IT Model Comparison
Managed IT vs In-House IT:
The Real Cost & Coverage Breakdown.
Hiring an IT person feels like control. But when you run the numbers — salary, overhead, coverage gaps, and turnover — the comparison usually surprises Ontario business owners.
$75K–$110K
True annual cost, one IT hire (ON)
$15K–$20K
ETG managed IT, 10-person team/yr
3–6 mo
Average time to hire & ramp a replacement
24/7
Coverage with managed IT vs ~8 hrs/day in-house
Side-by-Side
Feature-by-feature comparison.
| Factor | Managed IT (ETG) | In-House IT Staff |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage hours | 24/7/365 | Business hours (typically) |
| After-hours response | ||
| Vacation / sick coverage | ||
| Breadth of expertise | Full team: network, cloud, sec, dev | One person's skill set |
| Cybersecurity specialist | ||
| Cloud & M365 expertise | ||
| Vendor management | ||
| Strategic IT planning | Included (vCIO) | |
| Scales with headcount | ||
| Turnover risk | None — team continuity | High — knowledge walks out |
| HR, benefits, overhead | None | Salary + 15–25% overhead |
| Tool & licence costs | Included in plan | You source & pay separately |
| Onboarding time | 30–60 days | 3–6 months to hire + ramp |
| Annual fully-loaded cost | $15K–$20K10-person team, all-in | $75K–$110Ksalary + overhead + tools |
Salary data sourced from 2024 Ontario IT job market averages. ETG pricing as of 2025. Last reviewed May 2026.
The Real Math
The true cost of an in-house IT hire.
Most business owners think about base salary. But the real cost of an IT employee is significantly higher once you account for everything required to keep that person productive and your environment covered.
Cost breakdown
One in-house IT hire, Ontario, annualized
~$73,200 annual difference — with broader coverage, 24/7 availability, and no turnover risk.
See what ETG managed IT costs for your exact team size.
Get a Free QuoteWhen It Works
When in-house IT is the right call.
In-house IT is genuinely the right choice at scale. The math changes when you have enough users to justify full-time specialization.
Signs You Need to Outsource
When managed IT is the better fit.
“We tell clients to hire in-house when the math works. Under 40–50 users, it almost never does — and we'd rather have an honest conversation than win a client who's a bad fit.”
Kevin Nishimura — Evolved Technology Group
Common Questions
Frequently asked questions.
Not sure what's right for your business?
Book a free 30-minute assessment. We'll listen to your situation, run the numbers together, and give you an honest recommendation — even if that means pointing you elsewhere.