Free tool
AI agency pricing calculator
Turn a client's numbers into a setup fee, a monthly retainer and three tiers you can put in a proposal. It starts with a dental clinic that recovers 15 no-shows a month, so swap in your client's numbers.
The client's numbers
Your cost to deliver
Suggested price
$550 /month
Plus $2,500 setup.
This one is an easy yes: the client keeps most of the value, and you keep a healthy margin.
- Value to the client
- $2,250 /month
- Client keeps
- $1,700 /month
- Setup paid back in
- 1.5 months
- Your retainer margin
- 55%
| Tier | Setup | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| StarterOne core automation | $1,800 | $400 |
| GrowthCore automation plus one add-on | $2,500 | $550 |
| Full systemSeveral connected automations | $4,000 | $850 |
How to use it
Get the client to say their numbers on the discovery call: leads, close rate, job value and staff hours on the task. Enter those, then your own build time and running costs. Show the client the value calculation in your proposal, because it does more selling than any slide.
The Starter tier is 70% of the Growth setup fee and retainer. Full system is 160% of the setup fee and 150% of the retainer. Adjust them to what each tier really includes. For the full method, read AI automation agency pricing and AI agency retainer pricing.
FAQ
How much should an AI agency charge?
Price from the value the automation creates, not your hours. Most deals have a one-time setup fee that covers the build and a monthly retainer set at a clear fraction of the monthly value, well above your cost to deliver.
How is the retainer calculated?
It takes your chosen share of the client's monthly value, then makes sure the result is at least twice your monthly cost to deliver. That cost is your support hours at your rate plus vendor costs. The result is rounded to the nearest $50.
How is the setup fee calculated?
Build hours × your hourly rate, plus 25% for the risk that the build runs long, rounded to the nearest $100.
What share of the value should I charge?
The calculator starts at 25%, which leaves the client most of the gain. Use less when the value is uncertain and more when the numbers are proven. It's a starting point for your own judgment, not an industry standard.
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