Cost calculator
AI chatbot cost calculator
Separate the one-off build from the monthly running cost. Enter your conversation volume and the calculator shows token use, model cost and the human handoff load.
In short
An AI chatbot has two costs: a one-off build and a monthly running cost. This calculator estimates the running cost from conversations per month, turns per conversation, tokens per turn and your model provider's price per million tokens, then adds channel fees and the staff time for handoffs. Build cost depends on scope and is quoted after a call.
What it calculates
Most chatbot budgets go wrong because they only count the build. The calculator keeps the two apart. The build is a one-off scoping question. The running cost is arithmetic you can do yourself, and it grows with usage.
It covers model usage, retrieval and hosting allowance, channel fees such as a WhatsApp business messaging charge, and the human time spent on conversations the bot hands over.
Inputs and where to find them
| Input | Meaning | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Conversations per month | Separate chats, not messages | Chat tool or support inbox export |
| Turns per conversation | Visitor message plus bot reply counts as one | Sample of 50 transcripts |
| Tokens per turn | Includes the instructions and retrieved text sent each time | Estimate 1,000 to 2,500, then measure in testing |
| Price per million tokens | Input and output rates from your provider | The provider's current price page |
| Channel fee per conversation | Charges by WhatsApp or SMS vendors | Vendor price list |
| Handoff rate | Share of chats passed to a person | Pilot data, or assume 20 to 30 percent first |
| Minutes per handoff and staff cost per hour | Time to finish what the bot could not | Your support team |
Worked example: token volume
A service firm expects 3,000 conversations a month, with 6 turns each and about 1,500 tokens per turn once instructions and retrieved text are counted.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Total turns | 3,000 x 6 | 18,000 |
| Total tokens | 18,000 x 1,500 | 27 million |
| Model cost | 27 x your provider's rate per million tokens | Read from price page |
| Handoffs | 3,000 x 25 percent | 750 chats |
| Staff time | 750 x 8 minutes / 60 | 100 hours |
In most deployments the surprise is the last line. Model usage is often small. The 100 hours of human handoff is the bigger monthly cost, so improving the answer rate saves more than switching to a cheaper model.
What drives the build cost
The calculator does not price the build, because scope moves it more than anything. The main factors are the knowledge sources the bot must read, the number of systems it connects to, the channels, the languages, the tone and safety rules, and how much testing it needs.
For market context, Clutch reports AI development projects typically cost between $10,000 and $49,999, with an average of $120,595 (market data, Clutch). The spread is wide because scope varies, and a narrow bot costs less to build than a broad one. Our AI chatbot cost page walks through the scope levers, and AI chatbot development explains how we build.
How to read the result
- If handoff time dominates, work on the knowledge base before the model.
- If channel fees dominate, check whether the web chat can handle part of the volume.
- If tokens per turn are above 3,000, the bot is sending too much text each time. Trim the instructions and retrieve less.
Prices change often. Always refresh the token rates from the provider's page before you decide.
Sources: Clutch: AI developer pricing guide.
Updated 30 October 2026
Questions, answered
Is the output a quote?
Which model should I assume?
Does a RAG chatbot cost more to run?
How accurate is the estimate?
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Want a fixed quote for your chatbot?
Share your volumes and channels and you get a fixed quote after a short call.