You have received a couple of IT support quotes and they are £40 apart per user per month. One is from a local firm, one is from a national provider. Both claim to be “fully managed.” Neither has explained what that actually means.
If you are running a 20-to-50-person business in Kent or London and trying to make sense of IT support pricing, this guide is for you. We will give you the actual numbers, explain what drives them, and hand you a checklist so you can compare quotes on equal terms.
What Does Managed IT Support Cost Per User in the UK?
Here is the direct answer: most UK SMBs should expect managed IT support to sit somewhere between £15 and £150 per user per month, depending on the service level and what is included.
To make quotes easier to compare, think in three broad package types:
| Package type | Typical monthly cost per user | What it usually means |
| Basic service | £15-£35 | Reactive or light-touch support, remote helpdesk, basic monitoring, limited proactive work |
| Full managed service | £35-£85 | Helpdesk, proactive monitoring, patching, Microsoft 365 administration, endpoint security and agreed onsite support terms |
| Comprehensive package | £85-£150 | Full managed service plus stronger cyber security, backup, strategic account management, enhanced SLAs, vCIO/TAM input or wider business technology support |
These are service-package bands, not a guarantee that every provider includes the same items. Microsoft 365 licences, project work, connectivity, telephony, hardware, specialist security tools and out-of-hours support may be included in some packages and charged separately in others. Always check the scope before comparing one price with another.
That distinction matters. A £30 per user basic service and a £75 per user full managed service are not really the same product. One may keep the lights on. The other should actively manage, secure and improve your IT environment.
Typical Monthly Pricing Bands for 10-50 User Businesses
The size of your business affects price in two ways: volume and complexity.
10-25 users: Expect to pay toward the upper end of each band, or see a minimum monthly fee that pushes the effective per-user price higher. A 15-user business paying £50 per user pays £750 per month. Many providers have a minimum monthly fee regardless of user count.
25-50 users: The per-user rate tends to stabilise as the fixed overhead is spread across more users. At this size, you usually have more negotiating leverage, especially on contract length.
Location uplift: Businesses in central London may pay more than businesses in Kent or outer London, mainly because engineer travel, salaries and onsite support costs are higher.
Contract length: Monthly rolling contracts often cost more than annual or multi-year agreements. A longer agreement can be better value if the scope is clear, the service levels are written down, and you are confident in the provider.
What Should Be Included in a Full Managed IT Support Package?
A well-structured full managed IT support agreement should include the following without regular surprise charges:
Helpdesk and remote support
• Remote support during business hours
• Phone, email and ticketing system access
• Clear response time SLAs, for example critical, major and standard requests
Proactive monitoring and maintenance
• Monitoring of servers, workstations and core network infrastructure
• Windows and third-party software patching
• Routine maintenance and reporting
Endpoint security
• Managed antivirus or EDR
• Security policy enforcement
• Email and web protection, where included in the package
Microsoft 365 management
• User provisioning and deprovisioning
• Licence management
• Basic Microsoft 365 administration for Teams, SharePoint and Exchange
Asset management
• Hardware and software inventory
• Warranty tracking
• End-of-life planning
If a provider describes a package as full managed IT support but excludes most of the items above, you are probably looking at a basic service with a full managed label.
What Usually Costs Extra?
These are common items that may sit outside the headline per-user fee. They are not automatically wrong, but they must be clear.
Microsoft 365 licences. These may be bundled or charged separately. Either is fine if the quote states it clearly.
Onsite visits. Some packages include onsite visits. Others charge per visit or per engineer hour. Ask exactly what is included.
Backup and disaster recovery. Backup for servers and Microsoft 365 data may be included in comprehensive packages or billed separately.
Telephony and connectivity. VoIP, broadband, leased lines and SD-WAN are usually separate from the IT support package.
Project work. Migrations, office moves, major security upgrades and new infrastructure projects are usually quoted separately.
Out-of-hours support. Evening, weekend and 24/7 support usually carries a premium unless it is explicitly part of the package.
Hardware supply. Ask whether the provider adds margin to hardware and whether that margin is disclosed.
The key point is not whether these items are included or separate. The key point is whether the quote makes that obvious before you sign.
Why One MSP Quote Can Be Much Cheaper Than Another
You show two quotes to a colleague and the difference is £30 per user per month. Here is what is usually driving it:
Package level. A basic service at £25 per user and a full managed service at £65 per user are not equivalent. One may be mainly reactive. The other should include proactive management and security.
Security depth. Basic antivirus is very different from managed EDR, email security, vulnerability management and security monitoring.
Backup inclusion. Some providers include Microsoft 365 and server backup in comprehensive packages. Others charge it separately.
Onsite cover. A package that includes planned onsite visits will usually cost more than one that is remote-only.
Response time commitments. Faster response times cost more to staff and manage.
Strategic support. A comprehensive package may include a named account manager, Technical Alignment Manager, vCIO input, reviews and roadmap planning. A basic package usually will not.
Minimum terms and risk. A provider who lets you leave with 30 days’ notice prices differently from one requiring a 24-month commitment.
Per-User vs Per-Device vs Fixed Monthly Pricing
Most modern MSPs quote per user. It is the cleanest model for office-based and mobile workforces where one person might use a laptop, phone and cloud services.
Per-device pricing can still work for businesses with a high ratio of devices to users, such as manufacturing or warehousing.
Fixed monthly pricing is more common for very small organisations. It simplifies budgeting but can make it harder to see whether the package is basic, full managed or comprehensive.
For a 20-50 person professional services business, per-user pricing is usually the most transparent model, provided the package scope is clear.
Outsourced IT Support vs Hiring In-House
A full-time IT support engineer in the South East can cost £40,000-£55,000 per year once salary, employer NI, pension, recruitment, training, equipment, software and holiday or sickness cover are included.
That works out to roughly £3,300-£4,600 per month before you add specialist security cover or senior strategic input.
A 30-person business paying £50 per user for a full managed service pays £1,500 per month. A 30-person business paying £95 per user for a comprehensive package pays £2,850 per month. Both can still be materially lower than one fully-loaded in-house hire, while giving access to a wider team.
In-house can make sense once you reach larger headcounts, operate complex infrastructure, or need dedicated onsite cover. Below that, outsourced IT is often better value when you compare like for like.
How to Compare IT Support Quotes Fairly
Use this checklist when you receive competing quotes. Ask each provider to confirm whether each item is included, excluded or separately chargeable.
Package level checklist
• [ ] Is this a basic service, full managed service or comprehensive package?
• [ ] What is the per-user price?
• [ ] Is there a minimum monthly fee?
• [ ] Are Microsoft 365 licences included or separate?
• [ ] Is backup included or separate?
• [ ] Is onsite support included or charged per visit?
• [ ] Is out-of-hours support included or separate?
Scope checklist
• [ ] Remote helpdesk support during business hours
• [ ] 24/7 infrastructure monitoring
• [ ] Automated patching
• [ ] Managed endpoint security
• [ ] Microsoft 365 administration
• [ ] Cloud backup for Microsoft 365 data
• [ ] Server or cloud backup
• [ ] Cyber Essentials alignment or certification support
• [ ] Hardware procurement and margin terms
• [ ] Project work pricing method
SLA checklist
• [ ] Critical issue response time
• [ ] Major issue response time
• [ ] Standard request response time
• [ ] Priority definitions
• [ ] Remedies or escalation process for missed SLAs
Contract checklist
• [ ] Minimum contract term
• [ ] Notice period
• [ ] Price review terms
• [ ] Data handover process if you leave
• [ ] Offboarding process
What Kent and London SMBs Should Ask Before Signing
Beyond the scope and SLA questions, these five questions separate good providers from average ones:
1. “Which package level are we buying?”
Ask the provider to state whether the quote is basic, full managed or comprehensive, and to explain exactly what that means.
2. “What is included in Microsoft 365 management?”
Microsoft 365 is now the operating system of most SMBs. You need to know whether user management, security baselines, Teams, SharePoint and Exchange administration are included.
3. “How do you handle a staff leaver?”
This is a security test as much as an admin question. A prompt, complete leaver process tells you how seriously the provider takes security basics.
4. “What happens if our main system fails on a Friday afternoon?”
You want a specific answer about escalation, backup recovery, out-of-hours cover and who owns the issue.
5. “How do you handle Cyber Essentials?”
This matters for businesses working with public sector clients, legal clients or larger enterprises. If the provider cannot explain the route clearly, that tells you something.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does managed IT support cost per user in the UK?
As a guide, basic IT support can range from £15-£35 per user per month, full managed IT support from £35-£85 per user per month, and comprehensive managed IT packages from £85-£150 per user per month. The right comparison depends on what is included.
What is the difference between basic, full managed and comprehensive IT support?
A basic service usually covers light-touch or reactive support. A full managed service should include helpdesk, monitoring, patching, Microsoft 365 administration and endpoint security. A comprehensive package usually adds stronger security, backup, enhanced SLAs, strategic reviews and wider technology management.
What is included in managed IT support?
A full managed service should include helpdesk support, proactive monitoring, patching, endpoint security and Microsoft 365 user administration. Backup, onsite support, out-of-hours support and licences may be included or charged separately depending on the package.
Is outsourced IT support cheaper than hiring in-house?
For many businesses under 50-60 users, yes. A fully-loaded in-house engineer can cost £40,000-£55,000 per year. A full managed or comprehensive outsourced package can give access to a wider support team at a lower monthly cost, depending on headcount and scope.
Why do IT support quotes vary so much?
Most variation comes from package scope. A £25 per user basic service and a £75 per user full managed service are not equivalent. Security depth, backup, onsite cover, response times, Microsoft 365 handling and strategic support all affect the price.
Are Microsoft 365 licences included in IT support pricing?
Sometimes. Some providers bundle Microsoft 365 licences into the per-user fee, while others charge them separately. Always check the quote before comparing headline prices.
What hidden costs should I check before signing?
Check onboarding fees, onsite visit charges, out-of-hours support, backup, Microsoft 365 licences, project work, hardware margin and price changes when your headcount changes.
What Good Looks Like
A well-run 30-person professional services business in Kent or London should expect:
• A clear per-user monthly fee
• A written scope document
• Clear distinction between basic, full managed and comprehensive service levels
• Microsoft 365 licences handled transparently
• Backup either included or clearly priced
• Managed endpoint security
• Onsite support terms in writing
• Response time SLAs with defined priority levels
• Cyber Essentials support or a clear route to it
• A reasonable contract term and exit process
If a provider cannot give you all of this in writing before you sign, ask why.
What to Do Next
If you are currently gathering quotes and want something to benchmark against, IT Outcomes publishes clear managed IT support pricing for businesses in Kent and London. We will tell you exactly what is included, what costs extra, and what a realistic total monthly cost looks like for your setup.
You can ask for a no-obligation quote at itoutcomes.com/contact (https://www.itoutcomes.com/contact), or call us on 01634 560030.
IT Outcomes is a managed IT support provider based in Kent, serving SMBs across Kent and London. We publish transparent pricing because you should understand exactly what you are paying for before you sign anything.
Share this post
