Break/fix IT support means paying only when something goes wrong, with no ongoing monitoring. Managed IT services cover your systems proactively for a fixed monthly fee, which usually works out cheaper and less stressful over a year.
What Is Break/Fix IT Support?
Break/fix is exactly what it sounds like: something breaks, you call for help, someone comes out or logs in remotely, you pay for the fix. It's transactional: no contract, no ongoing care, no proactive monitoring.
Typical break/fix scenarios include a printer that stops talking to the network, a laptop that won't boot, email that stops syncing after an update, or a shared drive that disappears from everyone's desktop. You pay for the engineer's time and any parts required, and that's the end of the relationship until the next issue.
What Are Managed IT Services?
Managed IT services take the opposite approach: instead of waiting for something to go wrong, your provider monitors, maintains, updates and supports your systems continuously for a predictable monthly fee.
Depending on the provider, this may include remote and on-site support, proactive monitoring, cybersecurity tools, data backups and recovery planning, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace management, device lifecycle management, and strategic guidance. In short, it's like having your own IT department, sized for your business.
How Do Managed Services Stop Problems Before They Happen?
Managed IT usually includes automatic updates and patching so devices stay secure, health monitoring that spots failing hardware early, cyber protection against phishing and malware, and backups that are tested regularly so you can recover quickly if something does go wrong.
How Do the Costs Compare?
Break/fix bills fluctuate: one month you might spend nothing, the next you might spend hundreds or thousands depending on the issue. Managed IT services smooth this out with a fixed monthly cost, so you can budget confidently and avoid nasty surprises.
How Quickly Will I Get Help Under Each Model?
Break/fix engineers may or may not be available immediately, and during busy periods you could wait hours or days. Managed IT clients typically receive guaranteed response times, sometimes within the hour, because they're already on a service plan.
A helpful way to think about it: break/fix is like only calling a plumber when your pipes burst, while managed IT is like having your boiler serviced regularly so it doesn't fail in the first place.
Which Model Is Right for My Business?
Both have their place. If you rarely need help and have a very simple setup, break/fix might still work. But if downtime, security worries or unpredictable costs are becoming a headache, managed IT support takes the pressure off and keeps everything running smoothly.
A: Break/fix is reactive: you pay for a fix each time something breaks, with no proactive monitoring. Managed IT is proactive: a fixed monthly fee covers ongoing monitoring, maintenance, security and support, so problems get caught early.
A: It can suit businesses with a very simple, low-risk setup who rarely need help. Most small businesses handling customer data, payments or remote work outgrow it quickly.
A: Small businesses can lose an estimated £1,000 to £3,000 per hour of downtime, so a single bad outage can cost more than a year of managed IT support.
Quick Recap
- Break/fix: pay only when something breaks, £75 to £125 an hour, no monitoring, unpredictable costs.
- Managed IT: fixed monthly fee, proactive monitoring, patching, backups and security bundled in.
- Managed IT clients typically get guaranteed response times; break/fix response depends on engineer availability.
- Regular monitoring and patching can cut common IT issues by around half.
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