Want to know the difference between Break&Fix IT and an IT managed service provider (IT MSP)?

The difference is simple: a Break&Fix IT company steps in and bills only when something breaks, while an IT managed service provider (MSP) continuously manages the client’s infrastructure for a monthly fee and tries to prevent problems before they happen.

In other words, IT service providers fall into two broad categories: those who are always putting out fires and those who manage their clients’ infrastructure and propose proactive solutions.

Break&Fix IT companies usually bill their clients by the hour or per service call. These companies generally make their money from selling equipment and licenses, as well as from the hours billed to clients. There are also quasi-break-fix services, which work with clients on monthly plans with a fixed number of hours.

Providers that offer managed IT services do more than that. They bill their clients based on the number of computers, servers or users, and they usually cover the full range of services, such as remote and on-site support, backup and security, while also proposing proactive solutions. Their plans usually cost somewhat more than Break&Fix services, but they cover much more.

Break&Fix IT: pros and cons

Benefits of Break&Fix IT:

• lower costs in the short term: you usually pay “per service call,” not through a subscription;
• since these are usually small companies, clients get to know a good part of the team;
• they offer a wide range of IT services.

Drawbacks of Break&Fix IT:

• they don’t do proactive work or monitoring; that would mean extra costs for the company;
• response times can be quite long, because companies like these have few employees and no contractually committed response times;
• “jack-of-all-trades” IT companies don’t have employees who specialize in particular technologies;
• they’re paid to fix incidents, not to find the causes and propose permanent solutions. In practice, they earn more when you have more problems;
• costs are hard to predict: a quiet month costs you little, a month with a server down costs you a lot.

IT managed service provider: pros and cons

Benefits of an IT managed service provider:

• costs are predictable and set by contract;
• it has employees who specialize in particular technologies and areas of IT;
• it has response times set by contract and a team large enough to step in even when a technician is away;
• it offers RMM (Remote Monitoring & Management) services: it proactively monitors the infrastructure and proposes permanent solutions to problems;
• it offers regular maintenance services for the company’s equipment;
• it offers customized IT services.

Drawbacks of an IT managed service provider:

• monthly costs are higher than what you’d pay a Break&Fix IT company in a month without problems;
• it will suggest you work with the suppliers and manufacturers it has approved;
• you may never get to know every member of the team.

Break&Fix IT or MSP: the comparison at a glance

Criterion	Break&Fix IT	IT managed service provider (MSP)
How you pay	by the hour or per service call	monthly plan, based on the number of computers, servers or users
When it steps in	after a problem occurs	continuously: monitoring, updates, prevention
Response times	usually no contractual commitment	set by contract
Security and backup	only if you ask for them separately	included in day-to-day management
Costs	low in quiet months, high when incidents happen	predictable
Suitable for	very simple IT, used occasionally	companies that depend on computers, email and data every day

What has changed since 2021?

The difference between the two models has become more important, because many of today’s problems are no longer hardware faults but risks that need to be prevented:

• security: ransomware and phishing attacks hit small companies too, and protection requires timely updates, two-step verification and verified backups, which is exactly the proactive work a Break&Fix provider doesn’t do;
• systems out of support: Windows 10 stopped receiving free security updates on October 14, 2025, as did Office 2016 and Office 2019. Someone has to track these deadlines and plan the replacements;
• the cloud: Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace accounts, and access for new employees and for those who leave, must be managed continuously, not just fixed;
• legal obligations: GDPR and, for the companies in scope, the NIS2 directive (in Romania, GEO 155/2024) require documented security measures.

How do you choose between Break&Fix IT and an MSP?

A Break&Fix provider may be enough if you have only a few computers, don’t hold sensitive data and a day without IT doesn’t cost you much. An MSP is worth it if your company depends on computers, email and data every day, if you want predictable costs or if you need someone to take responsibility for security and backup. If you already have an IT person, an MSP can work alongside them and cover for them during vacations.

RezolvIT is a managed IT services company (MSP), but our plans also cover companies that need only a little support. Business Hours is a monthly bundle of hours, a good fit if problems are rare. Business Unlimited covers incidents with no limit on hours, and Business Star adds a RezolvIT technician at your office. All of them are paid monthly, with no minimum contract term and 30 days’ notice. The details are on the IT plans page, and if you’re not sure which option suits you, a free IT audit also shows you the exact price.