How much does an external IT department cost for a company?

In short: An outsourced IT department costs from €20 to €40 per computer per month excl. VAT depending on the plan - Remote, Standard or Professional - and server support starts at €50 per month. Example: a company with 10 computers and 1 server pays €250, €350 or €450 per month excl. VAT. The price includes 24/7 monitoring and one contact for all IT requests.

How much does an external IT department cost in practice

The shortest honest answer is: it depends on the scope. On the Bulgarian market, the price is usually formed as a monthly service per user, per device or as a combined model. For a small company with a basic environment, the price often starts at a few hundred leva per month, while for more complex environments with higher requirements for security, cloud administration, servers, networks and regulatory compliance, the amount can increase significantly.

If we have to set a working guideline, companies most often fall into one of three ranges. The first is basic support for a small team with limited infrastructure and relatively standard needs. The second is a fully managed service, in which the external partner takes over the helpdesk, monitoring, administration, prevention and coordination with suppliers. The third is an extended model, in which, in addition to operational support, there is also active work on security, cloud environments, policies, redundancy and resilience. For our own plans and prices, see our pricing page.

That is why the question is not only how much you pay, but what is included. Two offers with similar monthly prices can mean completely different levels of service.

What determines how much an outsourced IT department costs

The most important factor is the size of the environment. The number of employees matters, but it is not the only indicator. A company with 20 people working entirely in cloud applications usually has a different profile than a company with 20 people, a local server, warehouse software, VPN, IP telephony and several offices.

The next factor is complexity. The more systems that need to be maintained and interconnected, the more expertise, time and processes are required. This includes workstations, servers, Microsoft 365 or other cloud platforms, network equipment, archiving, antivirus protection, access control and integrations with business applications.

The third important element is the level of service. There is a difference between a model that only responds after a problem is reported and a model that has proactive monitoring, preventive maintenance, reporting, periodic checks and clear SLA parameters. The second model costs more, but usually costs the business less in the long run because it reduces interruptions.

Security also changes the price significantly. If the company works with sensitive data, is subject to GDPR, ISO 27001 or NIS2, or simply wants more serious control over access, logs, backups and recovery, the service is no longer standard technical support. It includes processes, policies and regular checks.

What the price usually includes

A well-structured service is not just a phone for problems. The monthly price most often includes helpdesk service for users, remote support, monitoring of key systems, basic administration of workstations and accounts, update management, incident coordination and reporting.

In more mature models, cloud environment management, backups, network support, server support, security policies, endpoint management and periodic recommendations for improvements are added. This is where the difference between an external IT provider and an external IT department is visible. The provider often performs tasks. The external IT department has operational responsibility for the environment.

It is also important to look at what is not included. Often project activities, implementation of new infrastructure, migrations, purchase of licenses and hardware, audits or work outside the standard scope are priced separately. This is not a problem if it is clearly described in advance.

Most Common Pricing Models

A monthly fee per user is preferred by many companies because it provides a predictable cost. It is convenient when each employee uses a similar set of services and devices. This model works well for companies with a clear number of active users and a relatively standard environment.

A fee per device is more suitable when the infrastructure is more diverse and the number of assets is more important than the number of people. Such an environment can include servers, network equipment, workstations, specialized machines and other elements that require different levels of care.

There is also a hybrid model. It combines a fixed monthly base with additional services according to the actual scope. For many growing companies, this is the most reasonable option because it maintains predictability but allows flexibility when the environment changes.

Hourly support seems profitable at first, but it is rarely the best choice for a business that relies on technology every day. The reason is simple - this model often lacks an incentive for prevention. You pay when there is already a problem.

What is often not included in the price

This is where most misunderstandings arise. A standard IT support offer does not always include licenses, hardware, spare parts, new network equipment installations, large-scale migrations, higher-level cybersecurity or visits outside the included scope. Sometimes archiving is included as management, but not as a license or storage resource.

Also, not all support covers strategic activities such as IT planning, device lifecycle management, internal policies, audit preparation and disaster recovery plans. If this is important to your business, you should see it clearly described, not taken for granted.

When low price is expensive

The cheapest offer often leaves out of scope the critical elements - monitoring, documentation, redundancy, security, regular checks and clear escalation in case of incidents. At first glance, this reduces the monthly cost. In practice, it increases the risk of longer interruptions, data loss and dependence on individual people.

There is another often overlooked cost - the time of your employees. When the office manager coordinates an internet provider, the accounting department waits for access to the system, and the manager personally looks for someone to fix the network, this is already an organizational cost. It rarely enters the IT budget, but weighs directly on the business.

Therefore, the right question is not who offers the lowest monthly fee, but who provides a controllable environment with measurable results.

How subscription computer support works

Simply put, it is a pre-agreed ongoing service for all or part of a company’s technology environment for a fixed monthly fee. Depending on the scope, the service can include helpdesk support, remote and on-site intervention, device and server monitoring, user administration, network environment care, updates, antivirus protection, archiving, cloud service management, and reporting.

The key here is that the company is not simply buying “technician hours.” It is getting a process. And the process is what distinguishes robust IT support from chaotic firefighting. When there are clearly defined request channels, priorities, response times, incident tracking, and regular maintenance, the dependence on chance is significantly reduced.

In smaller companies, this model often replaces an entirely internal IT department. In larger organizations, it can work as a complement to an internal team that needs an external partner for helpdesk, infrastructure, security, or coverage of broader expertise.

When is the subscription model the better solution

There are companies where a one-time intervention seems cheaper - at least at first glance. However, if the organization relies on computers, Internet connectivity, cloud platforms, shared files, business software and data protection on a daily basis, episodic support usually creates more problems than it solves.

The subscription model is especially suitable when there are more than a few users, when employees work with shared resources, when there is remote access, when Microsoft 365, servers or network equipment are used, as well as when the company has security and archiving requirements. In these cases, the lack of constant control leads to the accumulation of small weaknesses - missed updates, unclear access rights, outdated passwords, untested archives, overloaded devices, lack of documentation.

Here comes the important nuance - not every company needs the same scope. For one company, the priority is a fast helpdesk for 20 workplaces. For another, protection, backups and access policies are key. For the third - combined service of offices in several cities. Good service is not a "package according to a template", but support tailored to the real environment and risk.

How to judge whether a quote is realistic

First, see if there is a clearly defined scope. If the quote lacks a description of what systems are supported, what the response times are, what is included and what is not included, it is difficult to compare prices meaningfully.

Next, check if there is a process. A reliable external IT department works with a helpdesk, prioritization, request traceability and accountability. Without this framework, support often becomes a series of emergency calls without a clear picture of what is happening in the environment.

Also pay attention to prevention. If the offer is entirely reactive, a low price may be a sign that there will be no real risk management. Proactive monitoring, controlled updates, backup checks and periodic recommendations are rarely the cheapest part of the service, but they are what reduce incidents.

Last but not least, see if the partner can cover more than one technology area. Companies rarely have just one problem. They have users, devices, cloud services, networks, security and compliance issues. When these topics are managed in a fragmented manner, the cost of coordination also increases.

How to spot an unrealistic IT offer

In short: an unrealistic IT offer usually combines a low price with a disproportionately large volume of promised services, a vaguely defined "unlimited" coverage, and unconvincing answers to specific questions about the team and the process behind it.

Do the simple math behind the price of IT support

Behind every IT support offer is a real team of specialists who need to be paid. A simple check that you can do yourself: divide a typical net salary of an IT specialist by the proposed monthly price per device. The result shows how many devices a technician needs to support just to cover his own salary - without any budget left for insurance, transportation for on-site visits, monitoring software, or administrative costs.

Example: even with a conservative net salary of 1,500 euros per technician - far from a high salary for a qualified IT specialist, as real salaries in the industry are usually higher - a quote of 5-7 euros per device per month means that a specialist needs to support between 215 and 300 devices just to cover his own salary - without insurance, transportation, software, or any other costs. With a quote of 10 euros per device, the number drops to 150, and with 20 euros - to 75. The lower the price per device, the more unrealistic the number of customers a technician needs to cover to make financial sense behind the quote.

For comparison: according to the National Statistical Institute, the average gross salary in Bulgaria for the second quarter of 2026 is 1,444 euros nationally and 3,079 euros in the information and communication sector, which includes IT services. A net salary of 1,500 euros is about 1,930 euros gross, and with employer social security contributions one technician costs about 2,300 euros per month. At 7 euros per device, that is about 330 devices per technician just to cover the salary.

If this number is in the order of several hundred devices per technician, the offer relies on a model that is difficult to sustain a real SLA with guaranteed response time. Sooner or later, the compromise falls on you as a customer - most often at a time when you can least afford it.

Check whether the numbers in the plans are logically related

Carefully review the tables with included visits, hours of support or volume of services under each plan. The progression between levels should be explainable with elementary logic. If the price between two plans increases by 20-30%, and the volume of promised services jumps many times more, it is worth asking the provider how exactly this number is calculated and whether it is realistically feasible in practice - and not just on paper.

What does "unlimited" IT support actually include

"Unlimited visits" or "unlimited support" sounds tempting in the marketing text, but it is worth asking specifically:

• Unlimited within what working hours?
• How much priority do they have over other customers of the provider?
• Are there any hidden fees for overtime, specific software, or certain types of devices?

Transparent IT support providers will clearly state these limits in the plan description, rather than relying on general, undefined wording.

Ask for the real response time, not just the price

A guaranteed response time is what you actually experience when you have a technical issue - not the subscription fee itself. A low price combined with a vague or overly ambitious response time (e.g., "within 1 hour" even on the cheapest plan, without explaining how it's physically achieved) is a signal to ask for more details about the actual team and process behind the quote.

Check who is behind the IT support offer

An established provider with a history, a real team of specialists and a clearly communicated work process can usually easily explain why its price is exactly what it is. If the answers remain general or avoid specifics when it comes to questions about the team, process or service level agreement (SLA) - this in itself is a telling signal for additional caution.

Who benefits from an external IT department

This model is particularly effective for small and medium-sized companies that want a higher level of control, but it is not economically justified to build an internal team with all the necessary roles. An internal specialist can be very valuable, but rarely covers helpdesk, networks, cloud, information security, servers and documentation equally well.

The external model is also strong when the company grows. New people, new offices, more devices and higher security requirements load processes quickly. Then it is important not only to have someone to react, but to have a structure that can handle scaling without chaos.

For companies with an internal IT manager, an external partner can also be the right solution. In this case, it does not replace the team, but adds capacity, specialized expertise and redundancy. This is particularly useful in case of absences, projects, audits or the need for stronger discipline in operations.

How much does an external IT department cost vs. an in-house team

The comparison needs to be fair. The salary of a system administrator is not the only cost of in-house IT. There are insurance, vacations, training, limited capacity, the risk of dependence on one person, and the need for additional external specialists for more complex cases.

An external IT department usually provides access to more roles within a single service - helpdesk specialists, system administrators, network engineers, cloud experts, and security experts. Not every company needs all of these people full-time, but many companies need access to them. This is the essential economics of the model.

This is where the value becomes clearer. You are not just buying technical time. You are buying process, accountability, coverage, and predictability. For companies that want a stable environment without building an entire in-house department, this is often the more reasonable cost.

If you are looking for a realistic estimate, the best approach is to start from your environment, not someone else's price range. The number of users is just the beginning. The real cost comes from how critical the technology is to your business and how seriously you want to manage risk. That's where the difference between support that just puts out fires and a partnership that keeps the business running.

What you get for the monthly fee is covered in 5 benefits of regular IT support for your office.

What exactly you get for this price - see our outsourced IT department on a subscription.

Let's talk about your company's IT needs: we will review your environment and suggest the best solution and price. Contact us.