When your business runs on technology, as most today do, the real question isn’t whether you need IT support. It’s how to set it up. You can either build an internal team or hand things off to an outside provider.
Each has its upsides and tradeoffs, and the right move depends on your company’s size, budget, growth pace, and how tightly you want to hold the reins.
Let’s walk through both models, where they shine, and what to weigh up before you commit.
What In-House IT Support Looks Like
Going in-house means putting your own people in charge of all things tech. That includes setting up devices, managing networks, locking down security, running your SaaS tools—and, of course, tackling the daily “my Wi-Fi’s broken again” moments.
Small companies usually start with one IT generalist who does it all. Over time, that turns into a team: help desk pros, network gurus, sysadmins, and cybersecurity folks.
Pros of In-House IT:
- Control: You’re in the driver’s seat and always know what’s going on.
- Speed: When something breaks, help isn’t a support ticket; it’s a knock on the door.
- Cultural fit: Your team knows your people, your quirks, and how your business ticks.
- Customization: No rigid contracts; just solutions built the way you want.
Cons of In-House IT:
- Cost: Payroll, gear, training, it adds up fast.
- Hiring headaches: Good IT people are hard to find and harder to keep.
- Limited coverage: You probably don’t have cover over nights and weekends.
- Skill gaps: One small team can’t know everything, especially if things get technical.
What Outsourced IT Support Looks Like
When you outsource technical support, you put a third party, usually a managed service provider (MSP), in charge of your tech support. They might run your help desk, handle security, monitor systems, or manage cloud stuff.
Some businesses outsource it all. Others keep a lean in-house crew and call in MSPs for the rest, like after-hours coverage, special projects, or backup during busy stretches.
Pros of Outsourced IT
- Lower overhead: No salaries or benefits, just a monthly bill.
- Scalable: Need more support? Just dial it up.
- Broad expertise: MSPs usually have someone for everything.
- 24/7 support: You have cover in the early morning and late into the night
- Fast rollouts: MSPs know how to launch new tools without chaos because they’ve developed tried and tested processes. They’ve made mistakes and learned from them.
Cons of Outsourced IT
- Less control: You follow their playbook, not yours.
- Quality varies: Not all MSPs are created equal.
- Feels distant: Waiting in the ticket queue isn’t exactly personal.
- Security risks: There are risks to letting outsiders into your systems.
Key Factors to Consider
So, before you take that step, here’s what to think about.
Company Size and Growth Stage
If you’re a small team, hiring IT staff may not be realistic. Outsourcing keeps things simple, and cheaper. But if tech plays a big role in your operations, or you’re scaling fast, having your own team can give you more control and consistency.
Quick test: If you’ve got under 100 employees and a basic setup, outsourcing probably works. Once your tech environment becomes more complex, in-house may make more sense. This hybrid flexibility is particularly valuable in industries where tech services go beyond IT—such as those using a data annotation platform to support machine learning operations—where specialized expertise is often needed on demand.
Budget and Cost Structure
Hiring staff means committing to salaries, equipment, and everything that comes with them. Outsourcing turns those into flexible costs, which helps if your budget is tight or unpredictable.
That said, outsourced plans can be difficult to budget for, especially if you work on a ticket-based system. In such cases, overages can make things more expensive than expected, especially when there’s an unexpected uptick in queries.
Pro tip: Run a three-year cost comparison that includes staff, software, downtime, and growth. Don’t just look at the monthly invoice.
Complexity of Your Tech Stack
If you’re running standard tools, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, basic networking, MSPs can probably handle it with their eyes closed. But if you’ve got legacy systems, hybrid environments, or compliance headaches, having someone on the inside who knows the ropes might save you time and trouble.
24/7 Coverage
Need around-the-clock support? Outsourcing is often the simplest path. Most MSPs offer this as part of their base plan.
Some large companies might have several teams, based on the time zone they’re working in. In this example, each team operates during normal office hours in the country they’re based in. Each team hands off to the next when they go off duty. That’s usually only feasible for a large corporation though, not for a 50-person startup.
Security and Compliance
Handling sensitive data? Then security isn’t optional. Many MSPs offer cybersecurity, but not all are built for compliance-heavy industries.
Building an internal security team gives you more control, but it’s not cheap. If hiring an internal team is out of reach, you need to vet providers carefully. Ask how they handle audits, access, and breaches.
No matter who’s managing your systems, you need to zero in on the basics. Create clear security policy, implement strong access controls, and conduct regular checkups.
User Experience and Culture
There’s something to be said for the internal IT team that knows where everything is. They can walk over, fix things fast, and speak your company’s language. They know that Dave’s PC is temperamental on a Monday morning and know how to coax it back to life.
Outsourced teams often rely on tickets and scripts. That can feel impersonal, especially if you’re stuck explaining the same issue to three different agents. That said, some MSPs go above and beyond. With the right relationship, they can feel like part of the team.
In-House vs. Outsourced IT Support: A Quick Breakdown
| In-House IT Department | Outsourced IT Support | |
| Pros | Full control over systems and decisionsImmediate, on-site support for physical issuesdeep alignment with company, goals, and cultureTailored solutions for unique infrastructure needs | Lower fixed costs and predictable pricing24/7 availability, and remote monitoringaccess to a broad range of technical expertiseEasy to scale up or down as the business evolvesFaster roll out of common IT problems |
| Cons | High costs in terms of salaries, benefits, equipment, and trainingHard to recruit and retain top IT talent Limited coverage outside of business hoursMay lack deep expertise in all IT domainsSlower to scale or end up new knowledge without help | Less control over support processes and prioritiesPotential communication or service delaysSupport can feel impersonal or ticket-drivenSecurity concerns if provider access isn’t well managedQuality and responsiveness can vary significantly between providers |
A Hybrid Model Might Be Best
You don’t have to choose one path and stick to it forever. Lots of businesses go hybrid: a small in-house team for the day-to-day, with an MSP backing them up.
Your team can handle tasks like onboarding, dealing with devices, printers, local network issues, and vendor management. They can cope with walk-up support requests as well.
You can hand over your after-hours help desk, security monitoring, backups and updates, cloud infrastructure, and advanced troubleshooting.
This setup works especially well for mid-sized companies that have outgrown one-size-fits-all support but aren’t ready to build a full department.
When In-House IT Makes Sense
You’re safer sticking with your own team if you work in a highly-regulated industry or if your systems are custom or complex. You might also look at this option if you want to maintain full control or build with an eye on expanding later.
When Outsourcing Is the Smarter Move
Look into getting a partner on board when your needs are basic and predictable, you want 24/7 support, or need to access experts on demand. You should also do this if you’re scaling fast but can’t justify a full-time salary.
Questions to Ask Before You Choose
Still undecided? Ask yourself:
If you’re hiring in-house:
- What roles do I need now and what will I need soon?
- Can I attract and keep good talent?
- Who’s going to lead the team?
- How will I keep up with new tech?
If you’re outsourcing:
- What’s in the SLA and what happens if it’s missed?
- Are they proactive or just reactive?
- How’s their onboarding and offboarding process?
- Do they play well with our current tools?
- What do their clients say?
The Bottom Line
There are no easy answers here. The right setup depends on how your business works, what kind of control you want, and the kind of support your team needs.
If you’re building for the long haul and want everything tailored, go in-house. If you need speed, flexibility, and budget control, outsourcing could be your best bet.
For many, a hybrid model offers the best of both worlds.
Whatever you choose, don’t treat IT as just a break-fix function. It should be a force multiplier; keeping your systems secure, your team productive, and your business ready for what’s next.
