Do you keep your internal IT person and add MSP support, or hand off everything to a managed provider? The right answer depends on your team, budget, and growth plans.
Businesses with existing IT staff
20-200 employees with 1-3 IT people
Businesses without IT staff
10-100 employees, no internal IT
You retain full control
Your team makes all decisions
Shared decision-making
MSP recommends, you approve
$1,500 - $3,000
Plus internal IT salary
$3,000 - $5,000
All-inclusive, no salary costs
$8,000 - $12,000/mo
MSP fee + IT salary + benefits
$3,000 - $5,000/mo
Everything included
Business hours + MSP after-hours
Your IT handles day-to-day
24/7/365 coverage
No coverage gaps
Broad internal + MSP specialists
Best of both worlds
Full MSP team expertise
Access to entire team
Scale MSP scope as needed
Flexible engagement
Scales with your business
Add users seamlessly
Your IT person knows the business
Deep organizational context
MSP learns over time
Documented processes
| Factor | Co-Managed IT | Fully Managed IT |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Businesses with existing IT staff 20-200 employees with 1-3 IT people | Businesses without IT staff 10-100 employees, no internal IT |
| Control | You retain full control Your team makes all decisions | Shared decision-making MSP recommends, you approve |
| Monthly Cost (25 users) | $1,500 - $3,000 Plus internal IT salary | $3,000 - $5,000 All-inclusive, no salary costs |
| Total Cost (with salary) | $8,000 - $12,000/mo MSP fee + IT salary + benefits | $3,000 - $5,000/mo Everything included |
| Coverage Hours | Business hours + MSP after-hours Your IT handles day-to-day | 24/7/365 coverage No coverage gaps |
| Expertise Depth | Broad internal + MSP specialists Best of both worlds | Full MSP team expertise Access to entire team |
| Scalability | Scale MSP scope as needed Flexible engagement | Scales with your business Add users seamlessly |
| Institutional Knowledge | Your IT person knows the business Deep organizational context | MSP learns over time Documented processes |
Costs are estimates for Calgary businesses. Co-managed total cost includes a mid-level IT administrator salary (~$65K-$85K including benefits).
Book a free consultation. We'll review your current IT setup, team capabilities, and growth plans to recommend whether co-managed or fully managed IT makes more sense for your business.
Or take our free IT security self-assessment to see where your business stands.
Answer 5 quick questions to get a tailored recommendation.
1. Do you currently have an internal IT person or team?
2. How much control do you want over IT decisions?
3. Which budget model works better for your business?
4. Do you have specialized IT needs (compliance, cybersecurity, cloud migration)?
5. How is your business expected to grow in the next 2 years?