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IT Model Comparison

Managed IT vs Break-Fix:
Which Model Fits Your Business?

Break-fix IT feels cheaper until something breaks. This side-by-side analysis shows the real cost difference — and which model protects Ontario SMBs better.

Our Verdict

For any Ontario business with 3+ employees or client data: managed IT wins on cost, security, and reliability — often by a wide margin once you price in the full break-fix lifecycle.

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Side-by-Side

Feature-by-feature comparison.

FeatureManaged IT (ETG)Break-Fix IT
Cost structureFixed monthly fee per userPay per incident + hourly labour
Cost predictability
24/7 proactive monitoring
Help desk (unlimited calls)
Guaranteed response SLA
Cybersecurity included
After-hours supportIncludedExtra charge (if available)
Strategic IT planning (vCIO)
Vendor & licence management
Patch managementAutomated, continuousOn request
Backup & DR oversight
Scales with your team
Relationship continuityDedicated account teamWhoever picks up
Typical cost (10-person business)$990–$1,700per month, all-inUnpredictable$150–$250/hr + parts

ETG pricing as of 2025. Break-fix hourly rates reflect Ontario market averages. Last reviewed May 2026.

The Real Math

The hidden costs of break-fix IT.

Downtime you can't predict: The average SMB suffers 15–20 hours of IT-related downtime annually. At $500/hr in lost productivity, that's $7,500–$10,000 before you pay the repair bill.
Emergency premium rates: Break-fix providers charge 1.5–2× their standard rate for urgent after-hours calls. A Friday evening server failure at $375/hr adds up fast.
Unmanaged cyber exposure: Without continuous monitoring, vulnerabilities go unpatched for an average of 197 days before detection. That's 197 days of open risk — at no cost savings.
Reactive is never proactive: Break-fix providers only see what's broken right now. They have no visibility into your aging hardware, licence renewals, or capacity constraints until they fail.
Staff productivity loss: Each IT incident pulls employees off billable or productive work. A 2-hour outage for a 10-person team costs 20 hours of productivity — regardless of the fix cost.

Cost scenario

10-person professional services firm, 1 year

Break-fix incidents (avg)$8,400
Downtime cost (productivity)$9,200
One security incident (avg)$18,000
Unplanned hardware replacement$3,100
Break-fix total (typical)~$38,700
ETG Managed IT (Standard)~$15,600

$23,100 in projected savings — before factoring in the security incident (which may not happen with proactive managed IT).

See what managed IT actually costs for your team size.

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When It Works

When break-fix IT actually makes sense.

We believe in honest comparisons. Break-fix isn't always wrong — but the window where it's the right choice is narrower than most people think.

Sole trader with 1 device and no client data stored
Business where IT failure causes zero revenue impact
Seasonal operation with months of near-zero IT usage
Already have a capable in-house IT team and only need overflow

“If your business has employees, stores any customer data, or depends on email and software to generate revenue — you've already outgrown break-fix.”

Evolved Technology Group — Hamilton, Ontario

When It Doesn't

Signs you've outgrown break-fix.

You've called IT support more than twice in the last 12 months
You store client data, financial records, or health information
Employees can't work when systems go down
You have no idea when your last security patch was applied
You've had a virus, ransomware alert, or phishing incident
Your IT provider doesn't know your setup before they arrive

Common Questions

Frequently asked questions.

Related Reading

Fully Managed IT Services

See everything included in ETG's managed IT plans.

Managed IT vs In-House IT

Compare outsourcing vs hiring your own IT person.

Cybersecurity Solutions

What's included in ETG's layered security stack.

24/7 Monitoring & Help Desk

How proactive monitoring prevents downtime.

Ready to switch to proactive IT?

Book a free IT assessment. We'll audit your current environment, show you the gaps, and give you a flat-rate quote — no commitment required.

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