How much does managed IT support cost in the UK?
Written by Managed247. We are a managed IT provider, so this guide sets out how pricing works across the market, how our own pricing works, and the questions to ask every provider, including us.
The short answer
Most UK managed IT support is priced per user, per month, and the price depends on four things: the hours of cover you need, how much of your IT is included, the level of security and compliance you require, and whether you want a shared or a dedicated team. Onboarding, projects and hardware are usually charged separately. The only reliable way to compare providers is a like-for-like quote against the same scope.
The four ways managed IT support is priced
| Pricing model | How it works | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per user, per month | One fee for each person supported, usually covering all of their devices. | Organisations with a predictable headcount. | Check whether part-time staff, contractors and shared mailboxes count as users. |
| Per device, per month | A fee for each laptop, desktop, server or network device under management. | Estates with more devices than people, such as shared workstations or shop floors. | The cost rises with every device, including ones nobody uses any more. |
| Tiered packages | Set bundles, often called bronze, silver and gold, each with fixed inclusions. | Buyers who want a simple choice. | The tiers rarely match your needs exactly, so check what moves you up a tier. |
| Scope and hours | You choose which lines of support (first, second or third line) and which hours to cover, and pay for that scope. | Organisations with an internal IT team that need extra capacity or out-of-hours cover. | Make sure the hours and response times you are paying for are written into the contract. |
What is usually included, and what is usually extra
| Usually included in the monthly fee | Often charged separately |
|---|---|
| A service desk for your users, by phone, email and portal | Onboarding and transition from your current provider |
| Remote fixes for day-to-day problems | Projects such as cloud migrations or office moves |
| Proactive monitoring and alerting | On-site visits |
| Security patching and updates | Hardware and software licences |
| Endpoint protection | Advanced security, such as a 24/7 security operations centre or penetration testing |
| Microsoft 365 administration | Compliance work for certifications such as ISO 27001 or Cyber Essentials Plus |
| A regular service review | Out-of-hours cover, on some contracts |
Every provider draws this line in a different place, which is why two quotes for "managed IT support" can be far apart. Ask each provider to mark every item on this list as included or extra.
Seven things that move the price
- Hours of cover. Business-hours support costs less than 24/7 cover staffed by engineers.
- Where the service desk is based. UK-based engineers usually cost more than an offshore desk. In return, your data and your conversations stay in the UK, with no handoffs across time zones.
- How much of your IT is included. A service desk on its own costs less than a contract that also covers cloud, networks, security and IT strategy.
- Security and compliance. Regulated sectors, and frameworks such as ISO 27001 or Cyber Essentials Plus, need more controls and more evidence.
- Shared or dedicated team. A shared service desk spreads the cost across many customers. A dedicated team works only for you and costs more.
- How complex your estate is. The number of sites, cloud platforms, business applications and older systems all add to the work.
- Contract length. A longer term often brings a lower monthly price, so check the exit terms before you commit.
Managed IT support or an in-house IT team?
The fair comparison is not the monthly fee against one salary. An in-house team that covers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year needs enough people to staff every shift, plus holiday and sickness cover, training, tools and management time. For most small and mid-sized organisations, round-the-clock cover is only affordable through a provider that shares a team across many customers.
Many organisations combine the two. They keep an internal team for strategy and local knowledge, and add co-managed IT support for extra capacity and out-of-hours cover.
The cost of getting it wrong
Price is only half the sum. Our research found that IT downtime costs the UK £44bn a year and 93 hours per employee. A cheaper contract that responds slowly out of hours can cost more than it saves, so weigh the price against the cover, the response times and the monitoring you are getting for it.
How Managed247 prices managed IT support
We price on the scope you need, not on a fixed package. Every option is delivered from our UK service desk, staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with proactive monitoring through LiveTrace, our own platform. You choose how much of your IT we look after:
- Shared service desk: our 24/7 UK shared service desk, where you can take just first, second or third line, and only the hours you need.
- Co-managed: our analysts work alongside your internal team, adding capacity, specialist skills and round-the-clock cover while you keep control.
- Dedicated team: a dedicated IT team exclusive to your business, from first to third line, 24/7/365.
- Fully outsourced: we run your whole IT function, from the service desk to IT strategy. See how we outsource your whole IT function.
We quote against your actual requirements after a short discovery call.
Ten questions to ask before you sign
- Is the price per user, per device or per package, and who counts as a user?
- Which hours are covered, and is 24/7 cover included or an extra?
- Is every engineer who handles our tickets based in the UK?
- What exactly is included in the monthly fee, and what is billed on top?
- What will onboarding and transition cost, as a fixed price?
- How are projects priced, and at what day rate?
- Which security services are included, and which are add-ons?
- What are the response and resolution targets, and what happens if they are missed?
- How long is the contract, and what does it cost to leave?
- When and how can the price change during the contract?
Frequently asked questions
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How much does managed IT support cost per user in the UK?
It depends on the hours of cover, how much of your IT is included, your security and compliance needs, and whether the team is shared or dedicated. Most providers charge per user per month, so ask each one to quote against the same list of services, hours and response times.
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Is managed IT support cheaper than an in-house IT team?
For most small and mid-sized organisations, yes, once you count what round-the-clock cover really takes: enough people for every shift, holiday and sickness cover, training and tools. Organisations with a strong internal team often get the best value from co-managed support, which adds capacity and out-of-hours cover without replacing the people they have.
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Why do managed IT support quotes vary so much?
Because providers include different things. One quote may cover business hours only and leave out security, while another includes 24/7 cover, proactive monitoring and a security operations centre. Ask every provider to quote against the same list of services, hours and response times.
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Are there set-up costs for managed IT support?
Often, yes. Most providers charge for onboarding or transition, which covers an audit of your estate, documentation and the handover from your current provider. Ask for it as a fixed price before you sign. Read how switching IT provider works at Managed247.
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How does Managed247 price managed IT support?
We price on the scope you need: the lines of support, the hours of cover and the services included, from a shared 24/7 UK service desk to a dedicated team. Book a discovery call and we will quote against your actual requirements.
Talk to us about your requirements
Book a 30-minute call, tell us what you have today, and we will scope the support that fits.