Per-user vs. per-admin pricing: the math for MSPs
In the example portfolios below, per-admin-login pricing costs less than per-user pricing: monitored employees outnumber admin logins by roughly 68 to 1 up to 135 to 1. Per-user pricing only wins when that ratio is much closer, such as a large in-house management team.
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The ratio is the whole argument
The ratio between monitored employees and admin logins decides which pricing model costs less. Three portfolios, at 45 employees per client, show the pattern:
| Portfolio | Monitored employees | Dashboard logins | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 clients | 135 | 2 | 68 : 1 |
| 6 clients | 270 | 3 | 90 : 1 |
| 12 clients | 540 | 4 | 135 : 1 |
Monitored employees quadruple. Dashboard logins double.
What's easy to miss in this comparison?
The math isn't a one-time snapshot: it moves as your client base grows. Per-user billing rises with every hire and eats into margin; per-login billing holds steady. See our guide to employee monitoring for MSPs.
What actually counts as billable?
Only enabled Admin or Manager logins are billable, counted on your billing date. Monitored employees, devices, and clients are included at no extra cost. Deactivating a login drops it from the next invoice.
When is per-user pricing genuinely cheaper?
Per-user pricing wins when monitored employees and admin users are close in number. A business with 25 employees and eight managers will likely pay less under per-user pricing: the ratio is close to 3 : 1, not 90 : 1.
What are the limits of comparing price alone?
Price isn't the whole story. Cost doesn't help if the tool can't produce the report your client expects, deploy through your RMM, or scope a manager to one client.
Run the numbers against your own portfolio
$100 per enabled Admin or Manager login each month. Monitored employees, devices, and clients included.