The price of IT consulting is one of the topics with the least transparent information online. Most providers don't publish rates and ask for a meeting before giving any numbers. In this article we break with that: we explain what factors determine the price, what ranges are reasonable for an SME of 10 to 50 people, and how to tell whether a quote makes sense or not.
The prices shown here are those we use at EstructuraBit and those we observe in the market. These are not generic reference prices — they are the ones actually applied to companies similar to yours.
The three types of IT service and how they are charged
Before talking numbers, it's important to understand that "IT consulting" encompasses very different service models with completely different price structures:
1. Monthly support (Managed Services)
A fixed monthly fee in exchange for an ongoing service: preventive maintenance, incident resolution, monitoring and updates. This is the most predictable model for the company because there are no surprises on the invoice. The provider has an incentive to keep things working well — if there are many incidents, they lose money.
2. Hour packages
You pay for a bundle of hours that get consumed when there are incidents or projects. It seems more flexible but has a trap: the provider has an incentive to consume hours, not to prevent problems. For companies with very few incidents it may make sense, but it's the model that most easily generates surprise invoices.
3. One-off projects
Fixed price for a defined scope: installing a server, migrating to Microsoft 365, implementing a backup system. No ongoing commitment. Ideal for solving a specific problem or modernising something in particular.
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Reference prices by service type
Monthly IT support — ranges by company size
Basic infrastructure: 1–2 servers or NAS, office network, Windows workstations. Includes monthly preventive maintenance, remote incident resolution and security updates. On-site visits per contract.
Greater complexity: multiple servers or virtualisation, segmented network, Microsoft 365 for all employees, possibly VPN for remote access. The price rises because there is more surface area to maintain and the impact of an incident is greater.
More critical infrastructure: high availability, 24/7 monitoring, strict SLA response times, possibly multiple sites or a hybrid cloud environment. From here the service starts to resemble having a part-time IT technician.
One-off projects — real examples
| Project | Indicative range | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Server installation | €800 – €2,500 | Hardware extra. Installation, Active Directory setup, shared folders, access policies, backup configured. |
| Migration to Microsoft 365 | €600 – €2,000 | Email, calendar and contact migration. Basic team training. Price rises with number of users and data volume. |
| Backup system implementation | €400 – €1,200 | 3-2-1 policy design, software configuration, first restore verification. Backup hardware extra. |
| Full IT audit | €500 – €1,500 | Analysis of servers, network, security, licences and backup. Report with findings and priorities. At EstructuraBit the initial diagnosis is free. |
| Corporate network project | €1,500 – €5,000 | Design, switch and firewall installation, segmentation, enterprise WiFi. Hardware extra. Range varies widely by office size. |
| Process automation (n8n) | €1,200 – €4,000 | One automated process of medium complexity. Includes current flow analysis, design, implementation and one month of support included. |
What factors push the price up or down
Within the ranges above, these are the factors that most influence the final price:
- Current state of the infrastructure — an orderly, documented infrastructure is easier to maintain. Chaotic infrastructure without documentation requires more diagnostic hours and more risk for the provider, which is reflected in the price.
- Response SLA — guaranteeing response in under 2 hours for critical incidents costs more than an 8-hour SLA. You don't always need the most demanding SLA — it depends on how long your company can afford to be without IT.
- On-site visits included — 100% remote support is cheaper. If you need a technician at your premises frequently, the price rises.
- Number of locations — each additional site adds network complexity and travel time.
- Regulated sector — healthcare, legal, finance and food have compliance requirements (GDPR, sector regulations) that add layers of work.
When does the investment make sense?
The most objective way to evaluate whether IT support makes sense is to compare its cost with the cost of an incident. For a 20-person company, one full day without being able to work due to a server problem or ransomware attack means:
- Lost wages: if the average gross salary is €30,000/year, 20 people represent about €2,400 in labour cost per day
- Revenue not generated: depends on the sector, but in professional services it may be similar or higher
- Data recovery cost: ransomware data recovery services cost between €3,000 and €20,000 depending on the case
- Reputational damage with clients: hard to quantify but real
If the cost of a single serious incident exceeds the annual cost of preventive support — which for most SMEs of 15–30 people is between €4,000 and €8,000/year — the investment makes mathematical sense, regardless of other arguments.
What to ask before signing an IT support contract
More important than the price is understanding exactly what is and isn't included. Before signing, make sure you have answers to:
- What is the response SLA for critical incidents? And for non-critical ones?
- Are on-site visits included or charged separately?
- What happens if there are more incidents than usual one month? Are extra hours charged?
- Who is the reference technician who will know my infrastructure?
- Does the documentation of my infrastructure belong to me and is it available to me?
- What is the notice period to cancel the contract?
A serious provider answers all these questions without any issues before signing. If there are evasive answers to any of them, that's a warning sign.
If you'd like to compare our proposal with the one you currently have or receive a quote for your specific case, write to us and we'll respond in under 24 hours.
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