If you run a small business, you've probably had the conversation: something breaks, someone spends half a day fixing it, and afterwards you wonder whether you should be paying for proper IT support. Then you look at what the big providers charge and quietly close the tab. So what should IT support actually cost a business of 5 to 50 people?
What you're actually paying for
Good support isn't really about fixing things when they break. It's about the boring work that stops them breaking: updates applied, backups tested, network kit monitored, passwords and access sorted properly when staff join or leave.
When you're comparing quotes, you're comparing how much of that preventative work is included — not just how fast someone answers the phone.
The three pricing models you'll see
Hourly break-fix. You pay when something goes wrong. It feels cheap because most months you pay nothing — but nobody is doing the preventative work, so the failures are bigger when they come.
Per-user monthly contracts. The model most national MSPs push: a fee per member of staff per month, whether anything happens or not — and much of it funds a helpdesk you'll rarely call.
Fixed care plans. A flat monthly fee covering monitoring, updates and a set amount of engineer time, with extra work at a reduced hourly rate. This is what I offer, because it fits how small businesses actually use support: quiet most months, occasionally urgent.
What I charge, since you're wondering
My standard rate is £95 an hour plus VAT, and care plan members pay £76. I'd rather publish that than make you sit through a discovery call to find out. Fixed-price quotes for project work, no day rates, and the same engineer every time — me.
When you don't need paid support at all
Honestly? If you're a two-or-three-person business running everything in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace on laptops you replace every few years, you probably don't need a support contract. Turn on automatic updates, use a password manager, pay for the built-in backup options, and keep my number for the rare day something serious goes wrong. I'd rather tell you that now than sell you a plan you don't need.
The point where paid support starts earning its keep is usually when you have an office network, a server or NAS, CCTV or door access, or compliance requirements — anything where downtime costs you real money by the hour. Plenty of businesses in Maidenhead and High Wycombe sit right on that line, which is why I always start with a survey rather than a sales pitch.
Five questions to ask before you sign anything
- Who actually turns up — the person quoting, or a rotating helpdesk?
- Are backups tested, or just "configured"? Ask when the last test restore was done.
- What happens to your passwords, licences and documentation if you leave?
- Is the response time in the contract, or just in the brochure?
- What's the exit clause? Twelve-month lock-ins are a red flag for a small business.
That third question matters more than people think. Everything I set up is documented and handed over — if you ever want to leave, you take your runbook with you. Support should be something you choose to keep, not something you're trapped in.
The honest summary
For a typical 5–15 person business in the Thames Valley, sensible IT support cost comes down to paying for prevention rather than a badge on an invoice. Insist on documentation, question long lock-ins, and don't pay for a helpdesk you'll never call.
If you'd like help working out what IT support should cost your business in Berkshire or Buckinghamshire, get in touch — the site survey is free and the quote is fixed.