The setup fee
A one-time fee for discovery, the written spec, connecting your systems, building, testing and launch. It's quoted once the builder knows which systems are involved, usually after a first call.
How much does custom AI cost?
It's the first question on most of our calls, and the honest answer is that it depends on what you're connecting. A phone agent for one store and a reporting system for a forty-location group are different jobs.
What we can do is explain how the pricing works, what makes it go up or down, and what other vendors publish. We don't publish a Trilix rate card, and every outside price on this page links to the vendor's own page.
Prices checked October 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm before you buy.
Quick answer
Most custom AI is priced as a one-time setup fee plus a monthly fee. The price moves with the number of systems to connect, the number of locations and channels, and how much of the work needs AI rather than plain rules. Published prices run from $29 a month for self-serve AI receptionists to six- and seven-figure enterprise programs.
The usual model: setup fee plus monthly
Most custom AI work, ours included, is priced in two parts.
The monthly fee
Hosting, phone and AI model usage, monitoring, fixes, small changes and support. With some firms, including us, it also pays for the next items on the roadmap. Ask exactly what's in it.
The monthly fee exists because AI systems need looking after. A POS update can break an automation without anyone noticing, and a phone agent that's never checked drifts. At a Texas quick lube we work with, a scheduled call audit caught the first model ignoring some booking rules, which is the kind of problem a one-off project with no monthly support would have missed. Read the case study.
What drives the cost
| Cost driver | Why it costs more | How to keep it down |
|---|---|---|
| Systems to connect | Each POS, scheduler, CRM or accounting tool needs its own connection, testing and monitoring | Start with the one or two systems that hold the data you need |
| Locations | Each one has its own hours, prices, rules and data to map | Launch at one or two locations, then roll out |
| Channels | Phone, text, email, WhatsApp and web chat each need their own flows | Pick the channel where most of the work happens |
| Writing vs reading | A system that writes into your books or bookings needs more checks than one that only reads | Begin read-only and add writes once you trust it |
| AI vs plain rules | AI parts need testing, model usage and audits | Use plain logic wherever the rules are clear |
| Call or task volume | Usage-based costs for phone minutes and AI models grow with volume | Check the per-unit price at your real volume, not the starter tier |
| Approvals and audit trail | Human sign-off steps and logs take work to build | Add them only where the risk is real |
What the market publishes
Some vendors publish prices and many don't. Here is what we found on vendors' own pages in October 2026, grouped by type.
Self-serve AI receptionists
| Vendor | Published price | Billing basis |
|---|---|---|
| Dialzara | $29 a month (60 minutes) to $349 a month (1,000 minutes) | Minutes |
| Goodcall | $79, $129 and $299 a month, plus Enterprise | Unique customers helped |
| My AI Front Desk | $99 a month, or $79 a month billed annually, 200 voice minutes | Minutes and credits |
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | Free plan for 25 calls; Pro from $150 a month for 75 calls | Calls |
Industry-specific AI phone tools
| Vendor | Published price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AutoLeap AIR | $1 a call pay-as-you-go; $99 a month for 200 calls; $199 a month for 500 calls | Auto repair; possible $100 setup fee |
| NextPhone | $199, $299 and $599 a month | Unlimited calls |
| HelloWash | $299 a month per location for the platform | Car wash; CRM tiers cost more |
| Rinsed Support Agent | $449 a month per location billed yearly, or $499 monthly, plus $499 implementation per location | Car wash; add-on to Rinsed's CRM |
Live answering services
| Vendor | Published price | Billing basis |
|---|---|---|
| Ruby | 50 minutes for $250; 500 minutes for $1,725 | Minutes |
| PATLive | 50 minutes for $99; 1,000 minutes for $1,499 | Minutes |
AI consulting and custom development firms
| Firm | What it publishes |
|---|---|
| Phos AI Labs | AI discovery from $10,000 for companies under 100 employees; implementation "typically runs $10,000 to $50,000 a month, depending on scope" |
| RTS Labs | Full-cycle enterprise engagements in the mid-six to low-seven figures |
Most custom development firms, including us, don't publish prices because the scope varies too much. Treat any single "average cost of AI" figure with care. It mixes very different jobs.
Why we don't publish a rate card
We'd rather give you a real number than a range so wide it means nothing. After a 30-minute call we know which systems are involved, how many locations you run and which parts need AI. That's enough to quote the setup fee and the monthly fee in writing.
If you want to limit the risk, start with a pilot: one location or one workflow, a fixed setup fee and 30 days to judge it on your own numbers.
Working out whether it pays
Skip the vendor's ROI claims and do the math on your own numbers. For a phone agent, the core formula is:
Missed calls a month × share that would have booked × average ticket = revenue at risk each month.
Compare that with the monthly cost of the system. Our missed call calculator runs it for you, and the AI receptionist vs staff cost calculator compares a hire with an AI agent. For back-office work, count the hours a week the task takes and multiply by the loaded hourly cost of the person doing it.
Frequently asked questions
Something else on your mind? Ask us directly or call 416-262-2723.
How much does custom AI cost for a small business?
It depends on what's being connected. Self-serve AI tools publish plans from about $29 to $299 a month. A custom build is a setup fee plus a monthly fee, quoted after a first call. A single workflow at one location costs far less than a multi-location system.
How much does an AI receptionist cost?
Published self-serve plans start at $29 a month on Dialzara, $79 on Goodcall and $150 on Smith.ai's AI Receptionist Pro plan. The auto and car wash tools we checked publish plans from $99 to $599 a month, and some charge per location. See our AI receptionist page.
What does the monthly fee cover?
With us: hosting, phone and AI model usage, monitoring, call or run audits, fixes, small changes and the next items on your roadmap. With other vendors, ask for the list in writing.
Why do AI consulting firms charge so differently?
They do different work. Some deliver a strategy and stop. Some build and run the system. Enterprise firms staff large teams for long programs, and their published ranges reflect that.
Can I get a fixed price?
Yes. We quote the setup fee and the monthly fee in writing before any work starts, and pilots have a fixed setup fee.
Do you publish Trilix prices?
No. We quote each build after the first call so the number reflects your systems and locations.
Case studies
- A multi-store quick lube in TexasAI front-desk phone agent, call audits every 2 hours, camera analytics and private employee coaching.
- A two-store tire and auto repair shopAI call handling and workflow automation built around the shop. Live since October 2026.
- An Ontario housing co-opPaper inspection binders replaced with one digital system: units, playgrounds, fences, taps, lighting and member notices.
Keep reading
- Custom AI developmentAgents, dashboards, CRMs and assistants built to your spec, owned by you.
- AI receptionistWhat an AI receptionist does, what it costs and when a custom one is worth it.
- AI automation agencyWhat an AI automation agency does, how it prices and how to pick one.
- AI receptionist vs staff costCompare a front-desk hire with an AI voice agent, using your numbers.
- Missed call calculatorEstimate what unanswered calls cost your stores each month.
- Start with a pilotOne store or one workflow, a fixed setup fee and 30 days to judge it.
Get a real number for your business
Tell us what you want to automate and which systems it touches. You'll get a written quote for the setup fee and the monthly fee.