For Managed Service Providers (MSPs) whose growth is fueled by serving Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs), the security landscape is a minefield of complexity and escalating costs. Your clients demand enterprise-grade protection, but the traditional security model—bolting a separate, expensive Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) solution onto a remote access platform—is often unsustainable for the SMB budget. This forces you, the MSP, into a difficult position, leading to “subscription fatigue” for your clients and a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) that can cause lost opportunities or shrinking margins.
What if you could deliver robust, compliant, and user-friendly MFA without forcing your SMB clients to pay for a standalone Identity Provider (IdP)?
This is the paradigm shift offered by integrated security platforms. This guide breaks down how MSPs can leverage an all-in-one solution like Thinfinity Workspace, with its powerful native MFA capabilities, to drastically reduce costs, simplify management, and deliver a superior, more profitable security service to the SMB market.
The High Cost of “Separate” Security: Why the Traditional Model Fails for the SMB Niche
The conventional method for implementing MFA is effective, but expensive. It involves a costly and complex stack:
- A Remote Access Solution (for VDI, VPN, etc.)
- A Third-Party Identity Provider (like Okta, Duo, or Azure AD P1/P2)
While this model can be a good fit for large enterprises with dedicated budgets, it creates significant financial and operational burdens for MSPs serving SMBs:
- Punishing Licensing Fees: Most IdPs charge a recurring per-user, per-month fee, often ranging from $3 to $6 per user. For an SMB with 100 employees, that’s an extra $3,600 to $7,200 a year—a cost that can make your proposal uncompetitive.
- Margin Compression & Lost Deals: As an MSP, you either have to absorb these third-party costs, which erodes your margins, or pass them on, risking the loss of the deal to a less secure but cheaper alternative.
- Vendor and Complexity Overload: Managing multiple vendors, support contracts, and admin consoles for each client creates inefficiency and makes it harder for your team to scale services profitably.
For many SMBs, these costs put enterprise-grade MFA out of reach. For their MSPs, it’s a constant barrier to growth.
Thinfinity’s Game-Changing Approach: Powerful Native MFA is Built-In
Thinfinity Workspace disrupts the old model by integrating a powerful MFA engine directly into the platform. This isn’t a stripped-down add-on; it’s a comprehensive, standards-based solution that eliminates the need for an external IdP, making it an ideal fit for the cost-conscious SMB market.
At its core is a native HOTP/TOTP server. This allows you to enforce strong MFA using free, widely available authenticator apps that your clients already know and trust, including:
- Google Authenticator
- Microsoft Authenticator
- Duo Mobile
- Okta Verify
The user experience is seamless. On first login, the user scans a simple QR code to enroll their device. For subsequent logins, they just enter the code from their app. There are no extra subscriptions to buy and no proprietary hardware to manage.
Beyond Native: Full Flexibility for Every Client, Large or Small
While the native MFA is a perfect cost-effective solution for the SMB niche, Thinfinity is built to scale. For clients who have already invested in an external IdP (common in larger companies), Thinfinity offers deep integration capabilities. This flexibility is key for MSPs managing a diverse portfolio. Thinfinity seamlessly integrates with:
- Duo Security: For push notifications, phone calls, and SMS passcodes.
- SAML 2.0 Providers: Compatible with IdPs like WatchGuard’s AuthPoint, Azure AD, and Okta for single sign-on (SSO) workflows.
- Biometric Providers: Integrates with platforms like BIO-key and Trust Stamp for advanced, privacy-preserving authentication using fingerprints, facial scans, and more.
This hybrid approach gives MSPs the best of both worlds: a cost-free, high-margin native option for their SMB clients, and enterprise-grade integration for larger customers, ensuring you never have to turn away an opportunity.
The MSP Advantage: A New, High-Margin Security Service
For an MSP focused on the SMB market, Thinfinity’s all-in-one platform is a business model accelerator.
- Massively Reduced TCO for Clients: You can now offer a secure remote access solution with MFA for a single, predictable price. This is a powerful selling point against competitors who are forced to pass on separate IdP licensing costs.
- Simplified Deployment and Management: With a single console for remote access and MFA policies, you reduce administrative overhead and slash the time it takes to onboard a new client.
- A High-Margin, Scalable Offering: Package and sell “Enterprise-Grade Security for SMBs” without the enterprise-level cost structure. Because the MFA is built-in, your margins are protected, allowing you to build a profitable and scalable managed security service.
Why SMBs Choose an All-in-One Solution
For a small or medium business, the value proposition is crystal clear:
- Stop Paying the “MFA Tax”: Eliminate the recurring per-user fees from external IdPs and reallocate that budget to core business activities.
- Get Enterprise Security on an SMB Budget: Access advanced features like granular policy controls, conditional access, and even biometrics without the prohibitive cost.
- Compliance Without Complexity: Easily enforce the strong authentication required by regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI-DSS, reducing the risk of costly fines.
- Future-Proof Your Security: Operate securely in any environment, including air-gapped networks where cloud-based IdPs are not an option.
Integrated MFA Benefits for MSPs and SMBs
| Benefit | Impact for MSPs & SMBs |
|---|---|
| Security | Strong protection against breaches and credential theft |
| Compliance | Easier regulatory alignment and documentation |
| Centralized Management | Efficient, unified control over multiple clients and users |
| Cost Savings | Lower breach risk, predictable pricing, minimal hardware investment |
| Scalability | Easy to grow with client needs; supports remote/cloud work |
| User Experience | SSO, self-service, and reduced password fatigue |
| Customer Trust | Demonstrates commitment to security, enhancing reputation |
| IT Burden Reduction | Frees internal teams, offers 24/7 support and monitoring |
Cost-Saving Benefits of Thinfinity’s Native MFA
| Cost Area | How Thinfinity Native MFA Saves Money |
|---|---|
| Licensing | No need for external MFA/IdP subscriptions |
| Deployment | Free authenticator apps; no hardware tokens required |
| IT Management | Single platform reduces complexity and support needs |
| Infrastructure | No extra servers or cloud services for authentication |
| Scalability | Predictable costs as business grows |
| Compliance | Built-in features support regulatory requirements |
Cost Comparison
| Cost Category | All-in-One MFA Solution | Third-Party Integration |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing/Subscription | Included in platform fee | $3–$6/user/month, often tiered |
| Infrastructure/Hardware | Uses existing, free apps | May require servers/tokens/devices |
| Integration | Pre-integrated, minimal setup | Custom engineering, ongoing effort |
| Maintenance/Support | Centralized, fewer tickets | Multi-vendor, higher support load |
| User Experience | Unified, less training needed | Fragmented, more user confusion |
| Hidden Costs | Predictable, flat-rate | Add-ons, advanced features extra |
| Compliance/Audit | Built-in tools | May require extra software |
Conclusion: The Future of Security for SMB is Integrated
The era of fragmented, expensive security stacks is over, especially for the SMB market. For both MSPs and the clients they protect, the path to stronger security and higher margins lies with integrated platforms.
Thinfinity Workspace provides a complete, cost-effective MFA solution that removes the financial and technical barriers to enterprise-grade security. By offering a robust native MFA engine alongside flexible integration options, it empowers MSPs to profitably secure their SMB clients while still having the power to serve larger enterprises.
