If you’re running a small or midsize business in Arizona, chances are you’ve asked yourself: “Are we spending too much, or not enough, on I.T.?”

It’s a fair question. And if you’ve ever been burned by surprise fees, slow response times, or a provider who disappears when things go wrong, you’re not alone.

We’ve worked with dozens of SMBs who felt overwhelmed by the complexity of I.T. pricing. They didn’t know what was “normal,” what was “too much,” or what they were even paying for.

Recently, we worked with a 20-person construction firm in the Prescott area that had been using a break-fix I.T. provider. They were paying hourly, had no cybersecurity protections in place, and were constantly reacting to issues instead of preventing them. One of the directors told us, “I think we’ve outgrown our I.T. guy.”

When we sat down to assess their environment, we found they had 28 actual users; contractors, office staff, and even a few family members with company email accounts. Their network was vulnerable, backups were inconsistent, and no one had MFA enabled.

We built a custom plan that included endpoint protection, cloud backup, 24/7 monitoring, and unlimited consulting. Their monthly cost landed around $7,300, which was higher than what they were used to—but within two months, they saw fewer disruptions, faster support, and peace of mind knowing their data was secure.

This blog post is for business owners, office managers, and operations leads who want clarity without the sales fluff. We’ll walk you through how managed I.T. pricing works, what’s typically included, and how to estimate your monthly budget with confidence.

Managed I.T. services are like having a full-time tech team without the overhead. You get proactive support, security, and strategy, all bundled into a monthly contract. For SMBs in Arizona, this model is especially valuable because it helps you stay protected from cyber threats, reduce downtime, and scale without hiring in-house.

Still unsure if managed I.T. is the right fit? We recommend reading this brutally honest breakdown:

👉 Click here to read our breakdown on types of I.T. services

While some providers use per-user pricing as their billing model, at Sentry CTO we don’t. Instead, we customize each contract based on your specific needs. That said, per-user pricing can still be a helpful way to estimate costs.

A “user” includes anyone accessing company resources, including email, cloud apps, devices, or data. That means contractors, part-time staff, and even the owner’s spouse if they have a company email. It’s not just about W2 employees.

We once onboarded a law firm with 10 full-time staff. But when we audited their environment, we found several accounts from past employees with company email access. They hadn’t considered these individuals as “users”, since they left the firm, but each account represented a potential entry point for cyber threats.

We helped them clean up their user directory, implement proper access controls, and setup an offboarding procedure to make sure old accounts weren’t left active. They also reduced costs by eliminating unneeded licenses. Their security posture improved immediately, and they gained a clearer understanding of who was actually using their systems.

Here’s what a comprehensive managed I.T. plan should include:

• Help desk support (remote and on-site)
• Server and workstation management
• Endpoint and cloud security
• Data backup (on-site and cloud)
• 24/7 security operations center (SOC) monitoring and response
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Password management tools
• Productivity suite (e.g., Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace)
• Spam filtering
• Employee cybersecurity awareness training
• Unlimited consulting (think vCIO or vCTO)

Optional add-ons may include VoIP phone systems, additional software licensing, or specialized compliance support.

At Sentry CTO, we don’t use a one-size-fits-all pricing model. Instead of charging per user, we build customized contracts based on your actual environment and needs. That includes the number of users, devices, servers, specialized software, and even your data backup scheme or cloud stack. We take the time to understand how your business operates, what risks you face, and what kind of support you’ll need day-to-day. Then we design a plan that’s right-sized for your team, whether you’re a 10-person law firm or a 50-person construction company with remote crews and cloud-based project management tools.

Even though we don’t bill per user, it’s still a useful way to estimate your budget. For SMBs in Arizona, the average cost ranges from $150 to $350 per user per month, depending on service depth and security needs.

At Sentry CTO, our clients typically fall in the $300 to $350 per user range when estimating. That includes everything listed above, plus our cybersecurity-first approach and unlimited strategic consulting. Final pricing depends on factors like number of users, computers, servers, specialized software, and network equipment.

One of our clients, a 12-person credit union in Prescott, came to us after years of using a local break-fix provider. They were spending a couple hundred dollars a month but had no backups, no endpoint protection, and no strategic guidance. They even lost access to their domain and email administration.

After a full assessment, we built a plan that included 24/7 monitoring, cloud backup, MFA, and unlimited consulting. Their monthly spend increased to about $2,500, but they gained full visibility, faster support, and a security posture that met their industry’s compliance standards. Within six months, they reported fewer tech disruptions and improved member confidence.

Traditional I.T. support often focuses on fixing things when they break. Managed I.T. plus cybersecurity is proactive. It includes:

• Threat detection and response
• Vulnerability patching
• Compliance support
• Employee training
• Incident response planning

This isn’t just tech support. It’s business risk management.

Beyond user count, here are a few variables that can impact your monthly spend:

• On-site support frequency
• Specialized software licensing
• Cloud server hosting
• Compliance audits or reporting
• VoIP phone systems

Ask your provider for a clear breakdown. If they hesitate, that’s a red flag.

Short answer: Yes, if you value uptime, security, and strategic growth.

Break-fix models are reactive and unpredictable. In-house I.T. can be great, but expensive and hard to scale. Managed I.T. gives you predictable costs, expert support, and peace of mind.

One of our small nonprofit clients had a limited budget and was hesitant to invest in managed I.T. services. They were relying on a volunteer board member to handle tech issues and had no formal cybersecurity protections in place. After dealing with staff turnover and nearly losing access to all critical systems, they realized they needed professional support.

We built a lean, security-focused plan that fit their budget and addressed their most critical risks. It included endpoint protection, cloud backup, MFA, and access to our help desk and consulting team. Within weeks, they had a documented I.T. strategy, improved uptime, and peace of mind knowing someone was watching their systems. They told us, “It’s great knowing that you always have our back.”

Here’s a simple formula to start:

# of users × $300 to $350 = Estimated monthly budget

So if you have 15 users, expect to spend around $4,500 to $5,250/month. Adjust based on your security needs, number of devices, and any specialized requirements.

• What’s included in your pricing?
• How do you define a “user”?
• Do you offer 24/7 monitoring and response?
• Is cybersecurity built-in or extra?
• What’s your average response time?
• Do you offer unlimited consulting?

If they dodge these questions, keep looking.

👉 Want help evaluating providers? Click here to read our guide on choosing the right I.T. partner.

We’re not just an I.T. provider. We’re your strategic partner. Our contracts include everything listed above, plus:

• 24/7 SOC monitoring
• Unlimited vCIO/vCTO consulting
• Cybersecurity-first service design
• Transparent pricing with no surprise fees

We serve SMBs across Arizona and the U.S. who want to be protected, productive, and prepared.

If you’re tired of guessing what I.T. should cost—or wondering if you’re getting what you pay for—let’s talk. We’ll walk through your user count, business needs, and security goals to see if we’re a fit.

👉 Schedule Your Compatibility Consult

You deserve clarity, confidence, and a partner who puts your business first.