Managed IT Services vs. Break-Fix: The Real Cost
Both models work. The question is which one actually fits how your business runs, and what each one costs once you count everything.
What Each Model Actually Means
Break-Fix
You call when something breaks, we fix it, you're billed for that job. No ongoing relationship required: pay only when you need us.
$175/hr commercial rate, 1-hour on-site minimum.
Managed / Maintenance Plan
Ongoing monitoring, patching, and Bay Geeks EDR that catch problems before they become outages. One predictable monthly cost.
$75/mo per computer, 1-year commitment.
| Managed IT Services vs. Break-Fix | Break-Fix | Managed / Maintenance Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Cost structure | $175/hr commercial rate, billed per visit | $75/mo per computer, flat |
| Commitment | None: pay only when you need us | 1-year commitment |
| Monitoring & patching | Not included | Included, ongoing |
| Bay Geeks EDR | Not included | Included |
| Best for | Few devices, infrequent issues, new systems | Downtime-sensitive, repeat emergencies, security/compliance needs |
Where Break-Fix Makes Sense
- You have very few devices and infrequent issues
- Your systems are new and unlikely to need frequent attention yet
- You want zero commitment and only pay when something happens
Where Managed Service Makes Sense
- Downtime directly costs you money: client-facing hours, production time, missed appointments
- You've had more than one "surprise" IT emergency in the past year
- You'd rather have a predictable monthly cost than a variable one
- Security and compliance matter to your business or industry
The Real Cost Comparison
A business with 5 computers on the Automated Maintenance Plan pays $375/month ($4,500/year) for daily scans, patching, Bay Geeks EDR, and proactive monitoring across all five machines.
A single emergency break-fix visit, at the 1-hour commercial minimum, runs $175. It doesn't take many surprise visits in a year to approach, or exceed, what a full year of managed coverage would have cost, and that's before counting the downtime while you waited for the fix.
The trade-off isn't just about total dollars. It's about whether that cost is predictable or not. The problems that grow while you wait are on one page: what gets worse the longer you wait.
Not an All-or-Nothing Decision
Plenty of businesses run a hybrid: managed maintenance on the systems that matter most, break-fix for the rest. We can help figure out where that line makes sense for your setup.
Not Sure Which Fits Your Business?
Tell us how your business runs and we'll tell you honestly which model, or mix, makes sense.
Related guides
How a monthly maintenance plan pays for itself in prevented downtime.
A quick check on whether your current IT setup is costing more than it should.
The IT problems that compound while nobody is watching the computers, for a business and for a home, and the ones that don't.
Internet first, cabling before furniture, backup before the truck, network before people.
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