MSP vs Hiring In-House IT
For most businesses under about 50 employees, a managed service provider (MSP) costs less than one full-time IT hire and covers far more: 24/7 monitoring, security tools, backups and a team with several specialties. In-house IT makes sense when you need someone on site every day or have complex systems only your business uses — and even then, pairing that person with an MSP (co-managed IT) closes the coverage gaps.
| Comparison | Managed service provider | In-house IT hire |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage hours | 24/7 monitoring; support during business hours (8–5 CT) | Business hours, minus PTO and sick days |
| Skills | A team: help desk, networking, security, cloud | One person's skill set |
| Security tools | Included (endpoint protection, monitoring, email security, backups) | Bought and managed separately |
| Cost model | Flat monthly per user | Salary, benefits, payroll taxes, training and tools |
| If someone leaves | Coverage continues; documentation stays with your business | Knowledge walks out the door |
| On-site work | Scheduled visits and dispatch when needed | Always on site |
The cost math
At RIVNT's typical $150–$300+ per user per month, a 20-person business pays about $36,000 to $72,000+ a year for a full support team, 24/7 monitoring, security tooling and managed backups. Compare that with the fully loaded cost of one IT employee — salary plus benefits, payroll taxes, training and the tools they'll still need to buy — and remember that one person can't cover nights, vacations or every specialty.
When in-house IT makes sense
- You need someone physically on site all day, every day
- You run specialized systems that need daily hands-on care
- You're large enough to need several IT staff — then co-managed IT gives them backup
Frequently Asked Questions
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