There comes a moment in every company when IT stops being "that guy who fixes the computer" and becomes a strategic business asset. At that point, the question arises: hire an internal employee, use a freelancer or outsource to a specialized company? The answer depends on your stage, your size and what you really need.
The three options — what each one delivers
Option 1: Internal IT employee
Hiring an IT analyst or technician brings exclusive dedication and deep knowledge of the company's environment. It is the right choice when the company has enough workload to justify a full-time position and when IT is central to operations.
Real monthly cost (junior analyst in Curitiba, 2025):
- Gross salary: R$ 4,000 to R$ 6,000
- Employment charges (FGTS, social security, vacation, 13th salary, etc.): ~75% of salary = R$ 3,000 to R$ 4,500
- Transportation + meal allowance: ~R$ 800
- Equipment, licenses, training: ~R$ 300/month
- Total: R$ 8,100 to R$ 11,600/month
⚠️ One employee covers 1 discipline well. Networking, security, cloud, ERP, user support and infrastructure are 6 different specialties. One analyst rarely masters all of them.
Option 2: Freelancer
A freelancer is ideal for one-off projects: installing a server, configuring a firewall, migrating a system. Not suitable for ongoing management because they have no SLA commitment, may be unavailable and generally do not know your environment in depth.
- Charges hourly — when something breaks at 5:45pm on a Friday, costs skyrocket
- No environment documentation — when they disappear, you don't know what you have
- No insurance or formal liability
- One professional = one specialty = gaps covered by no one
Option 3: Outsourcing to a specialized company
IT outsourcing delivers access to a multidisciplinary team for a fixed monthly fee. It is the most cost-effective model when the company does not have volume for a full-time employee but needs consistent coverage.
- Multiple specialties: networking, security, cloud, ERP, support
- Contractual SLA with defined response and resolution times
- Complete environment documentation
- Proactive monitoring — we act before you notice the problem
- Predictable fixed cost, no surprises
- Continuity — if the technician goes on vacation, another takes over seamlessly
Direct comparison
Full-time employee: R$ 8,000 to R$ 20,000/month · 1 specialty · vacation and sick leave uncovered · no formal SLA
Freelancer: R$ 150 to R$ 300/hour · variable availability · no documentation · no continuous coverage
Outsourcing: R$ 2,000 to R$ 8,000/month · multiple specialties · guaranteed SLA · 24/7 monitoring
When outsourcing is NOT the right choice
- IT is core business: if your company develops software or technology products, internal IT makes more sense
- Very high volume: above 200 users in a single location, a dedicated internal analyst probably pays for itself
- Extreme security requirements: some regulated sectors require internal teams with specific clearance
How to evaluate an IT company before hiring
- What is the response SLA for critical incidents?
- Do you deliver complete environment documentation?
- How does monitoring work? What tools do you use?
- What happens if the responsible technician leaves the company?
- Can I speak with current clients as references?
- Does the contract have an exit clause without excessive penalties?
Infomek has served companies in Curitiba for over 30 years with IT outsourcing, proactive monitoring and specialized support. We provide a free diagnosis of your environment before any proposal — no obligation.
Need help applying this to your company?
Infomek has over 30 years of experience in infrastructure, security and corporate IT in Curitiba.