“How much should IT support cost?” is a fair question, and most IT companies avoid answering it. Here is an honest guide for small businesses in Sudbury and Northern Ontario: the common pricing models, what published Canadian figures say, and how to work out what you actually need.

The three ways IT support is usually priced

1. Hourly or “break-fix”

You call when something breaks and pay for the time. Canadian guides published in 2026 put technician and project rates at roughly $125–$250 per hour, depending on the work.

Good for: very small offices with simple setups. Watch out for: nobody is looking after security, updates or backups between calls, and a bad month gets expensive.

2. Fully managed IT (per user, per month)

A provider takes care of everything — help desk, monitoring, security tools, backups — for a fixed monthly fee per user. Published Canadian pricing guides for 2026 put this at roughly $100–$300 per user per month, with many comprehensive packages landing around $175–$250.

Good for: businesses with 20+ staff, compliance requirements, or no tolerance for downtime. Watch out for: paying for a big-company package when you only need part of it, and long contracts.

3. Project or fixed-scope work

A defined job at an agreed price — for example a Microsoft 365 security audit, a migration, setting up device management, or automating a manual process.

Good for: fixing a specific problem, or getting your setup right before deciding on ongoing support.

Don’t forget the licences

Software licences are separate from support. Microsoft 365 Business Premium, for example, is listed at about $29.80 per user per month in Canada (2026, annual commitment), and Business Standard at about $19.00. Some IT companies bundle licences into their price, so compare like with like.

What changes the price

  • Number of users and devices — the biggest factor
  • How much is already in place — a messy Microsoft 365 tenant takes work to clean up before support becomes routine
  • On-site needs — remote support is cheaper; travel to sites outside Sudbury adds cost
  • Security and compliance — health, legal and financial businesses need more controls and documentation
  • Response times — guaranteed 24/7 response costs more than business-hours support

Which model makes sense for a small business?

  • 1–10 staff, simple needs: a one-time clean-up and security review, then hourly or light monthly support
  • 10–50 staff: a monthly arrangement that covers Microsoft 365 administration, security, new starters and leavers, with project work quoted separately
  • 50+ staff or regulated industries: a fully managed service is often worth it

Whatever you choose, ask for the price in writing before work starts, make sure your accounts and licences stay in your name, and check what happens if you want to leave.

Getting a real number

Meet Software Solutions is based in Greater Sudbury and works with small businesses across Northern Ontario. We agree pricing upfront after a free review, and we will tell you honestly if you need less than you think. See our IT support for small business page or book a free technology review.

Figures are published Canadian ranges from 2026 pricing guides (for example F12.net’s “Managed IT Services Pricing in Canada”) and Microsoft list prices, not a quote. Actual prices vary by provider and scope.