What does AI automation cost in the UK? (2026)

"How much does it cost?" is the first question every owner asks. The answer depends on complexity, but you can budget for it. Here's how pricing works.

The four pricing models

• Project / fixed-scope: the default for a build. Clear price, clear deliverable. Best when you know what you want.
• Monthly retainer: ongoing management and a pipeline of new automations. Best once you have systems to maintain.
• Productised packages: a fixed price for a repeatable offer (like our Starter Build).
• Outcome / usage-based: pay per result. Powerful for trust, harder to scope.

What drives the price

The single biggest factor is integration complexity: how many tools we're connecting and how well they play together. A single chatbot on your site is straightforward. A multi-step system syncing five apps with custom logic is more involved.

Other factors: how much custom AI work is needed, data volume and sensitivity, and whether you want ongoing support.

Indicative ranges

What does the UK market charge? Broad, illustrative 2026 ranges (market figures, not our rate card):

These are market ranges to help you budget, not quotes. Every automation has a different scope, so each project starts with a free audit and ends in a fixed-scope quote you approve before the build. For complex work, a deeper paid discovery (the Automation Roadmap) is available and credited in full against the build if you go ahead.

How to think about ROI

Compare the build cost with the value of the hours it returns. If an automation saves 5 hours a week, that's roughly 250 hours a year. Most builds pay for themselves in months, then keep paying.

Get your fixed number

Get your automation plan for a free, fixed-scope quote based on your specific project.