How Much Does It Cost to Run an AI Assistant? (Real Numbers)
One of the most common questions I get: “How much does it actually cost to have an AI assistant?”
Most companies in this space dodge the question. “Contact us for a quote.” “It depends.” “Let’s schedule a call.”
I’m going to give you real numbers instead.
The Three Cost Buckets
Running a personal AI assistant has three cost components:
- Setup cost — Getting it deployed and configured (one-time)
- Infrastructure cost — Hosting and software (monthly)
- AI model cost — The actual AI usage (monthly, variable)
Let’s break down each one.
Setup Costs
DIY Setup: $0 (plus your time)
If you’re technically inclined, you can set up OpenClaw or a custom AI agent yourself. The software is open source — it’s free.
What you’ll need:
- Docker knowledge
- Basic server administration
- API key management
- Comfort with command-line tools
- Patience for troubleshooting
Realistically, expect to spend a weekend on initial setup, plus ongoing time troubleshooting and maintaining. If your hourly rate is $100+, the “free” option might not be the cheapest.
Professional Setup: $1,500–8,000
What you get for professional setup:
Remote Setup ($1,500–3,000):
- Needs assessment (the right tool, not just the popular one)
- Full deployment and configuration
- 2-3 channel integrations
- 3-5 skills/workflows configured
- Security hardening
- Training session + documentation
- 14 days of support
In-Person Executive Setup ($5,000–8,000):
- Everything above, plus on-site at your office
- Multi-device configuration
- Team training (up to 5 people)
- Custom skill development
- 30 days of priority support
The price variation within each tier depends on complexity. A straightforward OpenClaw setup with WhatsApp and email is on the lower end. A privacy-hardened deployment with custom skills, local models, and multi-user configuration is on the higher end.
Monthly Infrastructure Costs
Cloud Hosting: $5–20/month
Your AI assistant needs a server to run on. Options:
| Provider | Spec | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| DigitalOcean Droplet | 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM | $24/month |
| Hetzner Cloud | 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM | $7/month |
| AWS Lightsail | 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM | $20/month |
| Local machine (your own hardware) | Any | $0/month (electricity only) |
For most users, a $7-20/month VPS is plenty. If you’re running local AI models (for privacy), you’ll want more RAM — or just run it on your own machine.
Database & Storage: Usually included
Most VPS providers include enough storage for an AI assistant’s database. Unless you’re processing thousands of documents, this isn’t an additional cost.
Domain & SSL: $0–15/year
If you want a custom domain for your assistant’s web interface (optional), that’s about $12/year. SSL certificates are free via Let’s Encrypt.
Monthly AI Model Costs
This is the variable cost — it depends on how much you use your assistant.
How AI Pricing Works
AI models charge per “token” — roughly per word processed. When your assistant reads a message, thinks about it, and generates a response, that uses tokens.
Typical Usage Scenarios
| Usage Level | Description | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Light | 20-30 messages/day, simple responses | $5-15/month |
| Moderate | 50-100 messages/day, some document processing | $15-35/month |
| Heavy | 200+ messages/day, frequent document processing, complex workflows | $35-70/month |
| Enterprise | High volume, multiple users, large documents | $70-150+/month |
Model Pricing Breakdown
Different AI models have different costs:
| Model | Input Cost | Output Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-4o | $2.50/1M tokens | $10/1M tokens | General-purpose, good balance |
| GPT-4o-mini | $0.15/1M tokens | $0.60/1M tokens | Simple tasks, budget-friendly |
| Claude Sonnet | $3/1M tokens | $15/1M tokens | Long documents, nuanced responses |
| Claude Haiku | $0.25/1M tokens | $1.25/1M tokens | Fast, simple tasks |
| Local models (Ollama) | $0 | $0 | Privacy, no per-use cost |
A smart configuration uses cheaper models for simple tasks and reserves expensive models for complex ones. I set this up during deployment so you’re not burning premium tokens on routine responses.
Total Monthly Cost: Real Examples
Example 1: Solo Professional, Light Use
- Hosting (Hetzner): $7/month
- AI models (GPT-4o-mini + GPT-4o): $15/month
- Total: ~$22/month
Example 2: Small Team (3 people), Moderate Use
- Hosting (DigitalOcean): $24/month
- AI models (mix of models): $35/month
- Total: ~$59/month
Example 3: Executive, Heavy Use, Privacy Setup
- Hosting (dedicated server): $40/month
- AI models (local Llama + GPT-4o for complex tasks): $20/month
- Total: ~$60/month
Example 4: Growing Business, Multiple Agents
- Hosting (cloud): $30/month
- AI models (multiple agents): $80/month
- Managed service: $500/month
- Total: ~$610/month
The “Hidden” Costs Nobody Talks About
Time Cost of Self-Management
If you set things up yourself, plan for 2-4 hours per month maintaining your assistant — updates, troubleshooting, optimization. At $100+/hour, that’s $200-400 in opportunity cost.
Optimization Matters
Most people waste 30-50% on AI model costs by using expensive models for simple tasks. Proper configuration (which I do during setup) routes simple queries to cheap models and complex ones to premium models. This alone can save $20-40/month.
Scaling Costs
Your costs grow with usage. If your assistant starts handling more messages or more complex workflows, your AI model costs increase. This is normal and usually means it’s delivering value — but budget for growth.
Managed Plans: The Hands-Off Option
If you don’t want to think about any of this, our Managed AI Assistant plan ($500-1,500/month) covers:
- Monitoring and maintenance
- Monthly optimization (including cost optimization)
- New skill/workflow additions
- Security updates
- Priority support
The managed plan typically pays for itself through cost optimization and time savings — but it’s only worth it if you’re using your assistant enough to justify it.
ROI: When Does It Make Sense?
Simple math: if your AI assistant saves you 1 hour per day, and your time is worth $50/hour, that’s $1,500/month in value from a $50-100/month investment.
Most clients see ROI within the first week. The assistant handles the low-value tasks — routine emails, scheduling, information lookups — so you can focus on the high-value work that actually grows your business.
Getting Started
If you want a clear cost estimate for your specific situation, book a free discovery call. I’ll map out your use case and give you exact numbers — setup cost, monthly cost, and expected ROI.
No surprises. No hidden fees. No “contact us for pricing.” Just honest numbers.
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