The Small Business Guide to Hiring an IT Partner
Running a small business means wearing a lot of hats, and IT is usually the one nobody wants to wear. When something breaks, or you need a website updated, or your systems need securing, who do you actually call? Most small businesses land on one of three options: hire someone full-time, call a freelancer whenever something breaks, or use a managed IT partner. Here's how they actually compare.
Option 1: Hire One IT Person Full-Time
This feels like the obvious choice, but the real cost is higher than most people expect. Once you add salary, benefits, and taxes, one in-house IT hire commonly costs $80,000 to $120,000 a year. And even then, you have one person's skills covering security, networks, software, and everything else IT touches. If they're out sick, on holiday, or simply don't know how to fix a particular problem, you're stuck.
Option 2: Call a Freelancer Every Time Something Breaks
This can work for small, occasional problems, but it's reactive by nature - you only find out something's wrong after it's already a problem. It also carries the same risks any freelancer hire does: availability isn't guaranteed, and there's no one keeping an eye on your systems in between calls.
Option 3: A Managed IT Partner
A managed IT partner works proactively, watching for problems before they disrupt your business, for one predictable monthly cost. Industry-wide, managed IT services commonly run $100 to $200 per user per month - and in exchange, you get access to a whole team's worth of expertise, not just one person's.
Comparing the Three
| What You Get | In-House Hire | Freelancer | Managed IT Partner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | $80k-$120k/year | Varies per job | Predictable monthly fee |
| Skills covered | One person's | One person's | A full team's |
| Proactive or reactive | Reactive | Reactive | Proactive |
| Backup if unavailable | No | No | Yes |
What This Looks Like at Innector
Innector's managed IT services are a flat $999 a month - no per-hire salary, no per-incident freelancer calls. See what's included, or start with the 15-day free trial and see the work before committing to anything.
Conclusion
For most small businesses, the real choice isn't "can I afford IT help" - it's which kind of help actually covers you completely. Talk to our team about what your business needs. If you're deciding on a one-off project instead of ongoing support, see the freelancer vs. company breakdown, including what each one actually costs.
