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. A single IT generalist's salary alone commonly runs $80,000 to $120,000 a year before benefits and taxes are even added. 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.
Quick Questions About Hiring an IT Partner
- Do I need a full-time IT person if I use a managed IT partner? Usually not. A managed IT partner is built to be your whole IT department, not a supplement to one.
- Isn't a full-time IT hire more reliable than an outside partner? One person still means one set of skills and one point of failure. A partner backed by a team can cover more ground and doesn't disappear if one person is sick or leaves.
- What if my business is very small? Small businesses are exactly who managed IT services are built for - it's a way to get a full team's coverage without a full-time salary.
- How much does Innector's managed IT service cost? A flat $999 a month, with a 15-day free trial before you commit to anything.
The Bottom Line for Small Businesses
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. If it's ongoing help you're weighing against a single project, see the fuller retainer vs. project breakdown.
