How Much Does AI Automation Cost for a Small Business?

By Sofiane Jelloul, founder of Scaly AI · Published November 10, 2026 · 3 min read

There are three ways to pay for AI automation: once, setup plus an all-inclusive monthly fee, or a subscription. At Scaly AI, an automated workflow costs €1,900 to €3,200 (≈ $2,200 to $3,700) to set up, then runs on a monthly fee called AI maintenance, from €390 (≈ $450) a month. The exact price is set after an audit of 1 to 2 days.

Three ways to pay

One-time. You pay once, and it’s yours. That covers the AI audit, AI compliance (€750 to €1,400, ≈ $860 to $1,600), and custom AI software you buy, from €7,000 (≈ $8,100).

Setup, then an all-inclusive monthly fee. You pay for setup once, then a monthly fee that covers maintenance and usage. No commitment. Setup prices:

• an automated workflow: €1,900 to €3,200 (≈ $2,200 to $3,700);
• a chatbot and voice agent: €1,500 to €4,000 (≈ $1,700 to $4,600);
• a document assistant: €1,500 to €4,000 (≈ $1,700 to $4,600);
• a custom AI agent: €2,000 to €6,500 (≈ $2,300 to $7,500).

Custom software can also be rented.

Subscription. A monthly price for an ongoing service: AI visibility and private AI for business.

What drives the price

Two things move the price of an automation: how many tools need to be connected, and how complex the task is.

A workflow that reads an emailed invoice, enters it into your accounting software, and files it is simple. A workflow that works across several apps, handles exceptions, or reads many kinds of documents takes more work.

That’s why the site shows ranges. The exact number depends on your situation, and only the audit can pin it down.

What a monthly fee covers

An all-inclusive monthly fee covers what keeps the tool running:

• tool and AI usage;
• monitoring, and fixes when something breaks;
• updates to models, instructions, and connectors;
• a monthly review with you.

For an automation, that fee is AI maintenance. There’s no commitment: you can stop whenever you like. Scaly AI keeps ownership of the workflows, so they stop when the fee does.

What’s included, and the exception

Almost everything is included, and what isn’t is listed on the Pricing page.

• Private AI for business. AI usage is included in the subscription, within a fair-use limit suited to your plan. If you go beyond it on a lasting basis, we let you know and suggest the right plan.
• The voice agent. Its monthly fee includes a bundle of call minutes, sized during the audit. Beyond that, minutes are billed at cost. You get a heads-up before you reach your bundle.

Why the audit comes before the quote

No custom project starts without an audit. It isn’t red tape. It’s what makes sure you invest where the real gain is.

The audit takes 1 to 2 days and is fully remote. It maps your processes, measures the hours you lose, and ranks what to automate first. You get an interactive action plan and a fixed quote. The price doesn’t move after that.

Before the audit, a free 45-minute consultation checks that there are real gains. If there aren’t, we tell you, and there’s no audit.

How the audit is credited

The audit costs €1,400 (≈ $1,600). If you sign a project within 30 days, that fee comes off the project. You don’t pay twice for the same analysis.

Learn more

• See all pricing
• Explore AI automation
• Explore the AI audit