How much does HaaS + managed IT cost?

The #1 Secret to a Great HaaS Experience

George Anderson
January 2, 2025
Hardware as a Service, IT Outsourcing, Managed Network Security, Unmetered Technology Services

As modern technology environments get more and more complex, it gets more challenging to maintain essential hardware. Server patches, workstation updates, wireless security—it’s a lot for overworked IT teams. It’s even more overwhelming if you don’t have IT staff.

For many companies, the answer is hardware as a service (HaaS). This arrangement allows you to outsource your hardware needs to a trusted partner—so you can refocus on your core responsibilities.

But not all HaaS providers offer the same value.

In fact, there’s one secret to a great HaaS experience—but we’ll get to that in a moment.

Key points:

1. What is hardware as a service (HaaS)?

Hardware as a service (HaaS) is a procurement model in which a customer rents or leases equipment like computers, servers, and network hardware rather than buying the devices. In terms of the rent vs. buy dilemma, it’s the rental version of hardware procurement.

Of course, not all HaaS providers take the same approach. Some offer bare-bones agreements, while others offer comprehensive hardware support services. More on that below!

HaaS vs. DaaS (device as a service)

You may encounter the term device as a service (DaaS) rather than HaaS. These phrases are largely interchangeable, though different providers may offer different terms (such as leasing to own) or equipment (such as offering laptops and computers exclusively).

Since HaaS is the more common term, we’ll use that here.

What’s included in hardware as a service?

A HaaS service agreement should cover all maintenance, upgrades, and services that are required to keep things running smoothly. It should also cover device replacement if older equipment is lost, stolen, or becomes obsolete.

However, not all HaaS contracts are created equal. Many HaaS providers simply lease equipment and offer minimal maintenance rather than providing comprehensive managed services. This means many support scenarios will be “out of scope” according to the fine print in the contract. That can lead to surprising bills (see Pricing below).

It’s better to find a HaaS provider who offers far more than just equipment leases, basic maintenance, and device replacement.

Here’s what we cover here at Corsica Technologies.

Flexible packages

No need to rip out your existing hardware before it’s obsolete

Equipment as a service

Laptops and desktop computers
Tablets and mobile devices
Servers
Firewalls, routers, and network switches
Wireless access points

Managed services

Strategic consulting

vCIO (virtual CIO) services
vCISO (virtual CISO) services
Three-year technology roadmap

As you can see, a good HaaS agreement goes far beyond hardware leasing. In fact, HaaS offers numerous benefits—as long as your provider offers comprehensive managed services alongside your hardware.

Let’s explore those benefits.

2. The secret to a great HaaS experience

Hardware as a service is a great fit for organizations that don’t want the burden of device maintenance and upgrades. This is especially true for companies that prefer opex (operating expenses) to capex (capital expenses). The HaaS model requires very little upfront investment—or perhaps none at all, depending on the provider’s terms—while offering a consistent monthly operating cost that’s easy to work into the budget.

But not all HaaS providers offer the same benefits. Most don’t offer comprehensive managed services.

In fact, it’s common practice for HaaS providers to offer hardware leasing alone—without the managed services that are required to integrate that hardware into your environment and your operations.

The best providers go beyond this. They offer comprehensive managed services that proactively support your devices and your environment as a whole. This is how they maintain IT harmony.

Of course, comprehensive services aren’t the only benefit of HaaS—and many providers don’t actually offer comprehensive services. Here are all the benefits of HaaS as opposed to traditional hardware purchasing.

No budgeting surprises.
Expert managed services included (if you pick the right provider).
No more struggling to get capital expenditures approved.
Stable monthly costs fit your opex model.
No responsibility for upgrades, maintenance, incident remediation, or replacement.

Of course, hardware as a service isn’t right for every company. It all depends on several factors:

How much bandwidth your IT staff has to maintain devices proactively.
How well you can handle unexpected replacement costs when devices reach end-of-life.

If you have limited staff availability to maintain devices, and if you have a limited appetite for unexpected capital expenditures, then HaaS is a great way to supply your organization with computers, servers, and network hardware.

But how much does HaaS typically cost? How is it priced, and how do you find the best price for your organization?

Let’s dive into that.

3. Hardware as a service pricing

How much does hardware as a service typically cost?

The answer depends on several factors.

The number and type of devices that you need
How comprehensive the services are (if the provider offers services)
The provider’s pricing model

Believe it or not, the provider’s pricing model actually has the largest impact on your quoted price—and on your total cost to use the hardware. Providers may promise maintenance, upgrades, and replacement services, but when you read the fine print, many common scenarios will actually be out of scope. That means you’ll end up paying more than your quoted monthly price—and those bills can be quite surprising.

The alternative is to find a HaaS provider with simple pricing model.

Here at Corsica Technologies, HaaS is available as part of our Corsica Complete package. Use our FREE pricing calculator to see what your package could look like—including HaaS, IT services, cybersecurity, digital transformation as a service, and more.

4. Hardware as a service examples

What does HaaS look like in real life?

Here are a few example problems—and how HaaS solves them.

1. Your organization can’t (or won’t) buy hardware

Not every organization has the cash reserves to handle their ongoing hardware needs. Yet many organizations do have stable cashflow and room in the budget for another predictable cost.

Hardware as a service is the perfect fit here. This approach allows you to hand off your hardware needs to a trusted partner, adding one predictable line item to your budget. It’s an especially good model for nonprofits and other organizations that have stable income but limited cash reserves.

2. 25% of your computers can’t upgrade to a secure OS

Once an older OS is no longer supported, every machine still running it becomes a security risk. You can’t have those computers connected to the internet without a plan to replace them soon.

If you have 100 users in your company, it’s big investment to replace 25 machines all at once. Of course, OS obsolescence comes with plenty of warning, but it’s challenging to stay on top of these things if your internal IT team already has their hands full. (It’s even harder if you don’t have IT staff!)

Hardware as a service can get you out of this bind—while also preventing it in the future. With a trusted partner maintaining your devices and planning for necessary replacement, you won’t end up in a tough spot. You also won’t have to get a massive capital expenditure approved just to keep your operations running.

3. You’re opening a new location, but you don’t want to invest in computers and network gear

Workstations and network equipment add up fast. If you need to open a new location while minimizing your cash outlay, HaaS can help you get the equipment you need without making a significant investment. The key, of course, is to work with a HaaS provider who offers network and wireless hardware in addition to workstations.

4. Your 20-year-old server died (and you don’t have a backup)

No one should be running a crucial server without backup and recovery services—but it happens more often than anyone would like to admit. While hardware as a service won’t help you recover lost data in this scenario, the arrangement can save you many of the headaches.

Rather than having to purchase, install, and configure the new server yourself, your HaaS provider will do so. Couple this value with backup and recovery services, and the death of a server doesn’t have to disrupt your business.

This is one more reason we recommend a full managed IT services agreement with HaaS as one component. See Corsica Complete for more information.

5. Your wireless network can’t keep up with your growth

Yesterday’s wireless network may have served your business well. But as bandwidth needs increase and you add more users and cloud systems, that network may start to show its age.

Hardware as a service is a huge help in this situation. Your HaaS provider can change out your wireless access points and other network equipment as part of an end-to-end wireless refresh—as long as your provider includes digital transformation as a service in their HaaS offering.

Hint: That’s why Corsica Complete includes not only hardware, but the transformation projects you need as well—all for one monthly price.

5. Hardware as a service companies

Many IT providers offer hardware as a service. But not all HaaS companies are created equal. Some only offer financial leases for hardware, with minimal support services—or none at all.

Others offer managed services alongside hardware, creating a more complete offering.

So what’s right for you?

If you have plenty of internal IT resources to maintain your hardware proactively, you may not need comprehensive services. For the rest of us, a comprehensive HaaS company is a huge benefit over providers who only offer hardware leasing.

What should you look for if you need a comprehensive approach?

Here’s everything you need—all of which we offer in Corsica Complete.

Hardware types

Desktop computers. Give your employees the right desktop computers with a proactive maintenance and replacement schedule. No more falling behind on OS patches or worrying about compatibility and security issues.
Laptop computers. Your team’s laptop needs may fluctuate with new team members, changing roles, and changing market demands. Stay ahead of the curve with laptops that are proactively maintained and replaced.
Corporate mobile devices. Few devices become obsolete faster than smartphones. If your team needs corporate devices, HaaS is a great way to meet your needs without taking on the burden of endless phone upgrades.
Firewalls. An outdated firewall is a liability to your network—and your business. Stay on top of your network security with a HaaS company who never lets your firewalls become obsolete.
Network switches. When a switch goes bad, every user connected to it loses internet access. Working with a hardware as a service company, you stay ahead of maintenance and upgrades for your network equipment, ensuring reliable connectivity for your team.
Wireless access points. WAPs are the lifeblood of your wi-fi network. If you don’t have the bandwidth to update firmware proactively, a HaaS provider can make life easier by taking on this responsibility. It’s one more way to ensure great connectivity for your employees.
Servers. Keeping up with server patches is essential—and challenging, especially if you already have your hands full with other responsibilities. A HaaS company provides the continuity, dependability, and backup and recovery services you need to make sure you never lose essential data.

HaaS support services

Proactive device management services. HaaS is far more than just leasing equipment. The best hardware as a service companies proactively manage every device in their care, ensuring that you never miss a patch.
Effortless device replacement processes. When a device reaches the end of its usable life, it needs to be replaced in a timely fashion. If you don’t replace it, you may expose your organization to security risks. The best HaaS companies offer seamless device replacement processes, so your team never misses a beat—even as your HaaS provider replaces your old devices.
Server upgrades. Replacing a server is a big deal if you’re relying on internal resources. Data backup, data transfer, and server downtime all require careful planning and after-hours work. A good HaaS company takes care of these headaches for you, ensuring that your team never even realizes an essential server was replaced.
Wireless network upgrades. Only the best hardware as a service companies include wi-fi upgrades as part of your monthly fee. Most providers will treat this as a separate project that requires its own quote and one-time fee. If you struggle to get large projects approved, look for a HaaS provider who includes wi-fi upgrades and similar projects in your monthly fee.

HaaS customer experience

One simple monthly price that you can depend on, even as your needs fluctuate. This is critically important for companies that need to maintain their budget, yet not all HaaS companies can provide this kind of consistency. Hint: This is one of the biggest benefits of our all-inclusive approach here at Corsica Technologies.
Flexibility to maintain current devices until they become end-of-life. A good HaaS provider won’t rip and replace perfectly good hardware just to pad their pockets. Rather, they’ll put your needs first, supporting existing hardware as required while crafting a smart plan to replace it when it’s obsolete.
Strategic consulting to determine which devices are right for you, how to balance performance vs. cost, and where you need to go in terms of devices to support your organization’s strategic goals.

6. The takeaway:

Expect more from hardware as a service

If you have lots of staff resources to maintain your hardware, a simple leasing arrangement should work fine. For the rest of us, limited IT resources can cause significant issues with hardware patching, vulnerability, connectivity, and operational continuity. To set yourself up for success, consider looking for more than simple hardware leasing.

Here at Corsica Technologies, we offer comprehensive managed services in addition to financial leases on devices. Our Corsica Complete package includes not only hardware leasing, but managed services to support those devices—plus managed services for IT, cybersecurity, EDI, data integration, and digital transformation projects—all for one stable monthly price.

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In this article:

How much does HaaS + managed IT cost?

The #1 Secret to a Great HaaS Experience

Key points:

1. What is hardware as a service (HaaS)?

HaaS vs. DaaS (device as a service)

What’s included in hardware as a service?

Flexible packages

Equipment as a service

Managed services

Strategic consulting

2. The secret to a great HaaS experience

3. Hardware as a service pricing

4. Hardware as a service examples

1. Your organization can’t (or won’t) buy hardware

2. 25% of your computers can’t upgrade to a secure OS

3. You’re opening a new location, but you don’t want to invest in computers and network gear

4. Your 20-year-old server died (and you don’t have a backup)

5. Your wireless network can’t keep up with your growth

5. Hardware as a service companies

Hardware types

HaaS support services

HaaS customer experience

6. The takeaway:

Expect more from hardware as a service

Ready to take the next step with HaaS?

In this article:

How much does HaaS + managed IT cost?

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