Quick answer
Less than most people think. Business AI apps like ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini cost roughly US$7 to US$30 per person per month. An automated AI helper, like one that drafts email replies, usually costs cents to a few dollars a month to run. The bigger cost is setting things up properly.
There are three ways to pay for AI
- Free tools. Great for trying things out. Be careful with client information, because free plans may use what you type to train their AI.
- AI apps, paid per person. A monthly subscription for each person who uses it, like ChatGPT Business or Microsoft Copilot.
- Pay-as-you-go AI. For automations that run in the background, like an email assistant. You pay a tiny amount each time the AI does something.
AI apps: what they cost per person
Business prices per person per month, in US dollars, before GST. NZ prices can differ slightly.
| Tool | Price per person | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Business | US$25 monthly, or US$20 a month paid yearly | Minimum 2 people. Doesn't train on your business data. |
| Claude Team | US$25 monthly, or US$20 a month paid yearly | Minimum 2 people. Standard seat. |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot Business | US$21 (US$18 on special until 31 Dec 2026) | Added to a Microsoft 365 plan. Works in Outlook, Word and Excel. |
| Google Workspace | US$7 to US$22, depending on plan | Gemini AI is now built into Gmail, Docs and more. |
| ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro | About US$20 | Personal plans for one person. Check the privacy settings. |
If you already pay for Google Workspace, you may already have AI included. If you use Microsoft 365, Copilot is the add-on to look at.
Pay-as-you-go AI: what automations cost to run
Automations use the AI company's "API", which is a way for software to talk to the AI directly. You pay per use, in tiny amounts. On the cheapest current models, like Claude Haiku 5.5 or GPT-6 Luna, reading an email and writing a reply costs a fraction of a cent: roughly US$0.70 for 1,000 emails. Smarter models cost more, around US$14 for 1,000 emails.
So for most small businesses, an automated helper costs cents to a few dollars a month to run. You pay the AI company directly, and you can set a spending limit.
Example: a small plumbing business
Made-up example, to show the maths.
A plumbing business with three people gets 300 customer emails a month. An AI assistant drafts the replies on a standard model:
- AI usage: 300 emails at about US$0.70 per 1,000 is roughly US$0.21 a month.
- Time: if each reply took 4 minutes to write and now takes 1 minute to check, that's about 15 hours a month back.
- Optional: if two of them also want ChatGPT Business for everyday writing, that's about US$40 to US$50 a month.
Where the real cost is: setting it up
The AI itself is cheap. What takes the time is setting it up well: teaching it about your business, connecting it to your email or apps, testing it on real jobs and keeping it running. You can do this yourself if you enjoy it, or pay someone to do it.
We charge a fixed setup price, agreed in writing before we start, then a small monthly care plan you can cancel with 30 days' notice. The AI company bills you directly for usage, and we don't add anything on top. Every business is different, so we quote each one. Call 022 537 3809 for a straight answer.
How to keep costs down
- Start with one job. Pick the one that eats the most time.
- Use the standard models. Save the smarter, pricier ones for tricky work.
- Set a spending limit with the AI company, and a daily cap in your automation.
- Don't pay for seats nobody uses. Check every few months.
- Use what you already pay for. Your Google or Microsoft plan may already include AI.
Is it worth it?
Compare the cost to the time it saves. If an hour of your time is worth NZ$60 and AI saves you five hours a week, that's about NZ$1,300 a month of time back. Try our time savings calculator with your own numbers.