What Does Business IT Actually Cost?
No vague 'it depends'. Here's an honest breakdown of what business IT support costs in 2026, what drives the price, and what you should expect for your money.
"How much does IT support cost?" is one of the first questions every business owner asks — and one of the hardest to get a straight answer to. The honest reply is that it depends on a handful of clear factors, and once you understand them, you can estimate your costs with real confidence. This guide lays them out plainly.
We'll cover what drives the price, the different ways IT is charged, realistic benchmark figures for South East Queensland businesses, and the hidden costs to watch for. The goal is simple: to help you budget accurately and spot whether a quote represents genuine value.
The Drivers
What determines your IT cost
Number of staff / devices
Most managed IT is priced per seat, so headcount is the biggest driver. More users and devices mean more to support and secure.
Complexity of your environment
On-premises servers, line-of-business applications and multiple sites cost more to manage than a clean, cloud-only Microsoft 365 setup.
Security & compliance needs
Regulated industries or businesses needing Essential Eight maturity and evidence packs require more controls and oversight.
Service level expectations
Faster response times, after-hours cover and 24/7 monitoring cost more than business-hours support.
Current state of your IT
Years of deferred maintenance or a messy environment usually need upfront remediation before steady-state costs settle.
Benchmarks
Realistic 2026 price ranges
Indicative figures for SE QLD businesses. Your actual costs depend on the drivers above — these are starting points for budgeting.
| Item | Typical Range |
|---|---|
Managed IT (per seat / month) Depending on tier, complexity and service level. | $79 – $219 |
Microsoft 365 licensing (per user / month) Billed at cost — separate from support fees. | $10 – $35 |
One-off project work (hourly) Standard and after-hours rates for non-managed work. | $185 – $245 |
New device setup & deployment Specified, configured and deployed per device. | From $295 |
Essential Eight gap assessment Fixed-scope, one-off security assessment. | From $1,950 |
All prices in AUD, exclusive of GST. See our full pricing page for detailed plan inclusions.
Watch Out
The hidden costs in cheap IT
The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest outcome. When comparing providers, look beneath the headline figure for the costs that quietly add up.
- Marked-up hardware and software licences hidden inside the support fee
- Per-incident charges on top of a 'managed' plan for anything non-trivial
- No proactive monitoring or patching — you're paying for reactive only
- Long lock-in contracts that make leaving expensive
- Security and backups quietly excluded, leaving you exposed
- Downtime costs from a provider too cheap to prevent problems