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How much do managed IT services cost? Pricing models and plans

Managed IT pricing depends on seats, servers, SLA and complexity. At DataRoad, IT Unlimited starts at €395, €750 and €1,200 a month + VAT, with the final figure in writing.

Updated 15 October 20262 min read

More than 10 workstations · support contract · remote, on-site and phone support

At a glance

For decision-makers short on time.

  • 01Managed IT pricing depends on workstations, servers, service level, complexity and scope.
  • 02A fixed retainer includes prevention and monitoring; hourly support only acts after a failure.
  • 03IT Unlimited starts from €395/month + VAT, with an annual contract and no lock-in.
In this article

The price of managed IT services depends on measurable factors: number of workstations and servers, service level (SLA), infrastructure complexity and services included. At DataRoad - IT Services and Consulting, IT Unlimited plans start from €395 (Essential), €750 (Premium) and €1,200 (Premium 365) per month + VAT, with the final figure set out in writing in the proposal.

Three ways to pay for IT

ModelHow it worksWeak point
Monthly retainerFixed monthly fee for a defined scope, with priority handlingRequires the scope to be well defined from the outset
Hourly or hour bundleYou only pay when you use itUnpredictable and with no prevention
Per workstation or userThe fee tracks the number of computers or people managedNeeds an up-to-date inventory

In the Portuguese market, the three models often appear in combination. The retainer is the most common.

What pushes the price up or down

  • Size Number of workstations and servers.
  • Service level Shorter response times and extended cover cost more; 24/7 support is only available on Premium 365.
  • Complexity Cloud, multiple sites, specialist software.
  • Scope Whether cybersecurity, backups, monitoring and supplier management are included.

That is why two companies of the same size may pay different amounts.

Retainer or hourly: which pays off?

For a company that depends on IT, a retainer almost always pays off. The hourly model looks cheaper, but it only acts after a failure, and every hour of downtime carries a hidden cost in productivity. A retainer includes prevention and monitoring, reduces incidents and avoids emergency invoices.

How to compare proposals

Compare the scope, not just the price. A very cheap proposal usually leaves out the essentials.

  1. Is the SLA in writing, with response and resolution times?
  2. Does it include tested backups and cybersecurity?
  3. Are on-site visits included or always extra?
  4. Is there a lock-in period?

The IT Unlimited plans

  • Essential, from €395/month + VAT From 10 workstations; remote and telephone support; no on-site visits.
  • Premium, from €750/month + VAT Unlimited on-site support.
  • Premium 365, from €1,200/month + VAT Unlimited on-site support, plus nights, weekends and public holidays.

Annual contract, automatic renewal and no lock-in.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average cost of a retainer?

It varies greatly with workstations, services and SLA, so any generic figure is misleading. The right approach is a proposal based on your situation, with a well-defined scope; the “from” prices above serve as a reference.

Can small companies have a retainer too?

Yes. At DataRoad, plans start at 10 workstations and scale with the number of users, at a fixed and predictable cost.

Is there a lock-in?

It depends on the provider. DataRoad does not require a lock-in: the contract is annual, with automatic renewal and has no lock-in.

What would it cost for your company?

Request a no-obligation proposal, tailored to your case. More than 10 workstations · support contract · remote, on-site and telephone support.

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Garcia, GarciaGuestUNMQ DigitalMinistério PúblicoVentaskETISMEGReltio by SAPRestreamVelvEscola Nacional de Saúde PúblicaCircuito EstorilSyoneCreative MindsInstituto Superior TécnicoRTPUniversidade Católica PortoUniversidade Católica PortuguesaFaculdade de Medicina de LisboaUniversidade de LisboaClínica MulherPresidência da RepúblicaESELUpMUN[it]STENEmbajada de España en PortugalNBCC ConsultingInstituto dos Registos e do NotariadoVila GaléBe Poet Baixa HotelBe Hotel LisboaRossio Plaza HotelServiced Apartments Boavista PalaceMitrelliJunta de Freguesia de Massamá e Monte AbraãoInsidepurpleUniveteColégio MinervaPTR Pharma ConsultingInfocapitalHD Duecitânia Design HotelYunit ConsultingMyWindowArqsizeAxiaVestasContinentalGRENKEBaker TillyVINCI AirportsANA Aeroportos de PortugalE.LeclercUriachbeqomNewhotel SoftwareeasyHotelOuro Rossio HotelNicola Rossio HotelClínica LambertBanco do BrasilBoostUphillHole19Ambassade de France au PortugalU.S. Embassy PortugalEmbaixada da Arábia SauditaEmbassy of CyprusPanikeAugusta LabsIGASSISPorta da Frente Christie’sonRisingFresh DesignGesto EnergyBernerQuatenusSegurança SocialCâmara Municipal do MontijoHow much do managed IT services cost? Pricing models and plansCiphraCentury 21Hotel Solar PalmeirasSINCTAAPCTAVarandas de Lisboa★★★★★ 5,0 · 52 Google reviews

Numbers you can verify

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232clients
< 10 minaverage response time
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Transparency

What many providers hide, we publish.

  • Prices upfrontEssential from €395/month + VAT, Premium from €750 and Premium 365 from €1,200.
  • No lock-inAnnual contract, no lock-in and no joining fees.
  • Everything in writingWhat is included, the scope and the price, before you sign.
  • Support without counted hoursRemote and phone in every plan; on-site support from Premium.

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DataRoad · IT Unlimited

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Predictability is a service: the same fee every month, requests without counting hours and an SLA written into the contract.

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