Every growing business reaches the same question: who takes care of our IT? You can hire someone in-house, keep calling a technician when things break, or outsource your IT to a company that does this every day.
For many New York small businesses, outsourcing is the practical choice. This guide explains what outsourced IT services include, what they cost, how they compare with an in-house hire, and how to pick the right provider.
What are outsourced IT services?
Outsourced IT means an outside company takes care of some or all of your technology. Instead of employing your own IT staff, you pay a provider, usually a fixed monthly fee, to support your people and keep your systems running. A company that does this on an ongoing basis is called a managed service provider (MSP).
Outsourced IT services usually include:
- a help desk your staff can call or email
- monitoring and maintenance of computers, servers and networks
- security updates and cybersecurity tools
- backups and disaster recovery
- email and Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace support
- on-site visits when needed
- IT planning and budgeting advice
You don't have to outsource everything. Some businesses keep an internal IT person and outsource only security, after-hours support or big projects.
Outsourced IT vs an in-house IT hire
| Outsourced IT | In-house IT hire | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Predictable monthly fee per user | Salary, benefits, training and tools |
| Skills | A team with different specialties | One person's experience |
| Coverage | Can include nights, weekends and holidays | Working hours, unless you hire more people |
| Vacation or sick days | Support continues | Support stops or falls behind |
| On-site presence | Visits when needed | In the office every day |
| Knowledge of your business | Built up over time | Strong from day one |
An in-house person makes sense when you need someone in the office all day, or when your systems are complex enough to keep them busy full time. For smaller teams, one IT employee often ends up either overloaded or underused.
How much do outsourced IT services cost in New York?
Most New York City small businesses pay roughly $100 to $200 per user per month for managed IT services. Plans that add advanced cybersecurity, compliance support and full 24/7 coverage usually cost $200 to $300 or more per user. A 20-person office typically pays about $2,000 to $4,000 a month.
When you compare this with hiring, count the full cost of an employee: salary, payroll taxes, benefits, training, software tools, and the cover you need when that person is away. See our full guide to managed IT costs in NYC.
The benefits of outsourcing your IT
- Predictable costs: one monthly fee instead of surprise repair bills.
- Fewer interruptions: monitoring catches many problems before your team notices them.
- A whole team: you get help with networks, security, cloud and more, not just one person's skills.
- Stronger security: updates, protection and backups happen on a schedule, not only when someone remembers.
- More time: your staff stop fixing computers and go back to their real jobs.
The downsides to watch for
Outsourcing isn't perfect, and a good provider will tell you so.
- Less daily presence: if you need someone at your office all day, a provider won't replace that. Ask how on-site visits work.
- Quality varies: some providers are slow or hard to reach. Check response times and talk to current clients.
- Unclear contracts: make sure you know what's included, what costs extra, and how to leave if it isn't working.
- A learning period: a new provider needs time to learn your systems, so plan the first weeks carefully.
Is your business ready to outsource IT?
Outsourcing is probably a good fit if:
- you have about 5 to 50 employees who rely on computers every day
- nobody on your team really owns IT, or the job falls on someone with another role
- downtime costs you sales, deadlines or client trust
- you handle sensitive client, health or financial data
- you've had a security scare, or you aren't sure your backups work
How to choose an outsourced IT provider in New York
Ask these questions before you sign:
- What response times do you promise in writing?
- Is cybersecurity included in the monthly price?
- Who checks that backups work, and how often do you test them?
- Can you come on-site, and how quickly?
- What's included, and what costs extra?
- Can I talk to a few current clients?
For more detail, read how to choose the right IT support company in NYC.
How Computero helps
Computero has provided outsourced IT and managed IT services to small and mid-sized businesses since 2009, in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island. Our help desk fixes most issues remotely, and our technicians come on-site when needed.
Want to know whether outsourcing makes sense for you? Request a free IT assessment or call (718) 275-1600.
Frequently asked questions
What does outsourced IT mean?
It means an outside company takes care of some or all of your technology, such as support, security, backups and networks, usually for a fixed monthly fee.
How much do outsourced IT services cost in New York?
Most New York City small businesses pay roughly $100 to $200 per user per month. Plans with advanced cybersecurity, compliance support and full 24/7 coverage usually cost $200 to $300 or more per user.
Is outsourcing IT cheaper than hiring an IT employee?
For many small businesses it is, once you count salary, benefits, training and tools. A larger company that needs someone on-site all day may find that an in-house hire makes more sense.
Can we outsource only part of our IT?
Yes. Many businesses keep an internal IT person and outsource security, after-hours support or specific projects.