Why IT support quotes are hard to compare
Two quotes for "IT support" can look very different, even when the monthly figures are similar. One may include on-site visits, security tools and out-of-hours cover; another may charge for each of those separately. Understanding the pricing model, and what sits outside it, is the only way to compare like for like.
The common pricing models
Per user
You pay a monthly fee for each member of staff supported, usually covering all of that person's devices. It is the most common model for managed IT support because it is simple to budget and scales with headcount.
Per device
You pay for each laptop, desktop, server or other device supported. It can suit businesses with shared devices or many devices per person, but needs careful tracking as devices come and go.
Tiered packages
Providers bundle services into levels, such as business-hours support only, or support plus security and backups. Check exactly what moves between tiers, as the names vary between providers.
Fixed fee for a defined scope
A single monthly fee for an agreed set of users, devices, sites and services. It suits businesses with a stable setup and makes the provider responsible for keeping everything inside that scope running.
Block hours and pay-as-you-go
You buy a bank of hours in advance or pay an hourly rate as needed. This is closer to break-fix support and usually excludes proactive monitoring.
What drives the price
- Number of users and devices, the biggest factor in most quotes.
- Servers and infrastructure: on-site servers, firewalls and multi-site networks take more work than a cloud-only setup.
- Hours of cover: business hours only, extended hours or round-the-clock.
- On-site requirements: how often engineers need to attend, and where your sites are.
- Security stack: endpoint protection, email security, managed detection and response, and security awareness training.
- Backups for servers and Microsoft 365.
- Compliance needs, such as Cyber Essentials, sector regulation or client audits.
- The state of your current IT: an undocumented or neglected estate may need onboarding work before ongoing support starts.
What is often excluded
Read the exclusions as carefully as the inclusions. Common items charged separately include:
- project work such as office moves, migrations and new system installs;
- hardware, software licences and third-party subscriptions;
- on-site visits beyond an agreed allowance;
- out-of-hours work;
- support for specialist line-of-business software, beyond liaising with its supplier;
- onboarding or setup fees at the start of the contract.
How to compare quotes like for like
- Give every provider the same information: user and device counts, sites, servers, cloud services and current pain points.
- Ask for the scope, the exclusions and the response times in writing.
- Check what security tools and backups are included, and which you would need to buy separately.
- Compare the minimum term, notice period and any price-increase clauses.
- Ask what happens at the end of the contract, including handover of documentation and admin access.
Our IT support contract checklist lists the clauses to look for.
Get a clear quote from Omega IT
Ask us for a written quote covering scope, exclusions and response times so you can compare properly. Tell us about your setup through our IT support quote form, or read more about outsourced IT support and managed IT support.