When a business owner asks how much IT outsourcing costs, they usually want a single number. An honest provider will not give that number straight away, because the price depends on what actually needs to be supported. It is a bit like asking how much a renovation costs: freshening up the walls is one thing, replacing the wiring is another. In this article we show what affects the quote and how to compare an offer with the cost of your own full-time role, without inventing rates that depend on context anyway.

What really drives the price

Number of workstations and users

This is the most common starting point. Every workstation is a computer, an account, email, updates and potential requests. The more users, the more support work, but also the lower the cost per user usually is, because some tasks are done once for the whole company.

It is not only the number that matters, but also the nature of the work. Ten people in accounting generate a different load than ten people working on the move across many devices.

Servers and infrastructure

Workstations are one thing, servers are another. A physical server, virtual machines, a domain controller, line-of-business systems or databases require regular administration, updates and monitoring. These most often decide whether support is light or requires the constant attention of an engineer.

On top of that comes the network environment: firewalls, VPN, access points. The more extensive the infrastructure, the higher the maintenance cost. If you have your own servers, it is worth considering separate server administration as part of the package rather than an add-on billed by the hour.

Scope of security

This is where the spread in prices tends to be the largest. Basic support means antivirus and updates. The full scope already means ransomware-resistant backups, EDR/XDR-class protection, monitoring, DNS filtering, user training and incident response procedures.

Each of these is real work and often extra licences. A company covered by NIS2 or GDPR requirements needs more than a company that simply wants its computers to work. It is not a markup, it is a reflection of the risk you want to reduce.

Required response time

The faster the guaranteed response and repair time, the higher the price. Support only between 8:00 and 18:00 costs less than availability in the evenings and at weekends. Before you pay for the highest SLA level, check whether you really need it.

Billing models

Providers usually offer one of several models. It is worth understanding the differences, because the same company will pay completely differently under two models.

  • A subscription per workstation or user. A predictable monthly cost, easy to plan in a budget. The most common choice in SMEs.
  • A flat fee for a defined scope. A fixed amount for a specific set of services, regardless of the number of requests. Good when needs are stable.
  • Hourly billing. You pay for the work actually done. Tempting for small needs, but it can be unpredictable and discourages reporting small matters.
  • A mixed model. A subscription for the base plus hours for projects, for example migrations or deployments.

In practice a subscription with a clearly described scope works best. Hourly billing looks cheap on paper, and then every phone call to support becomes a decision about whether it is worth spending the money. That spoils the cooperation.

Always ask what is included in the price and what is outside it. Email migration, hardware purchase, deploying a new system or working at night are often extra items. A good offer spells this out plainly.

Outsourcing versus your own full-time role

The most common comparison is the cost of an external company against hiring an administrator full time. The salary, however, is only part of the bill. A fair comparison takes more into account.

With your own full-time role, you add:

  • Contributions and employment costs beyond the net salary.
  • Holidays, sick leave and cover. One person will not provide continuity.
  • Training and certificates, to keep up with technology.
  • Tools, monitoring licences and equipment for the administrator.
  • The risk of knowledge in one head. The departure of such a person is a real problem.

Outsourcing spreads this differently: you get a team instead of one person, continuity independent of holidays, and skills across many areas at once. For many SMEs the line is simple. Up to a certain scale outsourcing works out cheaper and safer, and your own full-time role only starts to make sense with a large, specific environment, and often still as a complement rather than a replacement for external support.

How to read an offer

Before you compare amounts, reduce the offers to a common denominator. Check how many workstations and servers they cover, what security scope they have, what SLA, and what is charged extra. Only then are the numbers comparable. The cheapest offer with a narrow scope can, within a year, work out more expensive than a pricier but complete one.

If you want to know the real cost for your company, rather than a general rate from the internet, describe your environment to us. On that basis we prepare a quote for IT outsourcing tailored to the number of workstations, servers and the expected level of security. Without hidden items and without obligation.