Quick answer: For most small businesses in the Greater Vancouver area, fully managed IT support runs roughly CA$150 to $200 per user per month once 24/7 monitoring, security, and help desk are bundled together. For a typical 10-person firm, that works out to about CA$1,500 to $2,000 per month, and often more when advanced cybersecurity or compliance requirements are layered in. Co-managed IT (working alongside your internal staff) runs about CA$100 to $150 per user, and reactive break-fix support is billed hourly — typically CA$135 to $150 per hour. The right tier depends on what in-house capacity you already have.

What affects the cost of managed IT support?

Pricing for managed IT services in Vancouver is driven by a handful of factors:

  • Number of users and devices — most providers price per user (sometimes per device) per month.
  • Service tier — fully managed costs more than co-managed or reactive break-fix support.
  • Security and compliance needs — managed cybersecurity, endpoint protection, and compliance support add to the base price.
  • Cloud and licensing — Microsoft 365, cloud backup, and VoIP licensing may be bundled or billed separately.
  • Onboarding — a one-time setup or assessment fee is common in the first month.

Support tiers: fully managed, co-managed, and break-fix

Most providers offer three service tiers. The right one depends on how much IT capability you already have in-house.

Fully managed IT (≈ CA$150–$200 per user/month)

The provider owns your entire IT environment — monitoring, security, help desk, patching, and strategy. Best for businesses with little or no internal IT.

  • Pros: predictable flat cost, full 24/7 coverage, a whole team of specialists, and the strongest security posture.
  • Cons: the highest monthly cost, and less hands-on internal control of day-to-day IT.

Co-managed IT (≈ CA$100–$150 per user/month)

The provider works alongside your internal IT person or team, filling specific gaps — after-hours coverage, cybersecurity, specialist projects, or enterprise-grade tools — while your staff handle day-to-day requests. Best for businesses that have an internal IT person who is stretched thin or lacks certain specialties.

  • Pros: keeps internal knowledge and control, adds specialist depth and coverage, scales without new hires, and is usually more cost-effective than hiring additional staff.
  • Cons: needs a clearly defined split of responsibilities, or tasks can fall through the cracks or overlap.

Break-fix / reactive (≈ CA$135–$150 per hour)

Pay-as-you-go support billed by the hour — you call when something breaks. Best for very small teams with minimal IT needs.

  • Pros: low baseline cost, and you only pay when you use it.
  • Cons: no proactive monitoring, unpredictable bills, slower response, and weaker security — issues are caught after they have already caused downtime.

Common pricing models

  • Per-user per-month — predictable flat fee covering each employee across all their devices. Most common for professional services firms.
  • Per-device per-month — billed per workstation, server, or network device.
  • Hourly / block hours — pay-as-you-go support, better suited to very small teams or one-off projects.
  • Project-based — fixed quote for migrations, procurement, or infrastructure builds.

What’s typically included?

A fully managed plan generally includes 24/7 monitoring of your IT infrastructure, a help desk for staff support, patch management and updates, endpoint security and antivirus, cloud backup, and vendor management. At Hatchway, pricing is transparent with no hidden costs — additional projects are individually quoted and scoped, with any cost benefits passed through to the client.

Frequently asked questions

What is co-managed IT?

Co-managed IT is a partnership where an external provider works alongside your in-house IT staff rather than replacing them. The provider covers gaps such as cybersecurity, after-hours support, or specialist projects, while your internal team keeps ownership of day-to-day operations.

Is managed IT cheaper than hiring in-house?

For most small and medium businesses, yes. A single in-house IT hire in Vancouver typically costs CA$70,000+ per year in salary alone, whereas managed IT gives a whole team’s expertise for a predictable monthly fee, with no benefits, sick days, or coverage gaps.

Are there long-term contracts?

Contract length varies by provider. Many offer month-to-month or annual agreements. Hatchway scopes engagements around each client’s needs and keeps pricing transparent.

Want a precise number for your team? Book a free IT assessment and we’ll quote your specific environment.