What a fractional IT manager costs in Australia

This post explains how our pricing works, what decides the number, and how it compares with other ways of getting IT help. I'm writing for businesses with 10 to 80 staff, anywhere in Australia.

Our prices

We charge a fixed monthly fee for a set number of days. All prices are in Australian dollars and exclude GST.

• 2 days a month: $2,200 + GST.
• 4 days a month: $4,400 + GST.
• Extra days on top of either package: $1,200 + GST each.

The full list is on our pricing page. The number that suits you depends on how many days a month you need, and we agree that in the first meeting. To get a figure for your business, get in touch and tell us your location and how many staff you have.

What a month includes

The fee covers the work an in-house IT manager would do:

• A 12 to 24 month IT plan covering hardware replacement, software, security work, AI adoption and budget.
• Dealing with your IT provider, carriers, software vendors and printer leases, including contract renewals and quotes that don't add up.
• A review of your Microsoft 365 setup against the Essential Eight, with gaps ranked by risk and a monthly check that fixes have stayed fixed.
• A plain-English report to your owners or board on security, risks, projects and spend.

You can reach us between sessions by phone and email for questions and decisions.

What decides how many days you need

Size and change are the two big factors. A stable business with 10 to 20 staff usually fits the 2-day package. A business with 50 or more staff, or one in the middle of a migration or security project, usually needs more.

Security requirements matter too. Working toward an Essential Eight maturity level, or answering a cyber insurance questionnaire, takes more time than basic antivirus.

We agree a starting number of days in the first meeting and review it after three months. If your needs change, we change the number.

How it compares with a managed service provider

A managed service provider usually charges per user per month and runs your helpdesk. Our own per-user prices for that kind of service start at $99 + GST per user per month for the Support tier. A fractional IT manager is priced by the day instead, because the job is different. The provider fixes things when they break. The fractional manager decides what to buy, checks the provider is doing what you pay for and reports to you.

Many businesses pay for both. We wrote a longer comparison for a 20-person business: fractional IT manager or managed service provider. Our fractional IT manager page for Australian businesses covers how the service works day to day.

And compared with a full-time hire

A full-time IT manager is a salary, and for most businesses of this size the work doesn't fill five days a week. Booking a few days a month means you pay for the days you use. I haven't put a salary figure here because it varies too much by city and experience. Check current advertised salaries in your area and compare.

When it makes sense

It makes sense if you pay for IT and can't tell what you're getting. It also makes sense if a project is coming and nobody owns it, or if a client or insurer has asked about your cyber security and you couldn't answer with confidence. If none of those apply and your IT is stable, a well-scoped managed service agreement may be all you need. If a fractional IT manager isn't the right fit, we'll say so.

Talk to us

If you want a number for your business, tell us your location and how many staff you have. We'll reply within one business day.

Essetech Pty Ltd, Brooklyn Park, SA 5032. Phone 0404 311 791. Email support@essetech.com.au.