Remote vs On-Site Support Cost Comparison Calculator
Compare the total annual cost of remote support versus on-site support, factoring in labor, travel, tools, and downtime costs.
Common Inputs
Remote Support Inputs
On-Site Support Inputs
Formulas Used
FCR-Adjusted Incidents:
Effective Incidents = Incidents ÷ (FCR Rate / 100)
Accounts for repeat contacts when first-contact resolution is less than 100%.
Remote Support Total Cost:
Labor = Effective Incidents × Avg Duration × Hourly Rate
Downtime = Incidents × Avg Duration × Downtime Cost/hr
Total Remote = Labor + Downtime + Tool Cost + Overhead
On-Site Support Total Cost:
Labor = Effective Incidents × (Avg Duration + Travel Time) × Hourly Rate
Travel = Effective Incidents × Travel Cost per Visit
Downtime = Incidents × (Avg Duration + Travel Time) × Downtime Cost/hr
Total On-Site = Labor + Travel + Downtime + Overhead
Annual Savings:
Savings = Total On-Site Cost − Total Remote Cost
Savings % = (Savings ÷ Higher Cost) × 100
Assumptions & References
- First-Contact Resolution (FCR) rate determines how many incidents require follow-up contacts; effective incidents = total incidents ÷ FCR rate.
- On-site downtime includes travel time because the business is non-operational while waiting for the technician to arrive.
- Remote support has no travel cost or travel time component.
- Overhead costs (tools, vehicle, training) are treated as fixed annual costs independent of incident volume.
- Industry average remote FCR rates range from 70–85%; on-site FCR rates typically range from 90–98% (HDI Support Center Practices & Salary Report).
- Average IT downtime cost is estimated at $300–$1,000/hr for SMBs (Gartner, 2023).
- Remote support tool costs typically range from $500–$5,000/year depending on platform and seat count.
- Travel costs include mileage, fuel, and time; IRS standard mileage rate (2024) is $0.67/mile.
- This calculator does not account for after-hours premiums, SLA penalties, or hardware replacement costs.