Tired of the endless per-user vs. per-device MSP pricing debate? A senior architect shares three battle-tested pricing models that actually work for new MSPs, moving beyond simple metrics to true value.

From the Trenches: My Take on the Per-User vs. Per-Device MSP Pricing Mess

I remember this one meeting like it was yesterday. We were helping a brand new MSP owner—super sharp kid, but green—prep a quote for his first big potential client: a small, three-partner law firm. He was sweating bullets. “Darian,” he said, “if I price this per device, the number looks insane. Each partner has a desktop, a laptop, a tablet, and a phone. That’s 12 devices for three people! They’ll laugh me out of the room. But if I price it per user, I feel like I’m getting fleeced on support.” He was stuck in the classic MSP pricing trap, and I could see the panic in his eyes. It’s a place we’ve all been.

Why This Is Even a Problem

Let’s be blunt: the ‘per-user vs. per-device’ debate is a symptom of an outdated mindset. This binary choice is a holdover from the days when every employee had exactly one beige tower PC on their desk. That world is long gone. Today, we live in a messy reality of:

• Device Sprawl: One user might have a workstation, a laptop, and a company phone.
• Shared Devices: Think of a warehouse with 20 barcode scanners shared by a 5-person shift, or a conference room PC used by everyone.
• BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Users accessing company data from personal phones and tablets.
• VDI & Cloud Workspaces: Where the “device” is just a thin client or an ephemeral virtual machine in Azure.

Trying to cram this complexity into a simple “per-thing” model inevitably leads to one of two outcomes: you either undercharge and work for free, or you overcharge and lose the deal. The root problem isn’t the metric; it’s that you’re trying to sell a commodity (monitoring a device) instead of an outcome (a productive, secure user).

Three Battle-Tested Pricing Models

Over the years, I’ve seen what works and what explodes in your face. Here are three models, from the simple starting point to the end-game strategy you should be aiming for.

Solution 1: The ‘Get-It-Done’ Starter Pack (Strictly Per-Device)

Look, when you’re just starting out, you need simplicity. You don’t have the time or the data to build a complex value-based model. The per-device model is the easiest to calculate, quote, and explain. You count the machines, multiply by your rate, and send the proposal.

How it works: You set a flat fee for every single endpoint you manage—desktops, laptops, servers, firewalls. A PC is $X/month, a server is $Y/month. Simple as that.

Why it’s a “Quick Fix”: It protects you from the scenario of one user with seven devices bogging down your helpdesk. It’s a tangible, easy-to-sell metric for clients who think in terms of physical assets. It gets you in the door.

Warning: This model has a very low ceiling. You will constantly be defending your price (“Why is my bill so high? We only have 10 employees!”) and it makes you look like a commodity provider. Use it to get your first few clients, but have a plan to evolve past it, fast.

Solution 2: The Scalable Standard (The User-Centric Hybrid)

This is where most successful, mature MSPs land. It acknowledges that the user is the real entity consuming your services—they are the ones opening tickets, clicking phishing links, and needing access to data. But it also accounts for device sprawl.

How it works: You create a primary “Per User” package. This is your core offering and includes support for that user and a standard set of their primary devices (e.g., one desktop/laptop and one mobile device). Then, you create smaller, less expensive add-on SKUs for additional or specialized devices.

This model aligns your pricing with where the work actually comes from (the user) while still capturing revenue from the extra hardware you have to manage.

Solution 3: The ‘Value’ Play (All-In-Seat-Price)

This is the endgame. This is where you stop talking about devices entirely. You are not an IT janitor who counts machines; you are a strategic partner who provides productivity and security for your client’s employees. You are selling an outcome, not a list of tasks.

How it works: You have one price. A “per seat” or “per employee” price. That’s it. This price includes everything needed to keep that employee working, secure, and productive, regardless of whether they use one device or five. It includes your full security stack, cloud services, support, consulting—everything.

Pro Tip: This is a high-level strategic sale. It only works when you have the confidence and the stack to back it up. The conversation changes from “How much per laptop?” to “What is the business cost of an unproductive or breached employee? Our solution prevents that for $X per person.” You’re no longer negotiating over line items; you’re selling business continuity.

This model is the hardest to sell initially but is by far the most profitable and sticky. It simplifies billing, makes your revenue incredibly predictable, and positions you as an essential part of your client’s business, not just a line-item expense.

So, for that new MSP owner I was mentoring? We went with the Hybrid model. It was the perfect balance, allowing him to quote competitively for the three lawyers while still capturing revenue for the extra iPads and laptops. He won the deal. The lesson is clear: don’t get stuck in the false dichotomy. Understand where you are in your business journey and choose the model that fits, with a clear path toward selling value, not just managing widgets.

Darian Vance

Lead Cloud Architect & DevOps Strategist

With over 12 years in system architecture and automation, Darian specializes in simplifying complex cloud infrastructures. An advocate for open-source solutions, he founded TechResolve to provide engineers with actionable, battle-tested troubleshooting guides and robust software alternatives.

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