AI development cost calculator for chatbots, RAG, AI agents and LLM apps
Say you want a support chatbot that answers from your help centre and runs in your own cloud. Pick those options and the calculator prices it from ScalaCode's published rates. A proof of concept on your own data starts at $4,999. The range appears as soon as you answer, and there's no account to create.
Estimate your AI development cost
The range updates as you answer. Add-ons are optional.
How much AI development costs
- How much does AI development cost?
- At ScalaCode, an AI proof of concept on your own data starts from $4,999, an AI chatbot pilot from $5,999, an AI agent pilot from $7,999, and a production RAG system from $14,999. Data readiness, where the model runs, integrations and compliance move the price up.
Related: AI development, RAG development and AI agent development.
What drives AI development cost
Data and hosting usually matter more than the model you pick.
Data readiness
Data spread across several systems adds 20%. Data that needs cleaning and a pipeline adds 40%.
Where the model runs
Your own cloud adds 10%. A private open-weight LLM on your GPUs adds 35%, with GPU costs on top.
Integrations and tools
Each system the AI reads from or acts in adds work. One or two add 10%, and six or more add 40%.
Channels
Each channel beyond web, such as WhatsApp, Slack, voice or email, adds 15% to an assistant.
Languages
Several languages add 10% for prompts, retrieval and evaluation in each one.
Compliance
Writing HIPAA, SOC 2, GDPR or EU AI Act controls into scope adds 15%.
AI development starting prices
Published starting prices in USD, excluding taxes. Evaluations and guardrails are included in every production build.
Discovery sprint
Free
Timeline 1 to 2 weeks
Ends in a written proposal with a fixed quote.
AI proof of concept
from$4,999
Timeline 3 to 4 weeks
Working prototype on your own data.
AI chatbot pilot
from$5,999
Timeline 4 to 6 weeks
One channel, your knowledge base, human handoff.
AI agent pilot
from$7,999
Timeline 4 to 6 weeks
One workflow, your tools, human approval steps.
Generative AI pilot
from$7,999
Timeline 4 to 6 weeks
One use case, measured against a baseline.
Production RAG system
from$14,999
Retrieval, evaluation and guardrails, deployed.
LLM application
from$14,999
Prompt pipelines, RAG or fine-tuning, with evals.
Multi-channel AI assistant
from$14,999
Web, WhatsApp, Slack or voice, with analytics.
Prices are starting points in USD, excluding taxes. Every fixed quote follows a discovery sprint.
Book a 30-minute strategy callAI development cost FAQs
Ask anything not covered here on the 30-minute call.
How much does AI development cost?
An AI proof of concept on your own data starts from $4,999 and takes 3 to 4 weeks. Pilots for one chatbot channel or one agent workflow start from $5,999 and $7,999. Production RAG systems and LLM applications start from $14,999. Data readiness and hosting decide most of the rest.
Why does a private LLM cost more?
Running an open-weight model on your own GPUs means we also set up model serving, scaling and monitoring that a hosted API provides for you. It adds about 35% to the build, and keeps prompts and data off third-party model APIs. For a narrow task, a small language model needs far less GPU.
Are model API and GPU costs included?
No. Model API usage and GPU hosting are billed by the provider you choose, and depend on traffic. We estimate them for your usage during discovery.
How accurate is the calculator?
It shows the range most projects of that type fall in, built from our published starting prices and what each answer adds. The fixed quote comes after a free discovery sprint, so the precise number costs you nothing. Other pricing questions are answered on our FAQ page.
Should we start with a proof of concept?
Usually, yes. A proof of concept on your own data, from $4,999, shows whether the model is accurate enough before you pay for a production build. Its findings set the scope of the next phase.
How do I get a fixed quote?
Book a 30-minute strategy call. If the project is a fit, a free discovery sprint turns your scope into user flows, an architecture and a written fixed quote. How we work walks through each stage.
Turn the estimate into a fixed quote
- 30 minutes with the ScalaCode team
- We check your estimate against your scope
- A fixed quote follows a discovery sprint