RemoteManaged IT
What a managed service provider actually does, and what it should cost.
A managed service provider runs your IT for a monthly fee, so you are not relying on one person or a phone number you call when things break. Here is what is usually included, how MSPs, MSSPs and co-managed IT differ, what to look for in an agreement, and how the cost compares with hiring.
Real Bytes prices are our published typical figures, ex GST.
- MSP vs MSSP vs co-managed
- What it costs
- In-house vs managed calculator
Reviewed by Blake Bath, General Manager, on 30 October 2026.
Day to day
What a managed IT service usually covers.
Check each against any proposal. The gaps are where surprise bills come from.
Help desk
Phone, email or portal support when something breaks or someone needs help.
- Response times in writing
- Remote and on-site
- Tickets tracked
Devices
Setting up, updating, protecting and retiring laptops and phones.
- New starters ready
- Updates managed
- Leavers wiped
Microsoft 365 or Google
Users, licences, email, security settings and sharing.
- Licences right-sized
- Security policies
- Admin access owned by you
Backup and recovery
Backups monitored daily and restores tested.
- Daily checks
- Restore tests
- Cloud data too
Security
Endpoint protection, email filtering, and with many providers 24/7 monitoring. Every Real Bytes plan includes it.
- EDR on devices
- Email filtering
- Monitoring
Planning
A roadmap for upgrades, renewals and risks, so changes are not surprises.
- Regular reviews
- Budget forecasts
- Supplier management
In-house vs managed IT
One in-house IT person, or a managed plan?
Enter your team size and your own salary figure. The managed side uses our published typical prices.
Compare one in-house IT person with a managed plan for your team. Managed prices are our published typical figures.
A year, side by side
A$75,000managed, a year ex GST
| Managed plan | A$75,000 |
|---|---|
| One IT person, super and tools | A$118,800 |
The in-house figure is one person in business hours, with no cover for leave, sickness or nights, and no second opinion. Managed plan prices are typical and confirmed against your setup before you commit.
The models
MSP, MSSP, co-managed and vCISO.
| Model | What it does | Usually suits |
|---|---|---|
| MSP | Runs IT day to day: support, devices, cloud, backup | Businesses without their own IT team |
| MSSP | Security monitoring, detection, response and compliance | Regulated or higher-risk businesses, often alongside an MSP |
| Co-managed IT | Adds depth to your own IT person or team | Businesses with internal IT that need cover and specialists |
| Virtual CISO | Part-time security leadership and reporting | Businesses that need a security owner, not a full-time hire |
What we charge
What managed IT costs with us.
| Plan | Typical price, ex GST | Support time |
|---|---|---|
| RealBytes One | A$450 a month, flat, one person | Unlimited remote support in business hours |
| Flex | A$150 per person a month | Billed at A$185 an hour |
| Advantage | A$250 per person a month | About 30 minutes per person a month pooled, then A$175 an hour |
| Ultimate | A$400 per person a month | Unlimited remote support in business hours |
Typical figures, confirmed against your setup before you commit. Projects, on-site work and hardware are quoted separately. Onboarding is a one-off fee, from A$500 and usually around A$1,000.
Before you sign
What to check in any managed IT agreement.
- Response times in writingBy priority, including what counts as urgent.
- What is included, and what is notProjects, on-site visits, after-hours and hardware.
- You own the admin accountsGlobal admin, registrar and backup logins belong to the business.
- Documentation you can keepPasswords, network diagrams and procedures, handed over if you leave.
- How security incidents are handledWho responds, how fast, and what is included.
- A fair way to leaveNotice period and a handover process, not a penalty.
Our view
Price matters less than what happens on a bad day.
When comparing providers, ask what happens at 4pm on a Friday when email is down, and at 2am when an alert fires. The answers tell you more than the monthly price.
Then check that you, not the provider, own your admin accounts and documentation. That is what lets you change providers, or bring IT in-house, without being stuck.
Switching
Moving to a managed provider in five steps.
- Step 1Review
What you have, what is broken and what is at risk.
- Step 2Agree scope
Plan, inclusions and response times, in writing.
- Step 3Onboard
Admin access, documentation, monitoring and backups checked.
- Step 4Fix the urgent
MFA, backups and anything exposed, first.
- Step 5Review regularly
Tickets, risks and the roadmap, together.
Related
Choosing support is step one. Here is what comes next.
Our services, and guides for planning ahead.
Get help your way
Six ways to reach us. Pick whichever suits you.
Helpdesk hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm AEST. On Advantage and above, emergencies get a response within 1 hour and outages within 2, with 24/7 best-effort escalation.
- Call 07 3114 2808
An engineer answers Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm AEST. After hours, weekends and public holidays, Chip, our AI agent, answers on the same number or on 07 3180 0965, logs it and escalates urgent incidents to the on-call engineer.
Call now - Email the helpdesk
Send it to helpdesk@realbytes.com.au and a ticket is logged straight away, with a reference number you can quote.
Email us - Client portal
Log and follow your tickets, see what we are working on and who has it.
Open the portal - Remote support
When an engineer asks to see your screen, start a secure session here. You start it, so nobody sees your screen until you do.
Start a session - Chat in Microsoft Teams
Clients can message Chip, our AI assistant, in Teams to log a request without leaving their desk.
How clients reach us - Service status
Check whether Microsoft 365 or another cloud service is down before you lose an hour troubleshooting.
See live status
Questions
What people ask about managed IT.
What does a managed service provider actually do?
Runs your IT for a monthly fee: help desk, setting up and retiring devices, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace administration, updates, backup, monitoring and security tools. Most also plan upgrades and look after suppliers like your internet provider.
What is the difference between an MSP and an MSSP?
An MSP runs IT day to day. An MSSP, managed security service provider, focuses on security: 24/7 monitoring, threat detection and response, and compliance work. Many MSPs now include managed security or partner with a specialist for it.
How much does a managed IT service cost?
Our published typical prices are A$150, A$250 or A$400 per person a month ex GST depending on the plan, or A$450 a month flat for a single-person business. Projects, on-site work and hardware are quoted separately, and onboarding is a one-off fee that usually lands around A$1,000.
What is co-managed IT?
You keep your own IT person or team, and the provider adds depth: after-hours cover, security monitoring, specialist projects and someone to step in during leave.
What should be in the agreement?
Response times in writing, what is and is not included, who owns the admin accounts and documentation, how you leave, and how security incidents are handled. If any of those are vague, ask before you sign.
Next step
Want to see what managed IT would look like for you?
We will review your setup, recommend a plan and confirm the price before you commit.
Keep reading
Reviewed by Blake Bath, General Manager, on 30 October 2026. Real Bytes prices are our published typical figures, ex GST, as shown on our pricing page on 30 October 2026. Real Bytes, Pricing; ATO, Super guarantee rates