--- title: "How much do managed IT services cost? Pricing models and plans" description: "Hourly, per seat or fixed fee: what drives the price of managed IT services, and IT Unlimited plans from €395/month + VAT. No-obligation proposal." language: en url: https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/managed-it-services-cost-pricing-models/ source: https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/managed-it-services-cost-pricing-models/ publisher: DataRoad IT (DataRoad - IT Services and Consulting), Portugal --- > Hourly, per seat or fixed fee: what drives the price of managed IT services, and IT Unlimited plans from €395/month + VAT. No-obligation proposal. # How much do managed IT services cost? Pricing models and plans At a glance For decision-makers short on time. - 01 Managed IT pricing depends on workstations, servers, service level, complexity and scope. - 02 A fixed retainer includes prevention and monitoring; hourly support only acts after a failure. - 03 IT 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 | Model | How it works | Weak point | | --- | --- | --- | | Monthly retainer | Fixed monthly fee for a defined scope, with priority handling | Requires the scope to be well defined from the outset | | Hourly or hour bundle | You only pay when you use it | Unpredictable and with no prevention | | Per workstation or user | The fee tracks the number of computers or people managed | Needs 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. - Is the SLA in writing, with response and resolution times? - Does it include tested backups and cybersecurity? - Are on-site visits included or always extra? - 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. - [Managed support for companies in Lisbon, with 24/7 on Premium 365](https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/premium-365-lisbon-24-7-managed-it/) - [Managed helpdesk for businesses](https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/managed-it-helpdesk-portugal/) - [All managed IT services](https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/managed-it-services-networks-security-cloud/) - [IT outsourcing in Portugal](https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/it-outsourcing-portugal/) Chosen by respected and international companies ★★★★★ 5,0 · 52 Google reviews ★★★★★ 5,0 · 52 Google reviews DataRoad ## Related articles [Managed IT and cybersecurityTeams on the move: securing laptops, phones and public Wi-FiThe real travel risk is an unencrypted lost laptop, not hotel Wi-Fi. 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For video, CAD or weak inter…12 October 2026 · 6 min read](https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/windows-365-business-cloud-pc-costs/) Numbers you can verify **11** years in business **232** clients **< 10 min** average response time **15+** IT vendor certifications **10+** Countries with clients supported **5.0 ★** 52 Google reviews Transparency ## What many providers hide, we publish. [See plans and prices →](https://www.dataroad-it.com/it-unlimited/) - **Prices upfront** Essential from €395/month + VAT, Premium from €750 and Premium 365 from €1,200. - **No lock-in** Annual contract, no lock-in and no joining fees. - **Everything in writing** What is included, the scope and the price, before you sign. - **Support without counted hours** Remote and phone in every plan; on-site support from Premium. Partners and certifications DataRoad · IT Unlimited ## One StepAhead of IT. Predictability is a service: the same fee every month, requests without counting hours and an SLA written into the contract. - **1** contract and one owner for everything - **232** clients under management - **5 ★** on Google · 52 reviews We do **IT** right. DataRoad IT Unlimited ## Have your backups ever been put to the test? Automated, monitored backups stored off site. [Request a proposal, no commitment →](https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/#contact)+351 211 459 950 **Call to a Portuguese landline · More than 10 workstations · support contract · remote, on-site and phone support[Not sure what you need? Talk to the assistant →](https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/#assistente) --- Versão HTML desta página: https://www.dataroad-it.com/en/managed-it-services-cost-pricing-models/