Break-Fix vs Managed IT: Which One Actually Saves You Money?

How Break-Fix IT Works

With break-fix, you only pay for help when something is already broken:

• A workstation won’t boot
• Someone can’t access email
• The printer suddenly disappears

You get a bill each time, often at an hourly rate. There’s usually no monitoring, no patch management, and no proactive planning.

How Managed IT Works

With managed IT (what IT LEGENDS provides), you pay a recurring fee for a set of services and response levels. Instead of waiting for issues:

• Devices are monitored for health and security
• Updates and patches are handled on a schedule
• Backups are checked, not just “set and forget”
• Users have a clear place to request help

Which One Costs More Over a Year?

It depends on how critical your systems are and how many issues you typically see. In our experience with Illinois SMBs:

• Businesses under 5 users with simple needs can sometimes get by on break-fix, if they accept risk and occasional downtime.
• Once you hit 5–10 users, the hidden cost of downtime, lost productivity, and last-minute emergencies often makes managed IT cheaper overall.

Risk: The Part That Doesn’t Show on the Invoice

Break-fix companies are not usually watching your security posture daily. That can mean:

• Missed critical security patches
• Weak or reused passwords
• No tested backups when you actually need recovery

With managed IT, you’re paying not just for “fixes” but for reduced likelihood of a serious incident in the first place.

Hybrid Approach: Start Small, Then Grow

Some clients start with a smaller managed bundle (for example, just a subset of users or only Microsoft 365 management) and expand as they grow.

You can see our starting options on the Service Bundles page, and then talk with us about phases.

How IT LEGENDS Helps You Decide

We don’t push everyone into the same plan. During a consultation, we’ll:

• Review your user count, devices, and locations
• Ask what downtime really costs your business
• Look at your current security and backup posture
• Suggest a model that fits where you are now

Whether you’re in Waukegan, Gurnee, Chicago, or anywhere in Illinois, we can help you understand the tradeoffs in plain English.

Next Step: Get a Cost Comparison

If you’re wondering, “What would this actually cost me per month?”, let’s run the numbers together.

Request a Managed IT Cost Review