Comparison
In-house IT vs IT outsourcing
Which pays off better
?
For a company of up to 60–70 workstations, outsourcing is almost always 2–4× cheaper and safer — it removes absence risk and skills gaps.
Last updated: June 2026
Cost
2–4×
how much more an in-house IT hire costs than a decent outsourcing plan
Availability
8 h a day
is the most one employee can give — holidays and sick leave fall entirely on the company
Skills
1 specialist
versus a team that covers networks, cloud, security and servers at the same time
Comparison table
| Criterion | In-house IT specialist (employed) | IT outsourcing (monthly plan) |
|---|---|---|
| Total monthly cost | PLN 11,000–16,000 total employer cost (salary + social contributions + equipment) |
several times less a fixed, predictable amount |
| Availability | Mon–Fri, 8–16 holiday means no support |
help desk 8:00–18:00 on site the same day |
| Breadth of skills | one specialist a limited knowledge profile |
a whole team help desk, networks, cloud, security, VoIP |
| Absence risk | high sick leave or holiday means the company has no IT |
removed a team of more than a dozen behind you |
| Scalability | needs another hire several months of recruitment |
change the plan effective from the following month |
| Proactive monitoring | depends on the person often no time left for prevention |
included in the plan alerts before the failure reaches users |
| Continuity of infrastructure knowledge | high risk the employee leaves and the knowledge goes with them |
documentation stays with you the IT inventory is always on your side |
| Training and keeping skills current | your cost PLN 2,000–6,000 a year |
built into the business model the provider invests in skills itself |
What does an in-house IT specialist really cost?
The obvious costs
- → Gross salary: PLN 7,000–10,000
- → Employer social contributions (~20%): PLN 1,400–2,000
- → Work equipment: ~PLN 400 a month (depreciation)
- → Licences and tools: PLN 200–500 a month
The hidden costs, usually left out
- → 26 days of holiday: you pay for time not worked
- → Sick leave: the state covers it only from day 34
- → Training and certification: PLN 3,000–6,000 a year
- → Recruitment when they leave: 3–6 months of gross salary
- → Gaps in support while you replace them
The real total cost of an in-house IT specialist rarely falls below PLN 11,000–13,000 a month, at average Lower Silesian market rates in 2025.
When does an in-house hire make sense?
There are situations where employing IT staff genuinely pays. Above all when:
- ✓ You have more than 80–100 workstations and a steady, very high volume of help desk tickets.
- ✓ Your industry requires a permanent physical presence of an IT team, in manufacturing with industrial automation for instance.
- ✓ You process data covered by specific regulations that require an in-house security function.
Outside those exceptions — for companies from 5 up to 60–70 workstations — IT outsourcing is almost always cheaper and safer.
When does IT outsourcing win?
The company grows faster than you can recruit
A new branch, new workstations, a new office — IT outsourcing scales with you, with no months of recruiting and onboarding.
You have one "IT person for everything" and it makes you uneasy
One person cannot know everything. With outsourcing you reach specialists in networks, servers, cloud and security at the same time, without hiring four people.
Your IT person has left, or is leaving
Replacing an IT employee takes 2–4 months: recruiting, onboarding, handing over knowledge. Through all of it the company runs without working support. Outsourcing removes the problem structurally.
You want predictable IT costs in the budget
A plan is a fixed amount. No surprises in the shape of a "PLN 15,000" outage, unplanned training or kitting out a new hire.
The hybrid model works too
Some companies choose this arrangement: an employed IT coordinator (someone who understands the business needs) plus outsourced technical delivery (help desk, servicing, security). It works well at 40–80 workstations, where you need someone "on the company side" without hiring a full IT team.
Find out which is cheaper for your company
Tell us how many workstations you have and we will show you the numbers for your case. No obligation.
