How should an MSP package and price services per user, per device or in tiers?
Pricing decides which clients you attract and how profitable they are. Most MSPs move toward per-user tiers, but not always.
- Per user or per device?
- How many tiers?
- What about projects?
Per-user pricing fits most office clients because support follows people, not devices. Per-device suits clients with many shared machines or servers. Offer two or three tiers with clear differences, such as security level and response times, and price projects separately. Review margins by client every quarter.
Options
| Model | Best for | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Per user | Office teams with laptops and phones | Shared devices |
| Per device | Shared machines, servers, labs | Users with many devices |
| Tiers | Clear choices for buyers | Too many tiers confuse |
| Projects | Migrations, moves, upgrades | Scope creep |
What separates tiers
- Security tools included.
- Response and resolution targets.
- Strategic planning and QBRs.
- After-hours support.
How we look at it at ShoutEx
We help MSPs present pricing clearly on the website and in proposals. Our pricing tiers guide has more.
- Unlimited everything at a low price.
- Five or more tiers.
- No margin review.
- Projects bundled without limits.
- Two or three clear tiers.
- Per-user for most clients.
- Quarterly margin review.
- Projects priced separately.
What MSP owners and guidance say
Here is what MSP owners say.
A common reference for deciding which security controls belong in higher tiers.
Read the framework →Community summaries describe recurring themes in public threads, not individual posts. Vendor pages describe vendor claims, so test them on your own calls.
Read next
Go deeper in the ShoutEx guides, or check the sources behind this answer.
We'll help present pricing on your site and in proposals.
Book a call →Follow-up questions
Should we publish prices?
Ranges or "from" pricing helps qualify buyers.
How do we handle Microsoft licences?
Many MSPs bill them separately or as a pass-through.
What about break-fix clients?
Decide whether to keep them and at what rate.