Pricing & returns · Updated 7 September 2026
What does AI automation cost, and what does it deliver?
Start with the work you want to reduce. Below are our starting prices, costs to account for and a worked example to help assess a pilot.
AI automation: our prices in 2026
These are published Utomatic prices, not market averages. A scoped solution costs less than a project spanning multiple departments, custom integrations and extensive management requirements.
| Solution | One-off | Recurring |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot | €1.500–€3.000 | Usage and follow-on work as scoped |
| AI Chatbot | From €2,450 | From €249/month |
| AI Voice Agent | From €3,950 | From €349/month; call charges separate |
| Custom dashboards, email & workflows | Quoted by scope | Management and usage as quoted |
Confirm included volumes, VAT treatment, integrations and support in the quote. Also record whether and how pilot fees are credited towards follow-on work. View the pricing overview →
Which costs determine the total?
- Build and setup. Process analysis, conversation design, data sources, integrations, testing and handover.
- Monthly management. Monitoring, agreed support, maintenance and changes within scope. Ask which response times and tasks are included.
- Variable usage. Account for call minutes, AI usage, messages and licences. Record limits and overage rates.
- Your own time. Supplying information, reviewing exceptions, training staff and checking outcomes also takes time.
Compare quotes for the same task, volume and support. A low subscription tells you little when setup or usage is missing. Integration costs depend on the technical possibilities.
What is the ROI of AI automation?
ROI compares benefits with all costs over the same period. First calculate hours freed up. Value those separately from actual cash savings: faster work does not automatically lower payroll.
Hours per month = volume × suitable share × minutes saved ÷ 60
ROI (%) = (benefits − total costs) ÷ total costs × 100
Simple payback = one-off investment ÷ positive net monthly benefit
Worked example: recurring customer questions
Illustrative assumptions, not a measured customer result:
- 600 questions per month × 50% suitable × 4 minutes = 20 hours of potential time savings.
- At an internal hourly value of €35: €700 of capacity per month.
- Example costs: €249 subscription + €51 usage + €70 internal correction work = €370 per month.
- Net capacity value: €700 − €370 = €330 per month. One-off investment: €2,450.
Over 12 months, benefits are €8,400 and total costs are €6,890 (€2,450 + 12 × €370). Capacity-based ROI is about 21.9%. Simple payback is around 7.4 months from steady operation.
Sensitivity check: With only 10 hours saved, capacity is worth €350 against €370 in monthly costs. This scenario does not pay back the investment. Ramp-up time is excluded. Count additional returns only as demonstrated extra margin, not unconfirmed leads.
Choose a pilot you can measure
Before starting, record volume, handling time and correction work. Choose one process and agree success criteria, such as correctly prepared orders or correctly answered routine questions. Then check the same figures, including exceptions and costs.
- Logistics: from transport request to a checked draft order
- Telephony: from missed call to appointment request
- Dashboard: outcomes and follow-up in one overview
Timing depends on system access, test material and team feedback. Direct integrations are confirmed in advance.
Frequently asked questions about AI costs
What does AI automation cost at Utomatic?
A pilot costs €1,500–€3,000. A basic chatbot starts from €2,450 one-off plus €249 per month; a voice agent from €3,950 one-off plus €349 per month. Scope, integrations and usage determine the quote. Call charges and other usage may be separate.
What is the ROI of AI automation?
ROI over a chosen period is (benefits minus all costs) divided by all costs, multiplied by 100%. Include implementation, subscriptions, usage and internal work. Time saved is capacity, not automatically lower payroll. Use baseline measurements and pilot results.
How soon does the investment pay back?
Simple payback is the one-off investment divided by the positive net monthly benefit. With zero or negative benefit there is no payback in that scenario. Ramp-up time, changing volumes and additional work can change the result.
Which additional costs should I include?
Check call minutes, AI and API usage, software licences, extra integrations, internal supervision and correction work. Confirm included volumes, limits, support and additional work in advance.
Can I start small with existing software?
Yes. Choose one process and first verify access to your CRM, calendar, TMS or other software. Integration depends on API access, permissions and supplier capabilities. We confirm the possibilities before agreeing the scope.
What could automation deliver for your business?
Tell us which work takes time, how often it occurs and which systems you use. We can then choose a suitable first step and make the assumptions clear.
