Almost nobody puts AI consulting prices on their website, so here are mine and what the rest of the market charges.
How much does AI setup cost?
A fixed-price project from a small business AI shop usually runs $5,000 to $15,000, and ongoing help runs $500 to $2,000 a month. On top of that you pay monthly for the software itself. That number depends on which tools you need, so it should be listed in any quote you get.
My prices: the audit costs a beer at Line Creek, the two-week Sprint is $2,500, ongoing help is $750 to $1,500 a month, and the Get Found by AI package is $1,500 to set up plus $500 a month. They’re all on the services page.
What does the rest of the market charge?
When a shop gives you a fixed price and a clear list of what you get, that’s a good sign. Surveys show about two-thirds of small businesses want a fixed price for their first AI project, and I think they’re right.
Then there are agencies that charge before they build anything. One company that shows up for AI consulting near Fayette County charges $10,000 for a “readiness assessment.” For a ten-person business, that’s a conversation and a walkthrough, which is why my audit costs a beer.
What costs don’t come up on the sales call?
The software
Every setup runs on tools with a monthly bill. A good quote lists those costs before you sign. I put them on the scorecard during the audit.
Upkeep
Tools and AI models change, and setups stop working the way they used to. Plan for a few hours of someone’s time each month, or a small monthly plan.
Training
Someone on your staff has to actually use the new setup. If a quote doesn’t include training, ask why.
How do small businesses overpay for AI?
Paying for an assessment
Paying thousands of dollars for an assessment before anything gets built doesn’t make sense for a small business.
Paying monthly before anything works
A lot of agencies want a monthly contract from day one. I’d do it in this order: a fixed project first, see if it works, and then a monthly plan only if you want more built.
Not owning what you paid for
If the setups live in the vendor’s accounts with no instructions, you haven’t really bought anything. When you leave, you start over. Everything I set up goes in accounts you own with written instructions, even though it means you don’t need me afterward.
So what should you spend?
- $0 for a free audit. You should leave with a list of jobs AI could handle and what each would cost. If you leave with a sales pitch instead, go somewhere else.
- $2,500 to $5,000 for a first fixed-price project, with two or three setups, training, and written instructions.
- The monthly cost of the tools, listed up front.
- Later, if you want it, a monthly plan once the first project is clearly paying off.
If a quote doesn’t look like this, ask them why. If you already have a quote, bring it to the audit and I’ll tell you what I think of it.