If you’re a small business owner in Langley wondering what managed IT services actually cost, you’ve probably noticed how vague the answers tend to be. ‘It depends.’ ‘Call us for a quote.’ ‘Every business is different.’ All true, but not particularly useful when you’re trying to put a number in a budget.
Here’s a transparent breakdown of how managed IT pricing typically works for small businesses in Langley and the Fraser Valley.
The standard pricing model
Most reputable managed IT service providers in BC charge on a flat-rate per-user model. You pay a fixed monthly fee per employee, and that fee covers a defined scope of services. The typical range for small businesses (10–50 employees) is $120 to $200 per user per month, depending on the service tier you choose.
For a 25-person business, that’s $3,000–$5,000 per month. Yes, that’s real money. But it’s also predictable, which matters more than most owners realize.
What’s typically included
At the lower end of the range (around $120/user/month), you typically get:
- Help desk support during business hours
- Proactive monitoring and patching of all your computers and servers
- Antivirus and basic email security
- Backup of cloud data (Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace)
- Remote support from a Canadian-based technician
At the higher end ($180–$200/user/month), you get all of the above plus:
- Advanced cybersecurity (EDR, dark web monitoring, security awareness training)
- After-hours emergency support
- Strategic technology planning and quarterly business reviews
- Onsite visits as needed
- Vendor management (your ISP, phone provider, software contracts)
Why per-user, not flat-fee?
Per-user pricing scales with your business. If you grow from 20 to 30 employees, your IT cost grows with you in a predictable way. If you shrink, you pay less. It also encourages your IT provider to be efficient — they’re not penalized financially when something goes wrong, but they are rewarded for keeping your environment running cleanly.
The alternative — hourly billing — creates a perverse incentive: the more your IT breaks, the more your IT provider gets paid. With managed IT, the incentive flips. They want stability as much as you do.
What about the ‘hidden costs’?
Most legitimate Langley MSPs are upfront about what’s in scope and what’s out. Common things that are not typically included in the per-user fee:
- Hardware purchases (computers, servers, network gear)
- Software licenses (Microsoft 365 subscriptions, antivirus, backup tools)
- Major projects (server migrations, office moves, large rollouts)
- Specialized work (compliance audits, custom integrations)
These are billed separately, but a good MSP will help you budget and forecast them across your IT roadmap.
What does this mean for your business?
For most small businesses in Langley, expect to budget approximately 2–3% of annual revenue on IT. If you’re running a 25-person business doing $3M in revenue, that’s $60,000–$90,000/year on technology — including software, hardware, and IT services. Of that, your MSP fee is typically about half.
If you’d like a specific quote tailored to your business, we offer a free 30-minute IT assessment with no obligation. We’ll review your current setup, identify gaps, and give you a clear number to work with.
