“How much does IT support cost?” is one of the first questions every Melbourne small business owner asks us. And the honest answer is that it depends on how you buy it. This guide breaks down the two main pricing models, typical ranges, and what actually moves the number.
Break-fix vs managed IT
There are two ways to pay for IT support in Australia. Break-fix is pay-as-you-go: you call someone when something breaks and pay per incident or per hour. Managed IT is a fixed monthly fee that bundles monitoring, helpdesk, patching and core security so problems are prevented rather than just fixed.
Break-fix looks cheaper until something goes wrong at the worst possible time. Managed IT costs a predictable amount every month and usually works out cheaper for any business calling for help more than a couple of times a month. Because downtime is the real expense, not the invoice.
How managed IT is priced
Most Australian providers price managed IT per user or per device per month. That means your bill scales cleanly as you hire, and it doesn't spike when something breaks. A typical plan includes an Australian-based helpdesk, 24/7 monitoring, patching, endpoint security and backups, with extras like advanced cyber security, cloud migrations or new hardware quoted separately.
What drives the price up or down
- Number of users and devices. The biggest single factor.
- Security requirements. Regulated industries like NDIS or health need more.
- Age and complexity of your systems. Older, patchy setups cost more to stabilise.
- Response times you need. Faster SLAs cost more.
The bottom line
Rather than quote a number that won't fit your situation, we give every Melbourne business an itemised quote after a free 30-minute IT Health Check. So you see exactly what you're paying for. See what's included in managed IT or book your free Health Check.