Pricing
Our pricing is transparent with no hidden fees or charges—just a simple flat rate to take out the guesswork.
How do MSPs Price their Managed IT Services?
An MSP’s pricing for managing IT and cybersecurity services could be based on several factors, so it’s important to get a clear understanding from an MSP on what ‘is’ and what is ‘not’ included before you sign an agreement. However, here are some common things that are involved with pricing out managed IT services:
- Number of Computer Users & Devices
- Number of Office Locations
- On-premises Servers
- Projects
Number of Computer Users & Devices
These are typically the basis for MSP pricing. Think of a Computer User as someone with an email address that is accessing company information. And a Device would typically be a computer or a laptop. Mobile Devices are not counted as a “Device” when pricing out services with Xperts Unlimited.
Number of Office Locations
These could impact the pricing, but what’s more important at Xperts Unlimited is what type of complexity do the offices add to managing their environment. For example, having an on-premises server at one location that all the other offices need to remote into may increase the cost of services compared to an organization that is fully in the cloud (since there is typically more time and resources involved in managing the on-premises environment).
On-Premises Servers
On-premises servers, and possibly cloud servers, may incur additional costs to manage, secure and maintain. Organizations that are fully in the cloud should not typically be charged additionally.
Projects
Most MSPs typically charge additional costs for projects (on top of services), but Xperts Unlimited includes project work as part of our services. Our philosophy is “if you wouldn’t pay your internal IT team more to do it, then you shouldn’t pay your MSP more to do it”. Should something require specialized expertise that we don’t have in-house, then we may charge additional, but not without prior discussion and approval from you.
Regardless of which MSP you partner with, it’s important to ask the right questions, so make sure to gain clarity about what is and what is not included with the price you’re paying.
XPU Core | XPU Advanced | XPU Elite | |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Need | Small organizations without an IT department that primarily need essential security, monitoring & management. | Growing organizations whose IT needs have outpaced their current capabilities and want essential security, scalability and highly responsive user support. | Organizations whose IT needs require the highest levels of security, due to industry or compliance requirements, and quick, reliable 24/7 user support. |
Pricing | $119/User/Month | $189/User/Month | $259/User/Month |
In-House IT vs. Outsourced MSP: Cost, Expertise, and Value Comparison
When evaluating your IT strategy, one of the most important decisions is whether to hire in-house IT staff or partner with a Managed Service Provider (MSP). While both options can support your business, they differ significantly in cost, expertise, responsiveness, and long-term value, especially for small and mid-sized businesses.
Cost Comparison: In-House IT vs. Managed IT Services
Hiring an internal IT team is often far more expensive than businesses expect.
Typical In-House IT Costs
To properly support a growing business, you will likely need the following skilled technical professionals to properly manage and secure your business IT and quickly respond to any employee issues:
- IT Manager / Director: $90,000 – $150,000+
- Systems Administrator: $70,000 – $110,000
- Help Desk Technician: $50,000 – $70,000
- Cybersecurity Specialist: $90,000 – $140,000
Total annual cost: $300,000 – $500,000+ (before benefits, taxes, and training)
Additional costs include:
- Employee benefits (20–30% overhead)
- Ongoing training and certifications
- Software, tools, and security platforms
- Coverage gaps (vacation, sick leave, turnover)
Typical MSP Pricing
Managed IT services are typically offered at a predictable monthly cost, often based on users or devices.
- Average MSP cost: $100 – $250 per user/month (depending on services provided)
For a 25-person company this looks like:
- $2,500 – $6,250 per month
- $30,000 – $75,000 per year
This is often 50–80% less than building a full in-house IT team, while providing significantly broader expertise.
Expertise Comparison: One Person vs. a Full Team
In-House IT Limitations
Even a highly skilled IT employee cannot specialize in everything. Modern IT environments require expertise in:
- Cybersecurity and threat detection
- Cloud platforms (Microsoft 365, Azure, AWS)
- Networking and infrastructure
- Compliance and risk management
- Backup and disaster recovery
- End-user support
Hiring for all these skill sets would require multiple full-time employees, which is cost-prohibitive for most small and mid-sized businesses.
MSP Advantage: A Team of Specialists
With an MSP, you gain access to a full team of IT professionals, including:
- Help desk technicians
- Network engineers
- Cloud specialists
- Cybersecurity experts
- Strategic advisors (vCIO/vCTO)
This means your business benefits from enterprise-level expertise across all areas of IT, without having to hire each role individually.
Responsiveness and Availability
In-House IT
- Limited to business hours in most cases
- One or two people handling all requests
- Delays during high workload or absences
- No guaranteed response times
MSP Support
- 24/7 monitoring and support
- Dedicated help desk with fast response times
- Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for accountability
- Proactive issue detection before problems impact your business
MSPs are designed to resolve issues faster and prevent downtime, not just react to problems.
Training, Certifications, and Staying Current
Technology evolves rapidly, and keeping up requires continuous education.
In-House IT Challenges
- Training is expensive and time-consuming
- Skill gaps are common
- One person cannot stay current across all technologies
- Certifications may be outdated or limited
MSP Advantage
- Teams with up-to-date certifications (Microsoft, Cisco, Google, cybersecurity frameworks, etc.)
- Continuous training across multiple disciplines
- Exposure to a wide range of environments and real-world scenarios
MSPs bring current, real-world expertise that’s difficult to maintain internally.
Cybersecurity and Risk Management
Cyber threats are one of the biggest risks facing businesses today.
In-House IT Risks
- Limited cybersecurity specialization
- Reactive approach to threats
- Lack of advanced tools and monitoring systems
- Increased risk of data breaches or compliance violations
MSP Security Approach
- Proactive threat detection and response (EDR/MDR)
- Advanced security tools and monitoring
- Regular vulnerability assessments
- Compliance support (HIPAA, SOC 2, etc.)
- Employee security awareness training
Scalability and Business Growth
In-House IT
- Hiring takes time and resources
- Difficult to scale quickly
- Skill gaps during growth phases
MSP Flexibility
- Easily scale services up or down
- Support business growth without hiring delays
- Access new technologies and solutions quickly
Do I want one person managing IT, or an entire team dedicated to keeping my business secure, efficient, and running smoothly?