Managed Security Services Cost Comparison for SMBs

Compare managed security service provider (MSSP) pricing and services for small businesses. 24/7 monitoring, threat hunting, and incident response costs.

What Are Managed Security Services?

Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) offer outsourced security monitoring and management, ideal for SMBs with limited IT resources.

MSSP Pricing Models

Service Level	Cost Range	Services Included
Basic Monitoring	$500-1,500/month	24/7 log monitoring, basic alerting
Standard	$1,500-3,500/month	Monitoring + threat hunting + monthly reports
Premium	$3,500-7,500/month	Full SOC, incident response, compliance support

When to Consider MSSP

Limited in-house security expertise
Need 24/7 monitoring but can't afford dedicated staff
Compliance requirements mandate continuous monitoring
Growing business needs scalable security

MSSP vs In-House Security

MSSP Pros: Lower cost, 24/7 coverage, access to experts, scalable

MSSP Cons: Less control, slower response for complex issues, dependency on provider

Alternative: Build Your Own Stack

For many SMBs, building a security stack with the right tools provides better value:

Antivirus + EDR: $8-15/user/month
Firewall: $200-500/year
SIEM: $50-150/GB/day
Total: $15-30/user/month vs $1,500-7,500/month for MSSP