Two acronyms show up constantly when businesses start looking for IT support: MSP and MSSP. They sound similar, and many providers blur the lines between them. But the distinction matters. Choosing the wrong model can leave you with either gaps in your security posture or unnecessary spending on capabilities you do not need.
This guide explains what each one does, how they differ, what they cost, and how to decide which is right for your organization.
What Is an MSP?
A Managed Service Provider (MSP) handles the day-to-day operations of your IT environment. Think of them as your outsourced IT department. Their responsibilities typically include:
- Helpdesk support: Answering employee IT questions and resolving issues
- Monitoring and alerting: Watching your systems for problems and responding proactively
- Patch management: Keeping operating systems and software up to date
- Backup and recovery: Ensuring your data is backed up and recoverable
- User management: Onboarding and offboarding employees, managing permissions
- Hardware and software procurement: Recommending and purchasing technology
- Network management: Maintaining routers, switches, firewalls, and Wi-Fi
- Vendor coordination: Managing relationships with your technology vendors
A good MSP keeps your technology running smoothly so your team can focus on their actual work. They provide a baseline level of security through patching, endpoint protection, and access controls, but security is not their primary focus.
What Is an MSSP?
A Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) specializes in cybersecurity. Their entire focus is protecting your organization from threats. Core MSSP services include:
- Security Operations Center (SOC): A team monitoring your environment 24/7 for threats
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): Collecting and analyzing security logs from across your infrastructure
- Threat detection and response: Identifying and responding to active attacks
- Vulnerability management: Regular scanning and remediation of security weaknesses
- Incident response: Structured processes for containing and recovering from breaches
- Compliance management: Helping you meet regulatory security requirements
- Penetration testing: Simulated attacks to test your defenses
- Security awareness training: Educating employees about phishing and social engineering
An MSSP does not manage your helpdesk or handle printer issues. They are laser-focused on keeping attackers out and responding when something gets through.
Key Differences Between MSPs and MSSPs
Here is a side-by-side comparison of the two models:
| Capability | MSP | MSSP |
|---|---|---|
| Helpdesk support | Yes | No |
| System monitoring | Infrastructure health | Security threats |
| Patch management | Yes | Sometimes (security patches) |
| Backup and recovery | Yes | No (but may integrate) |
| 24/7 SOC | Rarely | Yes |
| SIEM / log analysis | Basic | Advanced |
| Incident response | Basic escalation | Full IR capability |
| Vulnerability scanning | Basic or add-on | Core service |
| Penetration testing | No | Yes |
| Compliance expertise | General | Deep specialization |
| Endpoint protection | Standard antivirus | EDR/XDR platforms |
| Threat intelligence | No | Yes |
| Typical team expertise | IT generalists | Security specialists |
The simplest way to think about it: an MSP keeps your technology working. An MSSP keeps your technology secure.
What Does Each One Cost?
Pricing varies significantly based on company size, complexity, and service level, but here are typical ranges for the NYC metro area.
MSP Pricing
Most MSPs charge per user per month. Expect to pay $85 to $200 per user depending on the level of service. A 50-person company would typically pay $4,250 to $10,000 per month for comprehensive managed IT services.
MSSP Pricing
MSSPs tend to be more expensive because security specialists command higher salaries and the tooling is more sophisticated. Pricing models vary widely. Some charge per endpoint, others per user, and some offer flat monthly rates based on environment size.
For a company with 50 to 200 employees, expect MSSP services to cost $3,000 to $15,000 per month. A full SOC engagement with 24/7 monitoring and incident response will be at the higher end of that range.
Combined MSP + MSSP
If you engage separate providers for each, your combined monthly cost will obviously be higher. However, many MSPs now offer security add-ons, and some MSSPs have expanded into managed IT. The bundled approach can be more cost-effective than engaging two separate firms, though you should evaluate whether the combined provider truly excels at both or is just checking a box on the security side.
Decision Framework: Which Do You Need?
The right choice depends on your specific situation. Work through these questions:
You Probably Need an MSP If:
- You have fewer than 100 employees and no internal IT staff
- Your industry does not have strict compliance requirements
- Your primary concern is keeping systems running and employees productive
- You need someone to handle day-to-day IT operations like onboarding, troubleshooting, and vendor management
- Your cybersecurity needs are relatively standard (endpoint protection, email filtering, basic monitoring)
You Probably Need an MSSP If:
- You already have internal IT staff or an MSP handling operations
- You operate in a regulated industry (financial services, healthcare, government)
- You have experienced a security incident and need to improve your posture
- Your clients or partners require you to demonstrate specific security capabilities
- You handle sensitive data (PII, financial records, intellectual property)
- Cyber insurance requirements are driving the need for enhanced security
You Probably Need Both If:
- You are a midsize company (100+ employees) with both operational IT needs and meaningful security requirements
- You operate in a highly regulated industry where compliance demands dedicated security expertise
- You want your IT operations and security monitoring to be handled by specialists in each area
- Your risk profile justifies the investment in both operational efficiency and advanced threat protection
The Convergence Problem
The line between MSPs and MSSPs is blurring. Many MSPs now market themselves as providing “security-first” managed services. Some have even started calling themselves MSSPs without building the deep security expertise that the term implies.
Here is how to tell the difference between an MSP that does some security and a genuine MSSP:
Ask about their SOC. A real MSSP operates a dedicated Security Operations Center with trained security analysts monitoring threats in real time. If their “SOC” is the same helpdesk team watching a dashboard between support tickets, that is an MSP with a security tool, not an MSSP.
Ask about incident response. Can they walk you through their incident response process? Do they have a dedicated IR team? Have they handled real incidents? An MSP might escalate to a third party. An MSSP handles it in-house.
Ask about threat intelligence. Does the provider maintain threat intelligence feeds and actively research emerging threats relevant to your industry? This is a core MSSP capability that most MSPs do not have.
Ask about certifications. Look for security-specific certifications like SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, or team members with CISSP, GIAC, or OSCP credentials. General IT certifications like CompTIA A+ are fine for MSP staff but insufficient for security specialists.
Common Mistakes When Choosing
Mistake 1: Assuming Your MSP Handles Security
Many businesses assume their MSP is fully protecting them from cyber threats. In reality, most MSPs provide basic security measures like antivirus, firewalls, and patching. These are necessary but not sufficient against modern threats like ransomware, business email compromise, and supply chain attacks.
Mistake 2: Buying More Security Than You Need
Not every business needs a full MSSP engagement. A 20-person marketing agency with no regulatory requirements probably does not need 24/7 SOC monitoring. They would be better served by a solid MSP with strong security practices and perhaps an annual security assessment.
Mistake 3: Choosing Based on Price Alone
The cheapest option is rarely the best value in IT security. A low-cost provider that misses a ransomware attack will cost you far more than the monthly savings. Focus on capabilities, expertise, and fit for your specific risk profile.
Mistake 4: Not Defining Responsibilities
If you use both an MSP and an MSSP, you need crystal-clear responsibility boundaries. Who handles a phishing email that also causes a helpdesk ticket? Who manages firewall rules? Who owns incident response? Undefined boundaries lead to gaps where things fall through the cracks.
Mistake 5: Ignoring the Transition Period
Switching providers or adding a new one takes time. Plan for a 30 to 90-day transition period with potential service disruptions. A good provider will have a structured onboarding process and will not rush through documentation and discovery.
Making the Right Choice for Your Organization
The MSP vs MSSP decision is not permanent. Many businesses start with an MSP and add security services as they grow. Here is a practical approach:
- Assess your current state. What IT support do you have today? Where are the gaps?
- Identify your risk profile. What are you protecting? What are the consequences of a breach?
- Check compliance requirements. Does your industry or your clients require specific security controls?
- Evaluate your budget. What can you realistically spend on IT and security?
- Talk to both types of providers. Get proposals from MSPs and MSSPs to understand what each offers at your budget level.
- Get independent advice. A vendor-neutral IT consultant can help you evaluate your needs without the bias that comes from a provider trying to sell their own services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one provider be both an MSP and an MSSP?
Some providers offer both managed IT and managed security services. This can work well if the provider has genuinely invested in building separate operational and security teams with appropriate expertise. The risk is that a provider strong in one area bolts on the other as an afterthought. Ask to meet the security team separately from the IT operations team, and evaluate their credentials and experience independently.
How do I know if my current MSP is providing adequate security?
Ask your MSP for a detailed description of their security services, including tools, monitoring frequency, incident response procedures, and team certifications. Then compare that against a security framework like CIS Controls or NIST CSF. If there are significant gaps, particularly around threat detection, incident response, or vulnerability management, you likely need to supplement with additional security expertise.
What size company typically needs an MSSP?
There is no hard rule, but companies with 50 or more employees, those in regulated industries, or those handling sensitive data are the most common MSSP clients. That said, a 20-person financial services firm may have a greater need for an MSSP than a 200-person retail company. Risk profile matters more than headcount.
Is it better to use one provider for everything or separate providers for IT and security?
Both approaches have merit. A single provider simplifies vendor management and eliminates coordination gaps. Separate providers give you best-in-class expertise in each domain and avoid the conflict of interest where the same team is responsible for both building systems and securing them. For most midsize businesses, the right answer depends on whether you can find a single provider that genuinely excels at both.
How long does it take to onboard with a new MSP or MSSP?
A typical MSP onboarding takes 30 to 60 days and includes network documentation, tool deployment, user setup, and knowledge transfer. MSSP onboarding can take 60 to 90 days because it involves security baseline assessment, SIEM configuration, log source integration, and tuning to reduce false positives. Plan for some overlap with your existing provider during the transition.