The useful number is the cost of the whole operating model
Tier1's indicative whole-of-business managed-services range is approximately NZ$150–$400 per team member per month. That is a blended planning figure once administration, sites, devices, people, and licensing are considered—not a bare helpdesk or software rate. At the current published catalogue, a five-person, five-device, single-site business is roughly NZ$1,900–$2,200 per month. A 25-person, 25-device single-site business is roughly NZ$7,000–$8,000, while 50 people across two sites is roughly NZ$14,000–$16,000. These are indicative Tier1 examples, not universal market averages or formal quotes.
Why providers price the same work differently
Providers usually package services in one of these ways:
- Per user: good when people use multiple devices and cloud apps
- Per device: useful when device count is the clearest unit
- Tiered bundles: core support plus optional security or backup add-ons
- Hybrid: monthly managed base plus project rates for larger change
Complexity costs more than headcount alone
Two similar-sized companies can receive different quotes for good reasons.
- Number of locations and field or remote users
- Legacy servers, specialised line-of-business apps, or ageing hardware
- Security and compliance expectations from clients or insurers
- Backup retention and recovery objectives
- How much documentation and admin access already exists
Budget for operations and change
Plan for consistent monthly support, software and licensing, and a project or capital allowance for migrations, office changes, and device refreshes. Tier1 onboarding is calculated as one month of the managed-services package subtotal; licensing and other add-ons do not increase that onboarding formula. If a quote looks unusually low, check what is excluded. Project work, migrations, hardware purchases, capital refreshes, some offsite backups, datacentre hosting, compliance work, after-hours cover, and non-standard onsite travel can sit outside the headline number. GST treatment is confirmed in the formal quote.
Make every quote answer the same questions
Clarity beats a bargain you cannot compare.
- What is included in the monthly fee, in writing?
- How are projects scoped and approved?
- What are response expectations for critical vs routine issues?
- How does onboarding work and is it priced separately?
- What happens if we add users, sites, or a new system mid-term?
A clear scope is more valuable than a cheap surprise
We prefer fixed monthly support plans with clear inclusions, then transparent project scoping when you need bigger change. The right number is the one that matches your risk, complexity, and the outcomes you need—not a generic package copied from another industry.
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer fixed monthly pricing?
Yes. We provide fixed monthly support plans with clear inclusions so you can budget with fewer surprise call-outs.
Why can quotes differ so much between MSPs?
Scope differs: monitoring depth, security tooling, backup products, after-hours cover, onsite allowances, and how thoroughly onboarding is done all change the number.
Is per-user pricing better than per-device?
Per-user often fits modern Microsoft 365 workplaces. Per-device can suit environments with shared or specialised machines. We recommend the model that matches how your team actually works.
Should cyber security be a separate budget line?
Foundational controls should be part of how support is delivered. Specialised assessments, large remediation projects, or advanced tooling may still need a distinct budget line—ask for that split explicitly.