How this directory ranks managed IT providers

Where listings come from

Every listing starts as a public Google Maps business record in one of three categories: computer support and services, computer security service, and computer consultant. We kept a record if it had at least one review and had been updated in the last year. Where the same business appeared more than once, we merged the records. Ratings and review counts shown on each page are Google's.

What was removed and why

The three categories also catch businesses that do not sell IT services to businesses. We removed those that plainly are not IT providers for businesses: computer repair shops, recruiters, software firms and retail tech counters. At this build, 412 providers are listed, and 262 of them say on their own website that they sell managed IT services.

How the 13 questions are answered

For each provider we read its own website: the home page and up to three inner pages. From those pages we answered 13 buyer questions: managed IT services, 24/7 help desk, stated response time, on-site support, managed cybersecurity, compliance support, co-managed IT, backup and disaster recovery, Microsoft 365 and cloud, IT planning (vCIO), flat-rate pricing, no long-term contract, and named industries.

Each answer is yes, no, or not enough information. A yes requires the provider's own words. Not enough information means the pages we read did not say. It does not mean the provider lacks the service, and comparison tables show it as Not stated.

How the lists are ordered

Every list uses the same rule. Providers whose own website says they sell managed IT come first, then the rest. Within each group, providers are ordered by Google rating weighted by the number of reviews: the rating is multiplied by the logarithm of the review count, so a high rating from many reviews counts for more than the same rating from a few, and each extra review adds a little less than the one before. Where two providers tie, the one with more of the 13 questions answered yes comes first. The rule is printed on every city page under "How this list is ordered".

Featured positions and the publisher's client

This directory is published by FlywheelIQ, a marketing company. ThrottleNet, a managed IT provider with offices in St. Louis and Kansas City, is a FlywheelIQ client. ThrottleNet is listed and scored by the same rule as every other provider. On Kansas City area pages and on St. Louis suburb pages, it also appears in a position labelled Featured, above the ranked list. That position sits outside the ranking and does not change anyone's place in it. No provider pays for a place in the ranking, and there are no paid listings.

What the directory does not check

We do not verify licences, certifications, insurance, or any claim a provider makes about its services, response times or clients. The answers repeat what a provider's own website says. Listings are compiled from public sources and are not endorsements. Before you sign, ask for anything that matters to you in writing.

Updates and corrections

The directory is rebuilt when listings change, and each page prints the date it was last updated. If a listing is wrong, out of date, or should be removed, use the contact page. A person checks each request. Corrections, claims and removals are free.