IT support prices vary widely because providers include very different things. This guide explains the common pricing models, what drives the cost and how to compare quotes fairly.
"How much will it cost?" is usually the first question a business owner asks about IT support, and it is a fair one. The honest answer is that it depends, but that is not much use when you are trying to set a budget. What we can do is explain how IT support is priced in the UK, what pushes the cost up or down and how to tell whether a quote is good value.
We have deliberately not put prices in this article. Published figures vary so much between providers, and include such different things, that any single number would mislead more than it helps. Instead, this guide gives you the questions to ask so you can compare quotes on a like for like basis. If you want to see how we price our own plans, our pricing page sets that out.
Almost every IT support offer in the UK falls into one of four models, or a mix of them.
You pay a fixed monthly amount for each member of staff who uses IT. Everything that person uses, such as their laptop, phone and Microsoft 365 account, is covered. This is the most common model for managed IT support because it is simple to understand and scales neatly as you hire or lose staff.
You pay for each computer, server, firewall or other managed device. This can suit businesses with shared machines, such as a workshop PC used by several people, or where many staff do not use a computer at all. It can become expensive where each person has a laptop, a desktop and a tablet.
You buy a bank of support hours in advance, often at a lower hourly rate than ad hoc work, and use them as needed. It gives some predictability but it is still reactive: nobody is necessarily watching your systems between calls, and unused hours may expire.
You call someone when something goes wrong and pay for the time spent fixing it. There is no monthly fee, which looks attractive, but costs are unpredictable and there is no incentive for the provider to prevent problems. We explain the difference in more detail in our guide to what managed IT support is.
| Model | How you pay | Best suited to | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per user | Fixed monthly fee per person | Offices where most staff use a computer | Who counts as a user, and whether part time staff cost the same |
| Per device | Fixed monthly fee per device | Shared machines or few computer users | Costs rising as people gain extra devices |
| Block hours | Prepaid bank of hours | Businesses with occasional, predictable needs | Hours expiring and no proactive monitoring |
| Break fix | Hourly or per job | Very small or simple setups | Unpredictable bills and no prevention |
Whichever model a provider uses, the price reflects how much work and risk they are taking on. These are the factors that make the biggest difference.
It is also worth checking whether Microsoft 365 licences are included in the monthly price or billed separately. Some providers bundle them, others do not, and it can make two quotes look very different when they are not.
Every provider packages things differently, but a sound managed IT support plan for a business of 5 to 100 staff would normally cover most of the following. Use this as a checklist when reading a proposal.
Projects, such as moving to a new office or replacing a server, are usually quoted separately. That is normal, but you should know in advance where the line between support and project work sits. Our managed IT support page shows how we approach this.
A low monthly price is not a bargain if the plan leaves out the things you actually need. These are the warning signs worth looking for.
To compare quotes properly, give every provider the same information and ask the same questions. A simple approach:
It also helps to think about the cost of not having support. A morning without email, a ransomware incident or a laptop that cannot be recovered all cost time and money that never appear on an IT invoice. Good support is partly about fixing problems quickly and partly about stopping them happening at all.
Cyber Fits is a family run IT support company in Sunderland working with businesses of around 5 to 100 staff across the North East. Our plans are priced per user per month and written in plain English so you can see exactly what is included. If you would like a clear picture of what your business actually needs before you compare anyone, book a free IT review and we will look at your setup and give you honest advice, even if that means telling you to keep what you have.
Per user pricing usually suits offices where most staff have their own computer and Microsoft 365 account, because it is simple and scales with headcount. Per device pricing can work better where several people share machines or many staff do not use a computer. Ask each provider to price your actual setup both ways if you are unsure.
It can look cheaper in a quiet month, but costs are unpredictable and nobody is monitoring, updating or securing your systems between callouts. For businesses that rely on their computers every day, the cost of downtime and security incidents often outweighs the saving.
It depends on the provider. Some include licences in a bundled monthly price and others bill them separately. Always check, because it can make two quotes look very different when the support itself is similar.
A list of your staff, computers, servers, sites, key software and current suppliers, along with any security or compliance requirements such as Cyber Essentials. Giving every provider the same information makes the quotes far easier to compare.
Our guides are written by the team who support businesses across the North East every day. If anything here raises a question about your own setup, ask us.
IT strategy
Managed IT support means an outside company looks after your technology for a fixed monthly fee. Here is how it compares with break fix and in house IT, and how to tell if it is right for you.
IT strategy
Changing IT provider does not have to be painful. This guide covers contracts, passwords, domains, Microsoft 365 access and documentation, with a practical handover checklist and timeline.
IT strategy
Windows 10 reached end of support on 14 October 2025, and the first year of Microsoft's paid Extended Security Updates for organisations ends on 13 October 2026. Here is what that means and the options for businesses still running Windows 10.
Book a free, no obligation IT review. We will look at your setup, tell you honestly what needs attention and give you a clear fixed monthly price.
