 – $30,000 / month
150+ employees: $25,000+ / month, often with a dedicated named engineer
Regulated industries (healthcare, financial services, defense) typically run 20 – 40% higher because of compliance overhead and stricter security tooling.
Red Flags in a Managed IT Quote
No SLA in writing, or SLAs that only cover "response" (someone acknowledges the ticket) instead of "resolution"
Security tooling listed as optional — in 2026, EDR and MFA aren't optional
Long lock-in contracts (36+ months) with painful termination clauses
Vague "block of hours" pricing that resets every month whether you use it or not
No named account manager or vCIO contact
How to Compare Two Quotes Fairly
Normalize both quotes to a per-user, per-month number including everything the provider will manage.
List every add-on line item and check whether the other quote includes it in the base.
Ask both providers for a sample monthly report — you'll immediately see who's actually watching your environment.
Ask what happens on day 91 — the honeymoon is over; who's your point of contact, and how do escalations work?
Where Sifo Fits
Our Core, Pro, and Ultra packages use per-user pricing with security tooling, backup, and vCIO time baked in — not bolted on. Most clients in the 15 – 75 employee range land between $150 and $225 per user per month all-in, with no long-term lock-in.
Want a real number for your business instead of a range? Book a free consultation and we'll put together a written quote in a few business days.
Related Articles
Why Managed IT Services Save Small Businesses Thousands Every Year →5 min read
Data Backup Best Practices: The 3-2-1 Rule and Beyond →6 min read
IT Services
Managed Services
Cloud Services
Cybersecurity
Data Backup
Web Development
Industries
Education
Financial Services
Government
Healthcare
Retail
Small Business
Legal
Manufacturing
Non-Profit
About Us
Careers
Contact
All Services
All Industries