IT support: monthly plan or hourly billing?
We compare three IT support models: hourly billing, a fully managed monthly plan and partial support, and explain when each one pays off for a company.
Whether IT support on a monthly plan or with hourly billing works out better depends on how often you need help. Hourly billing pays off when you need IT rarely and irregularly, for example a few times a quarter. A monthly plan is the better choice when computers, servers and email are everyday tools and downtime costs you more than a fixed fee. The monthly plan is a fixed monthly fee covering a set number of hours from our specialists, with a response time written into the contract. The third option, partial support, suits companies that have their own IT person but want to hand over selected areas, such as servers and backups.
Conetso Group offers all three models. I describe how each of them works in practice and how to work out which one fits your company. Prices are covered separately in our article on managed IT services cost.
Hourly billing without a monthly plan
With hourly billing, you pay only for the work actually done. Before the first job, we sign a framework agreement that:
- carries no monthly fee (if you order nothing in a given month, you pay nothing)
- sets out how we protect the data we can access while working
- deals with the formalities up front, so further jobs need no new contracts
The cost depends on the actual working time and when the work is done. Work outside business hours, at weekends and on public holidays has a higher rate. On-site help includes travel, which we charge as a flat fee. Our standard service includes on-site visits within 50 km of Lublin. Visits further afield, in Poland and across Europe, are arranged individually.
The weak point of this model is the lack of guarantees. Monthly plan clients have a contractual response time and come first, so we schedule an hourly job for the next free slot. With one failure a year, that is not a problem. With a server failure on the day you close the month, it is.
Fully managed monthly plan
On a monthly plan, you have a set number of hours each month. You can use them for any IT work: staff requests, server and network administration, Microsoft 365, backups and advice on purchases. With a monthly plan:
- the response time is written into the contract (under our standard SLA, we respond within 2 business hours), so you know when someone will pick up a request
- you pay a fixed fee, so the cost is predictable and does not change suddenly
- you can change the scope: when the company grows or shrinks, we adjust the plan
- you receive reports on the work done, see where the hours went and can judge whether the number of hours is right
We set the number of hours based on real demand, which we check before signing the contract. The number of computers alone does not decide it. Monthly plans are available from PLN 1,400 per month excl. VAT.
An important difference from hourly billing: on a monthly plan, part of the work is planned. We install updates, check backups and review accounts and licences regularly, without waiting for something to stop working.
When to choose partial support
Partial support is a monthly plan for selected areas of your infrastructure. It works well when:
- you have an IT person who looks after users and hardware but lacks the time or experience for servers, networks or security
- you need cover while your own IT person is on holiday or off sick
- a specific system needs ongoing care, such as a server with backups or a firewall
You decide which areas to hand over to us. Typical sets are servers and backups, the network and firewall, or Microsoft 365 administration.
Three IT support models compared
| Hourly billing | Partial support | Fully managed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed fee | none | yes, for selected areas | yes, for all IT |
| Response time in the contract | no | yes, for selected areas | yes |
| Planned work (updates, backup checks) | only when ordered | in selected areas | yes |
| Cost predictability | low | high | high |
| Who it suits | companies with rare, irregular needs | companies with their own IT person | companies without an IT department for which IT is an everyday tool |
Our managed IT services page covers all three models and the scope of work.
How to work out which model pays off
The simplest way is to look back. Gather your invoices and notes from the last 12 months and answer a few questions.
- How many hours of IT work did you actually order? If the number is similar every month, a monthly plan will be cheaper and more predictable. If jobs are occasional, hourly billing is enough.
- How long did downtime last? Count how many hours staff could not work because of failures and multiply by the cost of their time. This cost does not appear on the IT company’s invoice.
- How much work did you postpone? Outdated systems, unchecked backups, accounts of former staff: with hourly billing, this work often goes unordered until something goes wrong.
- Do you need support outside business hours? If so, consider a contract with on-call cover. One-off call-outs at night and at weekends are the most expensive part of hourly billing.
If you do not have this data, a short infrastructure audit will show how much work your IT needs and which model makes sense.
Can you change the model later?
Yes. You can start with hourly billing to see how we work. When requests increase, you move to a monthly plan. It also works the other way: if you hire your own IT person, a fully managed plan can change to partial support for selected areas. We discuss changes to the plan regularly, based on the reports on the work done.
If you are considering handing IT over to an external company altogether, read our article on whether IT outsourcing is worth it.
Tell us how your IT is set up today. After a short conversation, we will show you which model costs least in your case.
