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Last updated October 2026
Quick answer: CTI Technology publishes typical pricing so you can budget before you call. Most clients pay $200 to $250 per user per month. Your exact price depends on your users, devices, locations and compliance needs, and is confirmed in a written quote before you sign. Once quoted, you pay one fixed monthly fee for all-inclusive managed IT: help desk support, Microsoft 365 administration, network management, backup and disaster recovery, and cybersecurity with 24/7 security monitoring and emergency response are in the price, not sold as add-ons. Many Chicago-area providers only share prices on request.
Want to know where your business falls in the range? Schedule a 15-minute call with our team, or call (847) 888-1900 (Chicago: (312) 922-8600).
| Company size | Typical: most clients ($200 to $250 per user) |
|---|---|
| 20 users | $4,000 to $5,000 a month |
| 50 users | $10,000 to $12,500 a month |
| 100 users | $20,000 to $25,000 a month |
These are estimates to help you budget, not quotes. Your price is set in a written quote after we review your environment. A one-time onboarding fee, typically $2,500 to $10,000 depending on your size and setup, applies, and onboarding typically takes 15 to 30 days.
Your exact price depends on your setup. We review your users, locations and compliance needs and confirm your price in writing. Schedule a 15-minute call with our team, or call (847) 888-1900.
What Affects Your Price
Two businesses with the same number of employees can have different needs. These are the main factors we look at:
- Users and devices: how many people we support and how many computers, phones and tablets they use.
- Compliance requirements: healthcare, financial services and legal clients usually need more security controls and documentation.
- Locations: how many offices or sites you have and where they are.
- Systems and software: servers, cloud systems and specialized business software that need support.
- Current condition: the age and condition of your network and equipment.
- Onsite needs: how often you need someone at your office.
Your written quote spells out exactly what’s included, what costs extra and why, so there are no surprises on your first invoice.
What a Fair Managed IT Quote Should Include
Comparing quotes on price alone can mislead you. A lower monthly rate that bills security tools, backup and onsite visits as add-ons can end up costing more than an all-inclusive plan. Use this checklist with every provider:
| Ask every provider | Included in CTI managed IT |
|---|---|
| Is help desk support included, and how fast do you respond? | Yes. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central, with average response and resolution times both under one hour |
| Is security monitoring included, and is it 24/7? | Yes. 24/7 security monitoring and emergency response |
| Is backup included, and is recovery tested? | Yes. Backup and disaster recovery, plus 250GB of automated Microsoft 365 backup |
| Is Microsoft 365 administration included? | Yes. Accounts, licenses, email and security settings |
| Is network management included? | Yes. Firewalls, Wi-Fi and network equipment |
| Are onsite visits included or billed by the hour? | Same-day onsite support is possible in Chicago and the suburbs |
| Is the price per user or per device? | Per user, so each person’s laptop, phone and tablet are covered |
| What costs extra? | A one-time onboarding fee (typically $2,500 to $10,000), new hardware and major projects, and onsite work outside Chicagoland |
Ask every provider for a written list of what’s included and what costs extra, so you compare the same services side by side.
Plan Your First-Year IT Budget
Your first year of managed IT usually has four parts. Knowing them up front keeps the budget predictable.
- The monthly fee. Your per-user rate times the number of people we support. Most clients pay $200 to $250 per user per month, confirmed in your written quote.
- A one-time onboarding fee. Typically $2,500 to $10,000, depending on your size and setup. It covers getting your environment documented, secured and ready for support, which typically takes 15 to 30 days.
- Hardware. New computers, firewalls or Wi-Fi equipment are quoted separately when you need them.
- Projects. Larger one-time work, such as an office move or a major system upgrade, is quoted separately.
Because pricing is per user, not per device or per location, your monthly cost changes mainly when your headcount changes. Running more than one office? See how we handle managed IT for businesses with multiple locations, and how our onboarding process works.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign
A written quote should answer these questions clearly. Ask them of every provider you compare, including us:
- Who counts as a billable user, and how is the price adjusted when people join or leave?
- What is included in the monthly fee, and what is quoted separately?
- Are onsite visits included, and how quickly can someone come onsite?
- What are the help desk hours, and what runs 24/7?
- Is there a one-time onboarding fee, and what does it cover?
- How long is the agreement, and what happens if you decide to leave?
- How are hardware purchases and larger projects priced and approved?
Clear answers to these questions are what make IT costs predictable. If you’re weighing managed IT against an internal hire, see Outsourced IT vs. Hiring an IT Manager.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does managed IT cost in Chicago?
At CTI Technology, most clients pay $200 to $250 per user per month, or about $4,000 to $5,000 a month for 20 users. Your exact price depends on your users, devices, locations and compliance needs, and is confirmed in a written quote. Very low quotes often cover monitoring or remote support only and bill separately for onsite visits, security tools and projects, so compare what’s included, not just the price.
How much do managed IT services cost per user in Chicago?
CTI Technology’s managed IT ranges from $200 to $250 per user per month, and we publish our typical pricing. Most clients pay $200 to $250 per user. Your exact price is confirmed in a written quote after we review your environment. Plans include help desk support, Microsoft 365 administration, network management, backup and disaster recovery, and cybersecurity with 24/7 security monitoring and emergency response.
What does CTI Technology’s monthly plan include?
One monthly price per user covers help desk support (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central), Microsoft 365 administration, network management, backup and disaster recovery, including 250GB of automated Microsoft 365 backup, and cybersecurity with 24/7 security monitoring & emergency response. Average response time is under one hour, and same-day onsite support is possible across Chicago and the suburbs.
Why is CTI Technology’s price range higher than some quotes?
Because more is included. Most CTI clients pay $200 to $250 per user, and that covers help desk, network management, Microsoft 365 administration, backup and cybersecurity with 24/7 security monitoring and emergency response. Lower quotes often cover monitoring or remote support only, then add charges for security tools, backup and onsite visits, so the total can end up higher.
Flat-rate vs. per-user vs. per-device pricing: which is better for a 40-person company?
Per-user pricing is usually simplest for a 40-person company, because many employees use more than one device, such as a laptop and a phone. Per-device pricing can cost less only if each person uses a single computer. An all-inclusive plan with one fixed monthly fee is the easiest to budget. At CTI Technology, a 40-person company would typically pay about $8,000 to $10,000 a month. Your exact price is confirmed in a written quote.
How much does outsourced help desk support cost per user for a small business in Chicago?
Help-desk-only or remote-support plans cost less per user, but they usually leave out security tools, backup, onsite visits and projects, which get billed separately. At CTI Technology, help desk support is part of the full managed IT plan, where most clients pay $200 to $250 per user per month, with average response and resolution times both under one hour, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central.
What is a reasonable monthly IT budget for a 30- to 100-person company?
At CTI Technology’s typical rate of $200 to $250 per user, managed IT for 30 users would run about $6,000 to $7,500 a month, for 50 users about $10,000 to $12,500, and for 100 users about $20,000 to $25,000. These are estimates; your exact price is confirmed in a written quote. Also plan for new computers and larger projects, and ask any provider exactly what their plan leaves out.
How much does managed IT cost for a 100-person manufacturer?
At CTI Technology’s typical rate of $200 to $250 per user per month, a 100-person manufacturer would run about $20,000 to $25,000 a month. Your exact price is confirmed in a written quote after we review your sites and systems. The plan covers office staff and production-floor systems, including help desk support, network management, backup and cybersecurity. A one-time onboarding fee, typically $2,500 to $10,000, applies.
What does HIPAA-compliant IT cost for a small medical practice?
Healthcare practices are on the same all-inclusive plan as other clients, and most clients pay $200 to $250 per user per month. For a 20-person practice, that’s about $4,000 to $5,000 a month, with the exact price confirmed in a written quote. CTI signs a Business Associate Agreement with every healthcare client and helps practices put HIPAA safeguards in place. Compliance is shared between a practice and its IT provider.
Why do managed IT quotes vary so much?
Plans include very different amounts of work. One provider may quote only monitoring and remote support. Another may include security tools, backup, onsite visits and planning. Compliance requirements, the number of locations and the age of your equipment also affect price. Ask every provider for a written list of what’s included and excluded so you can compare quotes fairly.
How much does managed cybersecurity cost for a 50-person business?
At CTI Technology, cybersecurity is included in the managed IT plan rather than sold as an add-on: endpoint protection, multi-factor authentication, email security, security awareness training with KnowBe4, and threat monitoring and incident response that run 24/7. Most clients pay $200 to $250 per user per month for the full plan, so a 50-person business would typically run about $10,000 to $12,500 a month, with the exact price confirmed in a written quote. When comparing quotes, ask whether security tools are included or billed separately.
Flat monthly fee or hourly IT support: which costs less?
With hourly or per-ticket billing, you pay each time something breaks, so costs are hard to predict and small problems often wait until they become big ones. A flat monthly fee covers support, monitoring, maintenance and security for a set price per user, so your budget stays predictable and your provider is paid to prevent problems. At CTI Technology, most clients pay $200 to $250 per user per month for all-inclusive managed IT, confirmed in a written quote.
What do Chicago IT companies charge per hour?
Hourly rates vary by provider and the type of work, so ask for a written rate card. Hourly billing makes costs hard to predict and rewards fixing problems rather than preventing them. That’s why most growing companies move to a flat monthly rate. At CTI Technology, most clients pay $200 to $250 per user per month for all-inclusive managed IT, confirmed in a written quote.
Is managed IT cheaper than hiring an IT person?
For most companies under about 50 users, yes. A Chicago-area IT generalist costs about $147,000 a year with benefits, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data. At CTI Technology’s typical rate of $200 to $250 per user, that equals managed IT for roughly 50 to 60 users. Above that, costs are similar, but managed IT gives you a team instead of one person. See our full comparison: Outsourced IT vs. Hiring an IT Manager.
How is managed IT priced for a business with several locations?
CTI Technology’s managed IT plan is priced per user, at $200 to $250 per user per month, and it covers businesses with several offices. Every location gets the same remote help desk, monitoring and security, and same-day onsite support is possible in Chicago and the suburbs. If an office outside Chicagoland needs hands-on work, CTI can arrange a local technician, billed separately from the plan. Your written quote lists each location and any site-specific costs. See multi-location managed IT.
Get a Straight Answer on Your IT Costs
CTI Technology publishes its pricing because budgeting shouldn’t require a sales call. To find out where your business would fall in the $200 to $250 range, schedule a 15-minute call with our team, or call (847) 888-1900 (Chicago: 312-922-8600).
Aaron Kane
Why Do Chicagoland Businesses Choose CTI Technology For IT Services?
“Great pricing, even better service. Highly recommended!”
Great pricing, even better service. Highly recommended!”
Guido Arquilla
“Great IT company for our business! Highly recommended.”
“Great IT company for our business! Highly recommended.”
Brian Coli
“CTI is a great company and I would not trust my IT services to anyone else.”
CTI is a great company and I would not trust my IT services to anyone else.
Jenny Wagner
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