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    COST GUIDE · 2026

    What does IT support cost for a Swiss SME?

    The honest answer: CHF 100–250 per hour, or CHF 50–120 per user per month in managed models — and the range has reasons. Here are the sourced market figures, the hidden costs, and how our two engagement models differ.

    Market figures with sourcesHidden costs namedTwo clearly separated models
    THE THREE PRICING MODELS

    How IT support is priced in Switzerland

    Hourly rate

    CHF 100–250 / h

    Standard support CHF 100–140, specialists (security, cloud) CHF 180–250. Swiss average around CHF 130. Good for one-off projects — hard to budget for ongoing operations.

    Managed, per user

    CHF 50–120 / user / month

    Endpoint management, security tooling, M365 support and helpdesk bundled per workstation. Predictable, scales with head-count — the most common SME model.

    Retainer

    CHF 500–3,000 / month

    A fixed monthly block of support regardless of team size. Fits uneven demand — check carefully what is and isn't included.

    Market rule of thumb: hourly rates below CHF 80 are a warning sign — offshore delivery or hidden costs.

    BENCHMARKS

    What typical setups cost

    ≈ CHF 8,000 / year
    10-person SME, full SLA package
    CHF 2,000–4,500 / month
    15 people, 20 devices, managed
    1–3% of annual revenue
    IT budget benchmark
    CHF 90,000–130,000 / year
    Internal IT employee (fully loaded)
    READ THE FINE PRINT

    The four most common hidden costs

    • Onboarding fees of CHF 500–5,000 — often missing from the first offer
    • Travel time billed at the full hourly rate
    • Emergency and weekend surcharges of 50–100%
    • Minimum terms of 12–24 months with 3–6 months notice
    AND AT THEIA?

    Two models, clearly separated

    Our Managed Service combines Microsoft 365 operations, the included Support Agent and human escalation from Zurich. We calculate it after scoping because responsibilities, service windows, access and response commitments vary. Projects and individual tasks remain a separate time-and-materials lane.

    Managed IT-Support

    Individually calculated after scoping

    Ongoing Microsoft 365 operations with the Support Agent and human escalation included. After scoping, you receive a binding monthly offer for the agreed scope.

    Projects / time & material

    By effort · individually scoped

    For migrations, automation and one-off changes — billed by effort, without a monthly package, SLA, reserved capacity or proactive operations.

    How the managed support worksDiscuss a project / T&M scope
    FAQ

    Common questions about IT costs

    Market surveys put Swiss SMEs at 1–3% of annual revenue for IT — for a CHF 2 million company that's CHF 20,000–60,000 per year. Half of surveyed SMEs report CHF 500–2,000 per employee per year. Treat these as orientation, not targets: what matters is which risks you cover for the money.

    Per-user pricing (typically CHF 50–120 per user per month) scales predictably with head-count and usually bundles endpoint management, security tooling and helpdesk. Retainers (CHF 500–3,000 per month) suit companies with uneven demand. For small teams, a per-user model can cost more than the actual support consumed — ask providers to show both calculations.

    Standard support sits at CHF 100–140 per hour, specialists (security, cloud architecture) at CHF 180–250; the national average is around CHF 130. Rates below CHF 80 per hour are considered a warning sign in the Swiss market — they usually mean offshore delivery or hidden costs elsewhere.

    A fully loaded internal IT position costs CHF 90,000–130,000 per year. As a rule of thumb, that only pays off once there is genuinely a full-time load — before that, a mix of managed services for operations plus project-based specialists covers more ground for less money.

    The most common ones in Swiss offers: onboarding fees (CHF 500–5,000), travel time billed at full hourly rates, emergency and weekend surcharges of 50–100%, and 12–24-month minimum terms with 3–6 months notice. Ask for all four explicitly before signing — serious providers answer in writing.

    Market figures sourced from: KPX AG, IT-Kosten KMU Schweiz (as of April 2026) · it-provider.ch, IT-Dienstleister-Kosten. Theia's Managed Service is quoted individually after scoping; projects are billed by effort.

    SECOND OPINION

    Have an offer on the table? We'll read it with you.

    30 minutes, free: we go through an IT offer with you, point at the hidden-cost spots and tell you honestly whether our model even fits your case.

    Book 30 minutes

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