AutomationBy Johanna Neuron
How Much Does AI Automation Cost? Prices, Cost Components and a Worked Example
At aiworx, automating a single workflow with AI starts at €2,500 for the pilot and €250 per month for ongoing operation, both excluding VAT. On top of that come model costs for the AI and some internal time for alignment and testing. Whether it pays off depends less on the price than on how much routine work the AI agent takes off your team. This article covers every cost component, typical price ranges and a worked example you can run with your own numbers.
The four cost components of an AI project
Ask about the cost of an AI agent and you often get a single number. In reality the price has four parts. When you compare offers, make sure you can see all four.
- Setup: understanding the workflow, building the AI agent, connecting it to your software and testing it with real data. This is the largest one-off item.
- Operation: hosting, monitoring, fixing issues and small adjustments when something changes. An AI agent is not software you install once and forget.
- Model and API costs: AI models are usually billed by the amount of text processed (tokens). Your existing software may also charge for API access.
- Internal time: someone on your team who knows the workflow, answers questions, provides test cases and reviews results at the start.
What does an AI agent cost at aiworx?
Our prices are published on the AI automation page. All prices exclude VAT.
| Step | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Intro call | 30 minutes | free |
| Pilot for one workflow | 2 to 4 weeks | from €2,500 |
| Operation | ongoing | from €250 / month |
In the pilot we build the first agent for a real workflow and measure how much time it saves. After that it runs in day-to-day work. We monitor it, improve it and add further workflows when you are ready. We quote the exact price after the intro call, once we understand the workflow.
There is no flat price for your own tools, portals or apps with AI. For custom software we quote after the intro call and a short concept. If your team first needs to work confidently with AI, workshops are the place to start: half day (about 4 hours) €2,750, full day (about 8 hours) €4,950.
Price ranges by project size
The table below is a rough guide, not a quote. The first row shows our fixed entry prices. The other rows describe what drives the price, because there it depends heavily on the individual case.
| Project size | Example | One-off | Ongoing |
|---|---|---|---|
| One workflow, few systems | Read and check incoming invoices and prepare them for DATEV | from €2,500 (pilot) | from €250 / month |
| Several workflows | Invoices, a shared inbox and quotes in the same company | each additional workflow is its own expansion step, priced after the intro call | grows with the number of agents and data volume |
| Custom software with AI | Customer portal or internal tool with AI features | based on the concept | depends on hosting and maintenance scope |
| Enabling the team | AI workshop for one department | €2,750 (half day) or €4,950 (full day) | none |
What pushes the price up is almost always the same: many different document types, legacy software without an API, messy master data and workflows that differ from one department to the next. What keeps it low: a clearly defined workflow, common software such as Outlook, SharePoint or DATEV, and a contact person who really knows the process.
Worked example: does an AI agent pay off?
Take the example from our automation page. Processing one incoming invoice by hand takes around 15 minutes: open the email, save the PDF, type in the data, match it against the purchase order, get approval, book and file it. With an AI agent about 1 minute remains, because only exceptions reach your team.
The figures below are a worked example based on assumptions. Plug in your own numbers.
| Assumption | Value |
|---|---|
| Invoices per week | 40 |
| Time saved per invoice | about 14 minutes |
| Time saved per week | around 9 hours |
| Assumed hourly cost incl. overheads | €45 |
| Working weeks per year (assumption) | 46 |
That gives you:
- Savings per week: 9 hours × €45 = €405
- Savings per year: €405 × 46 weeks = €18,630
- First-year cost at entry prices: €2,500 pilot + 12 × €250 operation = €5,500, plus model costs and internal time
Under these assumptions, the first year frees up around €13,000 worth of working time before model costs and internal time are deducted. Keep in mind that nobody saves this as cash. The time becomes available for other work. Where roles are hard to fill, that is often the real benefit.
For how an invoice agent works in detail, see AI invoice processing.
Build it yourself, hire an agency or buy SaaS?
There are three ways to get an AI agent. None of them is always best.
| Build it yourself | Agency / service provider | Off-the-shelf SaaS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | low in euros, high in your own time | setup as a project | low, often just a licence |
| Ongoing cost | model costs, your own maintenance | operations contract | licence per user or transaction |
| Fit with your workflow | as good as your team can make it | built around your workflow | only if your workflow matches the standard |
| Know-how needed | high: AI, APIs, security | low: knowing the workflow is enough | low |
| Risk | project stalls when people leave | dependence on the provider | dependence on the vendor, little customisation |
Building it yourself makes sense if you have an IT or development team that is given time for it. Tools like Zapier, Make or Copilot Studio lower the entry barrier. The effort then goes into error handling, data protection and maintenance.
Off-the-shelf software is ideal when a good standard product exists for your workflow. For customer service, for example, we built our own ready-made platform, pingo. Once your workflow connects several of your own systems or needs decisions based on your rules, standard software reaches its limits.
An agency makes sense when the workflow is specific to you and you do not want to build a team for it. Make sure prices and operation are clearly defined and that you can always see what the agent does.
Whether an AI agent or classic rule-based automation fits your workflow better is covered in our comparison AI agent vs. RPA.
Hidden costs that are often overlooked
Most surprises in AI projects have little to do with the AI itself. Ask about these points in every offer:
- Data quality: if supplier master data is duplicated or outdated, someone has to clean it up. AI can help with that, but it still takes time.
- APIs and licences: some software requires a separate licence or add-on module for API access.
- Model costs at high volumes: with a few hundred transactions a month they are usually a small item. With very many or very long documents they can become noticeable. Check whether they are included in the monthly price or billed separately.
- Changes to your software: an ERP update or a new invoice format can require adjustments. Check whether that is covered by operation.
- Internal time at the start: in the first weeks your team reviews more results. That is intended, but it should be planned for.
- Training: an agent achieves little if nobody knows how to handle exceptions or adjust rules.
Funding options available right now
Funding programmes can cover part of the cost. They change regularly, though, and the conditions are strict. We checked the details below on the official websites in October 2026. The current guideline and the responsible authority always have the final word. Both programmes are German, so they only apply to companies based in Germany.
Digitalbonus Bayern: according to digitalbonus.bayern the programme runs until 31 December 2027. Eligible are small commercial businesses with a site in Bavaria, fewer than 50 employees and no more than €10 million in annual turnover or balance sheet total. Liberal professions are excluded. Funding covers digitalisation projects, explicitly including artificial intelligence. Digitalbonus Standard provides up to €7,500, Digitalbonus Plus up to €30,000 for particularly innovative projects, in each case up to 50% of eligible costs. Important: the project must not have started before the application, and even placing an order counts as starting. Only projects with at least €4,000 of eligible costs qualify.
Federal consulting grant for SMEs (BAFA): this federal programme subsidises consulting on business management questions. According to BAFA the guideline applies to applications submitted by 31 December 2026. Consulting may only begin after BAFA's information letter, and here too signing the contract counts as the start. BAFA also checks whether the consulting firm meets the guideline's requirements. The grant covers consulting, not building software.
Other German states have their own programmes. Your chamber of commerce (IHK) or chamber of crafts is the quickest way to find out what applies to you. Always clarify funding before placing an order.
How to keep costs under control
- Start with one workflow: pick the one that happens most often and is most clearly defined. Invoices, shared inboxes and quotes are typical candidates.
- Measure first: note how long the workflow takes today and how often it occurs. Without this number you cannot prove the benefit later.
- Pilot with real data: a two to four week pilot shows what the agent achieves in practice before you invest more.
- Define approvals: decide what the agent may do on its own and where a person approves. That lowers the risk and makes results traceable.
- Expand step by step: once the first agent runs, add the next workflow. That way the project grows with its proven benefit.
For an overview of where to start with AI in your company, read our guide AI in business.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an AI agent cost per month? At aiworx, ongoing operation starts at €250 per month excluding VAT. Depending on the agreement, model costs come on top, based on the volume of data processed.
When do I get the exact price? After the free intro call, once we understand the workflow. The entry price is €2,500 excluding VAT for the pilot of one workflow.
How quickly does an AI agent pay for itself? That depends on how often the workflow occurs and how much time it takes today. In our worked example with 40 invoices per week, the time saved clearly exceeds the first-year cost. For rare workflows it can take longer.
Isn't Microsoft Copilot cheaper than a custom AI agent? Copilot helps individual people with their work, for example writing or summarising. An AI agent handles an entire workflow from start to finish. The two complement each other. For a comparison of the assistants, see Copilot vs. ChatGPT Enterprise.
Can I get funding for AI automation? In Bavaria, small businesses can look at the Digitalbonus, and across Germany the BAFA consulting grant is open for applications until the end of 2026. Check the conditions before placing an order, because an order already placed can rule out funding.
What happens if our workflow changes? During operation we monitor and improve the agent continuously. What applies to bigger changes such as a new ERP is something you should clarify with any provider upfront.
Want to know what automating your workflow would cost? In a free intro call we look at the workflow and give you a realistic estimate.
