AI ROI Calculator
See what a role really costs with an employee versus an AI agent: yearly savings, payback time, and 3-year ROI.
Assumes the agent handles 60% of this role. The other 40% still needs a person, and someone spends 3 hrs a week checking its work.
I'll reply with whether it's buildable and a real quote. See how I build AI agents →
What an employee really costs
Salary is only part of it. Employers also pay payroll taxes (7.65% for Social Security and Medicare, plus federal and state unemployment), benefits, the equipment, software, and space the person uses, and the cost of hiring and replacing people who leave. With the calculator's defaults, a receptionist paid $38,000 costs about $53,230 a year fully loaded.
What an AI agent really costs
An agent has its own bill: a one-time build and setup, a monthly fee for the platform and upkeep, usage charges for the calls or messages it handles, and the time someone on your team spends checking its work. The receptionist defaults are $5,000 to set up, $500 a month, $250 a month in usage, and 3 hours a week of checking.
Worked example
With those defaults, the agent handles 60% of the receptionist's work. The agent's costs plus the 40% that still needs a person come to about $34,284 a year, against $53,230 for the employee alone. That is about $18,946 saved each year, the setup pays for itself in 3.2 months, the 3-year ROI is about 118%, and roughly 21 hours a week are freed up.
Where the estimate can be wrong
The share of the role an agent can take on is an educated guess until you test it on real calls and messages. Some roles have very little repetitive work to hand over, and tricky integrations can raise the build cost. Treat the result as a starting point for a real conversation, not a promise.
If you want a real number for your business, I build these agents. Tell me about the role and I'll reply with whether it's buildable and a quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the AI ROI calculator work?
It adds up what an employee really costs (salary plus employer payroll taxes, benefits, equipment and space, and hiring and turnover), then compares that with an AI agent that takes on part of the role. The agent side includes its setup, monthly platform and upkeep, usage, and the staff time spent checking its work.
What does "share of the role it handles" mean?
It is the part of the job an AI agent can realistically take over, like answering routine calls or booking appointments. It is never 100%: judgment calls, relationships, and edge cases still need a person. The defaults run from 40% to 60% depending on the role, and it is the number most worth being honest about.
Are the AI agent costs realistic?
The defaults are typical market ranges for a custom-built small-business agent, not a quote. Off-the-shelf tools can cost less and complex integrations cost more, so replace them with real quotes when you have them.
Can an AI agent replace an employee?
Usually not entirely. An agent can handle the repetitive share of a role so your people spend their time on the work that needs them. That is why this calculator compares an employee with an AI agent plus the remaining human work, not an agent alone.
Is my information stored?
No. The calculation runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent anywhere unless you choose to email your results.
Related tools
Want an agent built for your business? I design, build, and run them for small businesses.