Warming up the servers...
An honest, side-by-side comparison. No spin — just the facts so you can pick what actually works for your business.
A team of IT experts manages your entire technology stack for a flat monthly fee. Proactive monitoring, security, help desk, and strategic planning included.
✓ Predictable costs, full team, proactive
✕ Less physical on-site presence than in-house
A dedicated IT employee on your payroll. Full-time presence in your office but limited to one person's skills and availability.
✓ Dedicated, knows your environment intimately
✕ Single point of failure, expensive, limited skills
Call someone when something breaks. Pay by the hour with no ongoing relationship. No monitoring, no prevention, no planning.
✓ No monthly commitment, pay only when needed
✕ Reactive, unpredictable costs, no prevention
| Feature | Managed IT | In-House | Break-Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/7 system monitoring | |||
| Proactive maintenance & patching | |||
| Help desk support | Per hour | ||
| Cybersecurity tools included | Extra cost | ||
| Predictable monthly cost | |||
| No long-term contract | |||
| Team of specialists (not 1 person) | varies | ||
| Backup & disaster recovery | |||
| Vendor management (Microsoft, etc.) | |||
| Strategic IT planning | |||
| Compliance support (HIPAA, etc.) | varies | ||
| Scales with your team | Expensive | ||
| On-site when needed |
/month for 20 users
Full team, monitoring, security, help desk included
/month (salary + benefits + tools)
One person, 40 hrs/week, needs their own tools
/month (wildly unpredictable)
$0 some months, $5K+ when things break
We'll give you an honest recommendation based on your actual setup — even if that means telling you to hire internally. Free consultation, no obligation.