How much should your business IT support cost in 2024?
Choosing the best IT provider for the best price can be tricky! We are here to simplify that decision for you, providing a rundown of different types of support and average costs for your business it!
Contents:
How much is the UK average IT support cost?
Ad hoc IT support rundown.
Fixed-rate IT support rundown.
Pricing calculator.
Conclusion.
How much is the UK average IT support cost?
IT support costs in the UK typically vary depending on a few factors such as the size of your business, your location, any additional project work needed, and the number of servers, etc..
Let’s break this down further!
After taking a look at a range of different IT company prices for your business IT the average starting price is around £ 30-70 per user/ computer. With this being said most IT companies have a minimum user starting point or a minimum set price per month.
For example, at Liberate IT we have our starting price set for £350 per month. So, if you are a one-person company you would pay £350 a month and if you were a 10-person company would pay £35 per user still working out at £350 per month. This cost covers all of our client’s basic IT needs as well as our time per ticket. (However, like most IT companies, we would charge extra for project work such as replacing a server or if you need new laptops, etc..)
Now that we have had a look at the average IT support costs for SMEs across the UK, we will take a look at a couple of different types of IT support starting with Ad Hoc support.
Ad Hoc IT support rundown:
Ad-hoc IT support or “a break it fix it approach” to IT support means that you would pay for a one-off IT support service usually charged per hour instead of a fixed monthly cost. In terms of cost Ad hoc support is usually the more expensive option especially if you need longer project work. After looking at a range of different IT companies offering Ad hoc support the average cost can be anywhere from £40-100 per hour! Some companies will also have a minimum hour starting point so keep that in mind too. ( For example, they may say you have to have an issue worth 3hrs minimum.)
Let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons of using Ad hoc support:
Pros:
- one-off charges and no rolling monthly costs.
- No commitment.
- You can trial out a few companies before commitment.
Cons:
- Ad Hoc IT Support can cost more in the long run compared to a monthly contract with your IT provider.
- Ad hoc can be a more risky approach since your systems are not constantly managed meaning that your systems are not protected and can be exposed to cyber-attacks!
- Often companies will overlook major issues with short-term fixes which can cause problems down the line meaning you end up paying more over time.
- The company will not be familiar with your business setup and therefore take longer to resolve the issue.
Let’s have a look at Fixed-rate IT support as a comparison!
Fixed-rate IT support rundown:
Fixed-rate It support is a rolling contract with your IT provider instead of one-off payments. With fixed-rate support your IT provider works remotely, proactively monitoring your IT Systems so that we can spot issues like a data breach before they arise ultimately saving you money! How much does a fixed-rate support plan cost? Ultimately this will all come down to the company you choose and the size of your company. As mentioned earlier at Liberate IT we have our starting price set for £350 per month!
Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of using a fixed-rate IT support service for your business IT:
Pros:
- You will always pay a fixed monthly rate so no unexpected invoices!
- Your IT systems will be constantly monitored by professionals reducing the risk of a surprise cyber-attack!
- You will have unlimited access to your IT support company as and when you need them.
- Using a fixed rate service means less downtime since your IT department will be remotely working to proactively monitor and maintain your systems.
Cons:
- Fixed-rate support can sometimes have a long onboarding process.
- It can occasionally be more expensive depending on the amount of support your business needs.
- We have included our Liberate IT price calculator below so you can see how much your IT support will cost!
The conclusion:
In conclusion, it’s always best to use fixed-rate IT support for your business IT infrastructure to ensure maximum security, a reduction in downtime, and practical IT solutions whenever you need them! For some companies, there will be exceptions for when ad Hoc works out cheaper for them for example if they only ever have a couple of issues per year ad Hoc would be a more cost-effective IT solution. At Liberate IT, we recommend using only a fixed-rate service/MSP for your IT support to ensure practical and secure solutions 24/7. If you are considering the costs of IT support for your company why not check out the rest of our website to explore our services today?