What break-fix actually costs
The hourly rate is the obvious cost. The hidden costs: the four-day delay before the technician can come out, the productivity loss while you wait, the project work that never gets done because every visit is reactive, and the year-end surprise when the antivirus expired in March and nobody noticed.
What managed actually costs
A flat monthly number — per device, per mailbox, per location. Add-ons priced as line items for the things outside the base scope. The number on the contract is the number on the bill. Predictable to the dollar, billed on the same day each month.
The 24-month math
For a typical 10-person business, break-fix often runs $14,000–$22,000 over 24 months once you add in emergency calls, project work, and one major incident. A managed plan over the same period runs in the same range — and includes the prevention, the documentation, and the help desk that break-fix never bills for.
The decision is rarely the price
Most owners who switch to managed don't do it because it's cheaper. They do it because they want one phone number, predictable monthly costs, and a partner who shows up before the fire starts — not after.