AI consulting is priced four ways: by the hour, as a fixed project, as a monthly retainer, or as a fixed monthly subscription for defined outcomes. What you pay depends on scope, the number of systems involved and who runs the result afterward. StrikeArc publishes its prices below.
AI consulting cost is the first question most owners ask, and the hardest to compare, because every firm prices the work differently. This page is part of the guide on how to choose an AI implementation partner. It covers how AI consulting pricing works, so you can put any two quotes side by side.
The four ways AI help is priced.
Each model answers three questions differently: what you pay for, who carries the risk when the work runs over, and what happens after delivery.
| Model | What you pay for | Who carries overruns | After delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | Time, by the hour or the day. | You do. | A recommendation, and whatever the hours produced. |
| Fixed-fee project | A defined deliverable. | The provider, inside the scope. Change requests cost extra. | The project is handed over. Support is usually a separate contract. |
| Monthly retainer | A block of hours or a scope. | You do, once the block is used. | Work continues on request. Check what counts against the block. |
| Fixed monthly subscription for outcomes | Defined results, with running included. | The provider. | The system keeps running. You pay while it runs. |
Hourly and project pricing buy effort. A subscription for defined outcomes buys a result that someone stays accountable for. Each has its place, and the right one depends on whether you need advice, a deliverable, or a system that keeps working.
What pushes the price up.
- The number of workflows. Each workflow adds scoping, building and testing.
- The number of systems to connect. Each ERP, CRM, inbox or portal adds integration work.
- The variety of documents. Many layouts and formats mean more data cleanup before anything runs.
- Custom model work. Building a model from scratch costs more than installing a system that already exists for the job.
- Approvals and compliance. Every sign-off step and every review requirement adds design and testing.
- Who runs it after launch. If nobody on your team will, someone has to be paid to.
The cost after launch.
An AI system is never finished at handover. It keeps costing money in four places: model usage and hosting, monitoring, updates when the models or their prices change, and the exceptions a person has to handle. A quote that ends at handover leaves all four to you. That is the running cost most quotes leave out.
Before you sign, ask who watches the system after launch, who updates it when the models change, who pays for the usage, and what each of those costs a month. What it takes to keep AI paying is the subject of the guide to running AI after launch.
StrikeArc's prices.
We publish our prices. One number, with no hourly meter, no scope letters and no AI hires.
| What you buy | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| StrikeArc Scout, the Intake & Diagnostic | An intake questionnaire and read-only system connections, then every play in the StrikeArc PowerPlays Library scored against your business. A person walks you through the readout, and the readout is yours to keep either way. | Free |
| StrikeArc PowerPlays Library subscription | One play installed per quarter, plus run, optimization and ROI reporting on everything live, with results reported in dollars. | $7,500 a month |
| One-time install | One existing play from the library, installed and handed over to your team. | $20,000 per play |
| The custom path | Custom Discovery for a play the library does not have, then a Custom Build and a Custom Subscription priced from what it finds. | $10,000 |
An AI readiness assessment is often sold as a paid engagement. With StrikeArc it is the free first step. See what each price includes, or see how StrikeArc compares with consultants, dev shops, software and an in-house hire.
How to compare quotes from different providers.
Turn every offer into one number: the cost of one workflow in production for a year. Fill in a column for each quote.
| Cost line, for one workflow | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery or scoping | $ ______ | $ ______ |
| Build or install | $ ______ | $ ______ |
| Connecting your systems | $ ______ | $ ______ |
| Running it for twelve months: usage, monitoring, updates | $ ______ | $ ______ |
| Your team's time | $ ______ | $ ______ |
| One workflow in production for a year | $ ______ | $ ______ |
Leave a line blank if a quote does not include it, then ask who pays for it.
Then ask each provider the same questions.
- What do we own at the end?A report, code your team must maintain, or a system someone keeps running.
- Who is accountable after launch?A name, and what they are accountable for.
- How are results measured?Activity reports and hours logged are easy to produce. Dollars earned and saved are harder, and they are the measure that counts.
- What happens when the scope moves?Change orders, a new estimate, or a fixed price that holds.
If you have not yet picked the first workflow, which process to automate first will narrow the scope before you ask for quotes.
When hourly advice is the right buy.
Hourly advice fits a narrow question: a second opinion on a plan, a vendor shortlist, or a board briefing on where AI fits the business. You pay for a few days of expert time and walk away with an answer. Fixed pricing fits better when the goal is a running system, because the risk of the work running over sits with the provider.
Questions owners ask.
How much does an AI consultant charge per hour?
Rates vary with the type of provider and the seniority of the people. Ask for the rate and an estimate of the hours to a working system, then add what running it will cost. StrikeArc publishes fixed prices instead of an hourly rate.
How much does an AI project cost?
It depends on scope, the systems involved and who runs the result afterward. Use the worksheet on this page to compare quotes on the same basis.
Is a retainer or a fixed project better?
A project suits a defined deliverable. A retainer suits ongoing advice. A fixed subscription suits a result that has to keep running.
What does StrikeArc's $7,500 monthly subscription include?
The StrikeArc PowerPlays Library subscription includes one play installed per quarter, plus run, optimization and ROI reporting on everything live, with results reported in dollars.
Does StrikeArc Scout cost anything?
No. StrikeArc Scout, the Intake & Diagnostic, is free, and the readout is yours to keep either way.
Why does StrikeArc publish its prices?
So an owner can compare options before a call.