Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) is a modern approach to providing hardware like smartphones, laptops, or tablets: offered as a subscription instead of a purchase, including services such as deployment, management, returns, and support.
But is this only relevant for large corporations?
Or can smaller and mid-sized businesses benefit as well?
In this article, we take a closer look at when Device-as-a-Service becomes economically and operationally beneficial – and why that threshold is often lower than expected.
Financial benefits of DaaS: When do economies of scale kick in?
DaaS delivers the greatest impact with larger device volumes – not just because of the quantity, but due to the complexity of processes involved. From around 250 employees, companies usually start to see real economies of scale:
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Centralized procurement saves time and effort
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Automated return and replacement processes reduce workload for IT and HR
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Predictable monthly payments simplify budgeting
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More negotiation leverage with OEMs and vendors
At this scale, manual processes become disproportionately expensive: every manually tracked serial number, every delayed return, every device swap handled ad hoc consumes valuable resources. DaaS helps standardize and automate these tasks.
Organizational benefits: Less complexity for IT and HR
It’s not just about cost – DaaS also brings operational benefits that are noticeable even with fewer than 250 employees:
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Device provisioning becomes a standardized process
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Onboarding can be automated (even without an email address)
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Returns during offboarding are compliant and streamlined
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Device management becomes centralized and transparent
This is especially valuable for companies with hybrid teams, multiple office locations, or high employee turnover, such as in project-based work or seasonal staffing – regardless of the exact company size.
Break-even point: Around 250 employees
Based on our experience, companies benefit the most from DaaS when they:
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Equip more than 250 employees with company devices
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Employ more than two people in device-related operations
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Regularly onboard and offboard employees
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Operate across multiple locations
In this range, DaaS is not only more convenient – it becomes financially superior due to lower total cost of ownership (TCO), predictable pricing, and reduced internal workload.
What about smaller companies?
Yes – there are also scenarios where DaaS makes sense below 250 employees. For example:
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Startups with fast growth and limited IT capacity
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Distributed or remote-first teams
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Companies with strict compliance requirements or high security standards
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Small teams using high-end devices where downtime is costly
Everphone offers tailored DaaS solutions for these scenarios, where peace of mind and time savings outweigh scale.
SMBs with up to 250 employees are best served by our dedicated SMB shop.
Conclusion: Economical from 250 employees – but useful much earlier
DaaS really pays off from around 250 employees – both financially and operationally. But even smaller organizations benefit from simplified processes, reduced admin workload, and smarter device handling.
If you’re ready to stop managing devices manually and start scaling your IT operations, DaaS offers a future-ready model that adapts to your growth.