There is a moment in the growth of any startup that changes everything: when headcount starts moving fast.
One month you bring in four people. The next, two resign and you hire six. The quarter closes with offboardings that no one anticipated and onboardings for yesterday. In that context, hardware management stops being a secondary task and becomes a variable that can eat up time, money, and focus without anyone seeing it coming.
The problem is not just operational. It is economic. Most hardware management platforms work with a per-seat subscription model: you pay for each device under management, every month, regardless of whether that collaborator is still with the company. For a stable team, that model is predictable. For a startup that grows non-linearly, it is a trap.
At First Plug we built a different model: no monthly cost per seat, with our own operations in LATAM and as an official Apple Reseller in Argentina. This article explains why those differences matter - especially if your team is growing in LATAM and headcount is not linear.
Remote hardware management: The set of processes covering the procurement, configuration, delivery, support, inventory, and retrieval of devices in distributed teams. In startups with variable headcount, the provider's pricing model has a direct impact on the actual cost month over month, regardless of how many devices are active. |
The problem that seat-based subscription models do not solve
Workwize is one of the best-known platforms on the market for managing remote hardware. It has a presence in more than 100 countries, integrations with HR tools, and a clean-looking platform. For companies with a stable headcount and teams primarily outside of LATAM, it can be a good option.
But its pricing model has a specific friction that becomes visible exactly when headcount is most volatile:
You offboarded five people in March. Those devices still count on the invoice until they are formally processed on the platform. The monthly cost does not go down immediately.
You hire ten people in April. The invoice goes up immediately. No lag, no amortization.
Your growth peaks and offboarding valleys generate costs that no one anticipated in the budget and that are difficult to justify internally.
In the real startup world, headcount is rarely stable. And a pricing model that assumes stability becomes a problem when the reality is different.
The question worth asking: Do you know exactly how much you are going to pay in a month where you offboarded ten people before their returns are completed? |
How First Plug works
First Plug is the hardware management platform for remote teams in LATAM. We manage the entire lifecycle of the device - procurement, configuration, delivery, support, inventory, and offboarding - for more than 100 companies in +170 countries.
Three concrete differences compared to standard market models:
1. No monthly cost per seat
First Plug does not charge a monthly fee per managed device. The model is oriented towards the actual operation: you pay for what is managed, not for keeping active seats on a platform.
For teams that grow irregularly, go through intense offboarding periods, or do not yet know how much the team will grow next quarter, this difference can be significant at the end of the month.
2. In-house operations in LATAM
"Operating in a country" can mean very different things: own infrastructure, local partners, outsourced logistics, or simply geographical availability on paper.
First Plug has its own operations in LATAM. We do not delegate to partners who subcontract. That means that when something goes wrong - a shipment stuck in customs, a delivery that doesn't arrive, equipment that needs to be urgently retrieved in Colombia or Peru - there is someone with real knowledge of the country resolving it.
This difference is not visible in the platform demo, but it is felt when the new employee in Bogotá does not receive their equipment on the day they start.
3. Official Apple Reseller in LATAM
First Plug is an official Apple Reseller in LATAM. This implies access to guaranteed stock, direct prices without intermediaries, and an official warranty on all Apple equipment.
For companies that equip with MacBooks - which is the majority in tech and startups - this detail translates into better pricing, better support, and no surprises with the warranty. In LATAM, where distribution channels can be less transparent, this backing is especially relevant.
Workwize vs. First Plug: Where the Real Differences Lie
Situation | Workwize | First Plug |
|---|---|---|
Variable headcount with frequent offboardings | Fixed cost even if you do not use the seats | ✓ No cost per inactive seat |
Team concentrated in LATAM | Coverage via local partners | ✓ In-house operations in the region |
Quick response without tickets | Structured support system | ✓ Response in hours, dedicated team |
No dedicated in-house IT team | Requires operation of the platform | ✓ Partner that manages it for you |
Stable and predictable headcount | ✓ Controllable cost per seat | ✓ Also applies |
Team outside of LATAM | ✓ Strong global coverage | ✓ +170 countries |
Neither model is better in the abstract. Workwize makes sense for companies with a stable headcount, teams outside of LATAM, and an IT department that can operate the platform. First Plug makes sense when the headcount fluctuates, when the focus is on LATAM, and when a partner who solves things is needed - not a platform that has to be managed.
What First Plug solves in practice
Beyond the pricing model, the situations where First Plug makes a difference are concrete:
Urgent onboarding in a country where you have never operated. First Plug manages delivery in +170 countries with real-time tracking, regardless of whether it is the first time you are hiring in that country.
Offboarding with no defined process. Coordinated equipment retrieval, secure wiping, and device registration - with its own operations in every LATAM country.
Configuration prior to day one. MDM, enrollment, apps, and policies configured before the equipment reaches the collaborator. Real zero-touch deployment, not on paper.
Fast quoting without tickets. Response in hours, not days. For startups that need a quote for yesterday, the difference between speaking with someone who knows your operation and opening a ticket is huge.
Inventory with real visibility. Knowing exactly what devices the company has, where they are, and when warranties expire - without relying on spreadsheets or manual processes.
When First Plug is the right choice
Your headcount fluctuates, you hire and offboard irregularly, and you don't want to pay for what you don't use
Your team is in LATAM - in whole or in part - and you need real operations in the region, not outsourced logistics
You are equipping collaborators with MacBooks and want an official warranty, Apple Reseller prices, and direct support
You need a fast response: quotation in 24 hours, delivery in 72, without going through a global platform's ticketing system
You don't have a dedicated internal IT team and want a partner to manage the process, not a platform you have to operate yourself
You want total visibility of your inventory - what devices the company has, where they are, and in what status - without manual processes
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does it cost to use First Plug?
A: First Plug does not have a fixed monthly fee per device under management. The cost is tied to the specific operation: acquisition, setup, and delivery. That means you don't pay for inactive seats, nor are you surprised with growing bills when you offboarded several collaborators in the same month.
Q: Does First Plug operate directly in LATAM or work with partners?
A: First Plug has its own operations in LATAM. We do not delegate to partners who subcontract. That means more predictable delivery times, better responsiveness to unforeseen events, and someone with real local knowledge when something goes wrong.
Q: Can I use First Plug if I already have Workwize or another HR platform?
A: Yes. First Plug does not require you to migrate any other system. It works independently from the rest of the stack. Many companies migrate hardware management to First Plug while keeping the rest of their HR or payroll tools unchanged.
Q: Does First Plug work for small companies or only for large enterprises?
A: First Plug works with companies from early stages. The relevant criterion is not size, but whether hardware management is already consuming your time or if you are anticipating growth that will make it more complex. Organizing the process before it scales is always easier than doing it afterward.
Q: How can First Plug help me manage my remote team's hardware in LATAM?
A: First Plug manages the entire hardware lifecycle: procurement with official Apple Reseller pricing, pre-configuration with MDM, delivery in over 170 countries with real-time tracking, centralized inventory, and coordinated offboarding with secure wiping. Quote in less than 24 hours.
Conclusion
Remote hardware management in LATAM has a specific problem: most providers in the market were not built for this context. Their pricing models assume stable headcount, their coverage in the region depends on intermediaries, and their support follows the timelines of a global platform, not those of a startup that needs to resolve something today.
First Plug was built to solve exactly that problem. Own operations in LATAM, a pricing model oriented toward real operations, and a team that knows its clients - not through a CRM, but because they work with them every day.
If your team is growing in LATAM, headcount is not linear, and you need a partner who delivers when something goes wrong, First Plug is the option designed for that.
“The problem is not just operational. It's that most of the market models were not thought out for how startups actually grow in LATAM.” - First Plug Team |
Workwize prices and features mentioned in this article correspond to public information available at the time of publication and may vary. Always verify directly with the provider before making a decision.
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