Outsourced IT support for a software or fintech company usually costs between £45 and £100 per user per month. Where you sit in that range depends on how much security you need, how complex your development and product infrastructure is, and the level of support and response you want. For most tech firms, this is far cheaper and more capable than building the same in-house.
Tech companies have more moving parts than a typical office, so it helps to understand what drives the cost. Here are the main factors.
1. The level of security you need
If you handle customer data, connect into banks, or need to pass client security checks, you will want layered security: endpoint protection, application allowlisting, MFA, managed email security and staff training. More protection costs a little more, but it is what keeps your IP and your client relationships safe.
2. Your infrastructure and dev environment
Servers, virtual machines, build pipelines, databases and product infrastructure all need looking after. A firm running lots of dev and test environments needs more support than a simple office setup, and that is reflected in the price.
3. Support level and response
How quickly you need issues answered, and whether you need cover across time zones, affects the cost. A firm that cannot afford downtime pays a little more for faster response and proactive monitoring.
4. What’s included as standard
A good managed price should include proactive monitoring, helpdesk support, patching, endpoint protection, backup and security as standard, not as costly extras. Always check what is in the monthly fee so you can compare like for like.
A real example: value from proactive support
We supported a software company serving financial trading firms where proactive monitoring caught issues early, before they turned into downtime. One engineer summed up the experience: “Excellent service, they always know what to do to correct any issue.” That kind of reliability is what the monthly fee buys.
What a firm your size should expect to pay
As a rough guide, based on the £45 to £100 per user range:
- A 10-person team: roughly £450 to £750 a month for fully managed IT and security.
- A 25-person firm: roughly £1,250 to £2,000 a month.
- A 50-person firm with strict security or uptime needs: roughly £2,250 to £5,000 a month.
These are guide figures, not a quote, but the cost is predictable, per user, and scales with you as you hire.
What to ask a provider
A specialist for software and fintech firms should be able to answer:
- Have you supported software or fintech teams, cloud infrastructure and CI/CD before?
- How do you secure source code, customer data and cloud accounts, and prove it in a security questionnaire?
- How fast do you respond when something blocks a release or deployment?
- Is multi-factor authentication enforced everywhere, with allowlisting as standard?
- Is the price clear and per user, with security included rather than charged separately?
Getting value from your IT budget
The goal is not the lowest invoice but the most value per pound. For a software or fintech firm that means fewer outages during releases, security you can evidence to customers and investors without a scramble, and engineers who spend their time building rather than fighting their tools.
A predictable per-user cost also makes budgeting simple. You know what each new hire costs to support, growth does not spring surprise IT bills on you, and you can plan security improvements rather than reacting to them after an incident or a failed questionnaire.
Why the cheapest quote costs more
It is tempting to pick the lowest number, but for a software or fintech business an outage that blocks a release, a breach of customer data, or a failed security questionnaire during a deal costs far more than the gap between a cheap contract and a good one. The right question is not the lowest price, but what it costs you when something goes wrong, and who stops that happening.
Why technology and trading firms choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including software and technology companies and firms that serve financial markets. We know the systems these teams depend on: secure VPN and remote access, source control and build pipelines, virtual dev and test environments, Microsoft 365 and Teams, and the security that banks and regulators expect, from multi-factor authentication and endpoint protection to application allowlisting and email security. We work with technology and trading firms in London and across Essex and Hertfordshire. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we’ve been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London, including Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Want a clear quote for your firm? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT and we’ll show you exactly what’s included.