How Much Does Managed IT Services Cost?
Real pricing. No games. No “call for a quote” runaround.
Most IT companies hide their pricing behind a sales call because they want to size you up before quoting. We think that’s backwards. You should know what IT support costs before you pick up the phone.
How SDTEK’s Pricing Works
We use a hybrid per-device + support retainer model — and we believe it’s the fairest way to price managed IT. Here’s how it breaks down:
Per-Device Management Fee
Every managed device (workstations, laptops, servers) gets a flat monthly fee that covers:
- 24/7 monitoring & alerting — We know about problems before you do
- Patch management — Security updates applied on schedule, not “when we get to it”
- Endpoint protection (EDR) — Enterprise-grade threat detection on every device
- Managed antivirus — Centrally managed, automatically updated, with real-time threat response across every endpoint
- Network management — Firewalls, switches, Wi-Fi, VPN
- Vendor management — We handle your ISP, software vendors, and hardware suppliers
This cost stays consistent month to month. You can budget around it.
Support Retainer
A separate block of help desk hours sized to your organization’s actual needs — typically 10–40 hours per month depending on your team size and complexity.
- You’re not subsidizing heavy callers — your support scales with your real usage, not someone else’s
- Proactive vs. reactive is visible — device management (constant) is separate from help desk support (which should decrease over time as your environment stabilizes)
- Flexibility built in — retainers include buffer for busy months, and additional hours are available when needed
AI Digital Proactive Technician
Every SDTEK client gets something no other MSP in San Diego or Fort Wayne offers: an AI-powered proactive technician that works alongside your human support team — included in your flat-rate management fee.
- Always on, never off — Works 24/7/365. No sick days, no vacations, no missed steps
- Consistent and thorough — Every check, every device, every time. The same rigorous process whether it’s Monday morning or Saturday at 3 AM
- Proactive health checks — Automated patch verification, endpoint security reviews, and network health assessments run on schedule across your entire environment
- Faster issue detection — AI catches configuration drift, security gaps, and emerging problems before they become tickets
- Reduces your support costs — By catching and resolving issues proactively, your reactive support hours go down — which means your support retainer stays lean
- Scales effortlessly — Whether you have 10 devices or 200, the AI technician handles them all without adding headcount or cost
- Human oversight built in — AI handles the routine; our human technicians review findings, handle escalations, and make judgment calls
Think of it as having a tireless Level 1 technician who does perfect, repeatable proactive maintenance — so your human support team can focus on the work that actually requires human expertise.
Strategic IT Planning
Every client also gets:
- Regular Technology Business Reviews — actionable roadmaps aligned to your business goals
- Virtual CIO (vCIO) guidance — budgeting, vendor management, compliance planning
- Monthly reporting — clear visibility into your IT health, security posture, and support usage
For a deeper dive into how managed IT pricing models compare, read our full guide: How Much Do Managed IT Services Cost in 2026?
What Drives Your Price Up (or Down)
Factors That Increase Cost
- Regulatory compliance — HIPAA, CMMC, SOC 2, or PCI-DSS require specialized tools and documentation
- Complex infrastructure — On-premise servers, hybrid cloud environments, multi-site networking
- 24/7 on-call support — After-hours emergency response beyond standard monitoring
- Legacy systems — Older hardware and software require more hands-on maintenance
Factors That Decrease Cost
- Cloud-first environment — Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace shops are simpler to manage
- Standardized hardware — All the same laptop model? Fewer surprises
- Fewer locations — Single-site businesses are less complex
- Proactive culture — Organizations that follow our recommendations avoid expensive fire drills
- AI-powered proactive maintenance — Our AI Digital Proactive Technician handles routine checks, patch verification, and security reviews automatically — reducing the human hours (and cost) needed to maintain your environment
The Real Cost of Alternatives
Break-Fix (Pay-As-You-Go)
$125–$200/hour, only when something breaks. Sounds cheaper — until your server goes down on a Friday afternoon.
- Typical annual cost for a 25-person company: $18,000–$48,000+ (unpredictable)
- Average downtime cost: $5,600 per minute (Gartner)
- Hidden cost: No one is watching your systems between incidents
One ransomware incident can cost $200,000+ in recovery, lost revenue, and reputation damage. That’s years of managed IT services.
Hiring an In-House IT Person
A single full-time IT generalist in San Diego or Fort Wayne costs:
- Salary: $55,000–$85,000
- Benefits: $15,000–$25,000
- Training & certifications: $3,000–$5,000/year
- Software licenses & tools: $5,000–$10,000/year
- Total: $78,000–$125,000/year — for ONE person
With SDTEK, you get an entire team — help desk, system admins, security specialists, a virtual CIO — for less than the cost of one hire. And we don’t take vacations, call in sick, or quit with two weeks’ notice.
The SDTEK Difference: Try Us Risk-Free
90-Day Unconditional Guarantee
Here’s what no other MSP in San Diego or Fort Wayne offers: if you’re not happy in the first 90 days, walk away. No penalties, no fees, no hard feelings.
Why can we do this? Because in 19 years, we’ve never had a client leave during the guarantee period.
- 1-year service agreement (industry standard)
- 90-day unconditional out — the ultimate risk reducer
- Reasonable onboarding fee based on actual labor — factored on company size, services subscribed, and environment complexity (larger clients often benefit from economies of scale)
What’s NOT Included (Transparency Matters)
We’d rather be upfront about what costs extra than surprise you later:
- Hardware purchases — We help you spec and procure, but the hardware itself is separate
- Major projects — Office moves, new infrastructure builds, or large migrations are scoped and quoted separately
- Third-party software licenses — Microsoft 365, Adobe, industry-specific apps (we manage them, you own them)
- One-time onboarding — First-month setup and documentation (typically $1,500–$5,000 depending on complexity)
AI-Powered IT: What Comes Next
SDTEK is one of the first MSPs to integrate AI directly into managed services through aiTEK™:
- Proactive threat detection — AI monitors your systems 24/7 and catches anomalies humans miss
- Automated routine maintenance — Patch management, compliance checks, and security reviews on autopilot
- Proactive maintenance — Our AI Digital Proactive Technician performs scheduled health checks, endpoint security reviews, and network assessments on every device — consistently, thoroughly, and without ever missing a step
- Faster response times — AI triage means your issue gets to the right technician instantly
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can we get started?
Most businesses are fully onboarded within 2–4 weeks. We document everything, deploy our tools, and run in parallel to ensure zero disruption.
Is there a minimum number of users?
We work best with companies of 10–200 employees. Smaller teams can still benefit; larger organizations get custom pricing.
Can we keep our current hardware?
Yes. We assess what you have, recommend replacements where needed, and manage whatever you’re running. No forced hardware purchases.
What if we already have an internal IT person?
Great — we work alongside them. Many clients use SDTEK for monitoring, security, and strategic planning while their internal IT handles day-to-day user support. We call this co-managed IT.
Do you serve businesses outside San Diego and Fort Wayne?
Yes. While our on-site technicians are in San Diego and Fort Wayne, we provide remote managed IT services to companies across the U.S.
Get Your Custom Quote
Every business is different. Here’s how it works:
- Free 15-minute discovery call — Tell us about your business and IT pain points
- Network assessment — We evaluate your current setup (no cost, no obligation)
- Custom proposal — Transparent pricing with everything spelled out, line by line
- 90-day guarantee — Start risk-free
📞 866-95-SDTEK | ✉️ sales@sdtek.net
📍 San Diego | Fort Wayne | Remote Nationwide