2018 Geek Squad Prices, Rates, Services & Alternatives

Geek Squad pricing ranges between $39.99 to $329.99 per individual service and $24.99 to $49.99 per user per month for a service plan. Each user can have multiple devices. If your small business doesn’t have IT support on staff, you can use Geek Squad (a service run by Best Buy) for help with software installation, computer setup and repair, and other tech support issues.

Do you just need remote support for a technical issue, and not a physical examination of your computer? We recommend starting your search with Fiverr. Techs will take a look at your computer for as low as $5.

Visit Fiverr

Geek Squad Price Chart: Per-Service

Geek Squad Pricing Chart: Monthly Plans

The main difference between the Standard Plan and Advanced Plan is that the latter includes on-site support. The Advanced on-site service is only offered if Geek Squad determines that a problem can’t be addressed remotely. Both plans include 24/7 phone support, 24/7 online support, adding network devices, firewall support, VPN support, setup of computers and servers, software or OS installation, computer tune-ups, diagnostics and repair, and data backups and transfer.

Getting a Geek Squad Agent to your office might take some time. The typical range for on-site service was 4 – 7 days. Unfortunately, there’s no priority scheduling, no emergency scheduling, and no option to pay more to get bumped to the front of the line.

Geek Squad Standard Plan First Year Cost for Office of 10 People

To get a sense of what the first year cost might be for the Geek Squad Standard Plan we calculated it assuming an office of 10 people with one device each and 10 hours of on-site service.

What Geek Squad is Good For

Geek Squad Office Support is intended as an ongoing service for small businesses that want the option of remote, in-store, and on-site support from a nationwide company.

What Geek Squad is Not Good For

If you only need infrequent, specific on-site help other service providers can be less expensive.

Geek Squad Hours

To find a location near you, get Geek Squad hours, or schedule an appointment click here.

Other Tech Support Services

Tech support pricing varies greatly from service to service based on either generally on an hourly rate basis or a monthly plan. Here’s what the most popular tech support options charge on a per-service basis:

What is the Difference in Cost for Monthly Plans in Year One

Given the variety of pricing schemes we attempted to create an apples-to-apples comparison by calculating what the first year cost would be for an office of 10 people for the 3 services that have monthly plans. We assume each person has one computer, share a printer, and the entire office will use 10 hours of on-site tech support in a year.

Per-Service vs. Plan Pricing – How to Choose

The key to deciding on a per-service approach versus signing up for a monthly or yearly plan is to figure out how many hours of on-site and remote help you’re going to need. A practical approach would be to start for a few months on a per-service basis. Tally up the number of monthly service calls and on-site support sessions that you request and compare what you paid with what you would have to pay under a subscription plan. When the plan pricing falls below your monthly average, it’s time to switch to a plan.

On-Site vs. Remote Support – How to Choose

You’ll be charged more for an IT professional coming to your place of work (on-site tech support) than an IT professional controlling your computer online or helping you over the phone (remote support). Many tech support issues can be resolved remotely as long as your device boots up and can connect to the internet. Example remote services include:

• Computer tune-ups
• Virus and spyware removal
• Diagnostic services
• Software installation & troubleshooting
• Password reset
• Internet security

Also, some places will be able to connect you with a technician much more quickly than others. Can you wait a few days to have a tech come to your office? Or do you need them there ASAP?

If you decide it would be just cheaper to replace your computer(s) instead of repairing them, check out our Chromebook buyer’s guide to see our favorite computers under $500.

HelloTech

HelloTech Pricing

HelloTech pricing ranges from $29 to $179 per service and $39 to $99 per month per user for support plans.

HelloTech Price Chart: Per-Service

HelloTech Pricing Chart: Monthly Plans

There are no setup fees with plans and additional devices $9 per month per device. All plans include 24/7 phone support, 24/7 online support, adding new devices to network, computer & server setup, software & OS installation, tune-ups, diagnostics, repairs, data backup & transfer. There is no firewall or VPN support.

On-site standby is a service where you pay to have a tech ready to respond to your needs within 30 minutes rather than when the next available tech can reach you (which is usually 24-48 hours). This is helpful if you have planned events/changes taking place where you may need tech support and wouldn’t want to wait. That said, you pay for their standby time and then, if they are needed, you pay for their regular on-site time.

Devices are not users or employees. A computer counts as a device. Phones, tablets, printers, and scanners would all count as additional devices.

Plan First Year Cost for Office of 10 People*

*Assumes 1 computer per user and 1 printer per office.

What Is HelloTech Good For

HelloTech is the least expensive of the three plans compared. So if you don’t have a lot of devices per person to support but still need a steady stream of tech support this might be your best option.

What HelloTech Is Not Good For

If you have a lot of devices per person-tablets, scanners, phones, printers, etc., or if you need services only infrequently, this might not be the best service to use.

Nerds On Call

Nerds On Call Pricing

Nerds On Call has remote service fee $149 per device setup fee and a $25 monthly fee for the first two devices with each additional device another $10 per month for each additional device. Nerds On Call on-site support costs $149 per hour.

Nerds On Call Price Chart: Per-Service

Nerds On Call Pricing Chart: Plans

Plan includes phone/online support, adding network devices, firewall support, VPN support, computer & server setup, software & OS installation, tune-ups, diagnostics, repairs, data backups, and transfers.

Plan First Year Cost for Office of 10 People

What Is Nerds On Call Good For

If you want to cap your on-site costs or need on-site services quickly or you use services covered by their definition of a Quick Fix then Nerds On Call might be best for you.

What Is Nerds On Not Good For

If you’re not on the West Coast and need on-site service then Nerds On Call is not for you.

Computer Assistant

Computer Assistant Pricing

Computer Assistant charges $49 per hour for remote help and $125 to $140 per hour for on-site help.

Computer Assistant Price Chart: Per-Service

Computer Assistant will typically assess your problem and give you an estimate of the time it will take to solve the problem before sending a technician. In this way, you can get an idea of what the visit might cost.

When you begin with Computer Assistant, you’ll be assigned a representative who will be your main point of contact. While their technicians are all contractors, they are reviewed by customers.

Computer Assistant hours of operation are 7 AM EST – 7 PM EST. If you’re in another timezone, their hours won’t impact scheduled on-site work. In most cases, they can also accommodate remote service after hours. However, you should be aware that submitting a help ticket late might mean waiting for a reply until the next day.

Once you submit a request for service, remote service will typically be available with 30-60 minutes. On-site service for mission-critical problems in or around major cities will be around 4 hours. For non-critical issues, like a printer that won’t print, you can expect someone in around 24 hours.

Other Options for Tech Support

There are two reasons the national tech support companies above might not be a great fit for your business’s needs:

• Cost
• Immediacy of need

Tech support can seem expensive, especially if you know your tech problem is easy but you’re just not tech savvy at all. Why pay for a full fledged IT professional when all you need is someone who knows a USB port isn’t going to be on a cruise ship’s itinerary.

Also, some problems just can’t wait. A tech support company may have all their technicians booked in advance and not have anyone available for a day or more. If your office is descending into chaos because your projector won’t connect with your laptop and you have a presentation in 5 hours, tech support may not be your best option.

For these reasons, you may want to consider tapping into the gig economy. These are marketplaces where local individuals can look for very short term jobs/tasks (gigs) that fit their skillset. Or these individuals advertise themselves as available for gigs that are in their wheelhouse. Three places to consider are TaskRabbit, Guru, and Craigslist.

Do you just need remote support for a technical issue, and not a physical examination of your computer? We recommend starting your search with Fiverr. Techs will take a look at your computer for as low as $5.

Visit Fiverr

TaskRabbit

Using TaskRabbit for computer repairs and service costs around $45 per hour for same day service and $20 to $35 per hour if you can wait a day or more. TaskRabbit connects you with people in your area who list their skills and experience, jobs they are open to, and get reviewed by the people that have hired them. By searching for “Computer Help” you’ll find a number of people will to help you with tech issues ranging from simple to complex. TaskRabbit tends to be better than the other hourly contractor sites if you needs someone to do an on-site visit.

Guru

Tech help on Guru can range from $8 to $100 per hour. Hourly rates vary so greatly because contractors are from all over the world ranging from Cosby, Tennessee to Indonesia. This site focuses on remote service. So if you need an on-site visit you should go with TaskRabbit or Craigslist.

Craigslist

Craigslist has a place for you to post “Gigs” with a section specifically for computers.

You’re left to screen potential help on your own, but if you have a relatively simple job, this can be a very affordable option. Many postings are listed for $15 – $20 per hour.

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See why in our complete VOIP buyer’s guide.

Cost to Bring IT/Tech Support In-House

Hiring a fulltime IT professional or tech support specialist (computer support specialist) costs on average $53,000 according to Indeed Salaries. Obviously there’s a wide range depending where in the country you’re hiring and the seniority of the the hire.

Hiring an employee for your tech support has some obvious benefits:

• You’re their only client
• They know your IT needs
• They are there when you need them, as soon as you need them
• They won’t try to upsell you

On the other hand, it also comes with hiring headaches, salaries and benefits, and more hardware.

Keep in mind that those figures to not include additional costs that are common with a full time employee, like life and health insurance, retirement plans, payroll taxes, paid time off, and other employee benefits. Additionally, all of these costs will vary depending on the labor market you’re in.

Bottom Line on Geek Squad Prices

Geek Squad might be the only nationally recognizable name in tech support, but they’re not the only option for small businesses.

If your small business has less than 10 employees with relatively simple tech support needs, you’re probably best off working with a per-service from a company like Computer Assistant or Geek Squad. Hiring a local tech savvy person looking for a gig on TaskRabbit or Guru is another good option.

If your small business has more than 10 employees or more consistent and higher level technology issues, you will likely do best paying for a subscription-based plan. HelloTech is the most affordable if you don’t imagine needing much on-site support while Geek Squad’s Advanced plan will be the best deal if you imagine needing larger amounts of on-site support.

Of course if what you really need is new computers to avoid those support issues, check out our guide to choosing the best computer for your small business.