If you work with an IT company, you’ll often see two models: “break/fix” and “monthly managed services.” Understanding the difference helps you decide which approach fits your needs and budget.
What is break/fix IT service?
Break/fix means you:
- Call your IT provider only when something is broken or not working.
- Pay per incident, hourly, or per project.
- Have no ongoing monitoring or proactive maintenance built into the relationship.
This can seem cheaper at first because you pay only when something goes wrong, but it can lead to sudden large bills and more downtime.
What is monthly IT (managed services)?
A monthly model usually:
- Charges a recurring fee for ongoing support, monitoring, and maintenance.
- Includes things like patching, updates, remote support, and sometimes security tools.
- Focuses on preventing problems and catching issues early.
With managed services, your IT provider behaves more like an ongoing partner than a repair shop.
Which is better?
Break/fix can make sense for very small or simple setups that rarely change. Monthly managed services tend to be better for businesses that:
- Need predictable costs.
- Can’t afford significant downtime.
- Want stronger cyber security and regular oversight.
Thinking about how critical your systems and data are to your work will guide which option is more appropriate.