TL;DR: Strategy Audit: $1,500. Simple automations: $2,000-$8,000. Mid-complexity: $8,000-$40,000. Full transformation: $40,000-$250,000+. Biggest waste: enterprise tools you don't need and over-engineering simple problems.
---
The AI consulting industry has a pricing transparency problem. Most firms hide costs behind sales calls. Here's what things actually cost.
## Cost by Project Type
### Strategy Audit: $1,500 - $4,500 Assesses current state, identifies opportunities, produces implementation plan. Workflow analysis, opportunity mapping, tool recommendations, prioritized roadmap, ROI projections. The cheapest insurance in AI — prevents $50K+ mistakes.
### Simple Automation: $2,000 - $8,000 Single-workflow: email responders, chatbots, data entry, lead scoring. One AI model, one or two systems.
### Mid-Complexity: $8,000 - $40,000 Multi-system integrations, workflow redesign, team training. CRM-connected follow-ups, invoicing pipelines, multi-channel support, knowledge bases.
### Full Transformation: $40,000 - $250,000+ Company-wide deployment. Custom agents, enterprise workflow redesign, extensive training, ongoing optimization. Months-long engagement.
## Where Money Gets Wasted
Enterprise software you don't need. 20-person company buys $50K/year platform. A $200/month stack would've worked. Unless you have 200+ employees and complex compliance, start with standard tools.
Custom development for solved problems. Building custom chatbots when excellent platforms exist. If a tool does 80% of what you need, use it.
Consultants who don't build. Strategy documents without implementation = paying twice. We do both.
## Ongoing Costs
- AI model APIs: $50-$500/month - Platform subscriptions: $50-$500/month - Maintenance: 10-15% of implementation cost annually - Training refreshers: quarterly
## Maximize Value
1. Strategy Audit first — $1,500 to ensure every dollar after is well-spent 2. Prioritize by ROI — highest-return opportunities first 3. Off-the-shelf before custom 4. Bundle strategy + implementation — one partner, no gaps 5. Measure everything — cut what can't prove value
## FAQ
Q: Minimum budget to start? A: $1,500 for audit. $3,500-$10,000 to implement a simple automation after.
Q: AI vs hiring? A: Almost always cheaper. Employee: $50-120K/year. AI automation replacing 20 hrs/week: fraction of that, runs 24/7.
Q: Hidden costs? A: Data cleanup ($2-10K if needed) and ongoing API costs.
Q: Small budget? A: Start with one high-impact automation. Prove ROI. Fund the next from savings.
Q: ROI timeline? A: 60-90 days typically. Simple automations often break even in 30 days.
Q: Monthly or project-based? A: Project-based for implementation. Monthly retainer for optimization. Avoid lock-in before results.
---
Want exact pricing? A Strategy Audit scopes the work, gives a fixed quote, and shows expected ROI before you spend on implementation. [Book your Strategy Audit →](/get-started)