As businesses increasingly turn to AI agents to boost productivity, reduce operational costs, and deliver customer experiences at scale, one question keeps surfacing: How are AI agents priced? If you're evaluating solutions built on platforms like HubSpot, Salesforce, Maven AGI, or ServiceNow, understanding the cost structure is critical to making a smart investment.
In this guide, we'll break down the components of AI agent pricing, clarify what you're paying for, explore common fee structures, and help you navigate additional platform-specific costs. By the end, you'll know exactly what goes into an AI agent invoice and how to budget for one effectively.
AI agents are advanced software systems powered by large language models (LLMs) and business logic that can act autonomously on your behalf. Unlike simple automation scripts or chatbots, AI agents can:
Interpret user inputs and take context-aware actions
Execute multi-step workflows across apps
Retrieve and update data in real-time
Escalate issues to humans when needed
They’re deployed in functions like sales, customer service, operations, HR, and marketing—delivering intelligent automation with decision-making capabilities.
This is your initial investment in designing, building, and deploying the AI agent. It includes:
Use Case Discovery: Mapping business processes and identifying automation targets
Agent Design: Creating the workflow logic, triggers, and responses
Data Integration: Connecting your CRM, ERP, or ticketing system
Prompt Engineering: Writing the agent's logic in natural language instructions
Tool Invocation Setup: Configuring API access and functions
Testing & QA: Ensuring reliability, accuracy, and appropriate fallbacks
Pricing Range:
Basic agent (single function): $5,000–$10,000
Mid-complexity agent (multi-system, customer-facing): $15,000–$30,000
Enterprise agent (multi-modal, high-stakes automation): $50,000–$100,000+
Once deployed, AI agents incur recurring usage fees. This typically follows a consumption-based model:
Per Task/Credit Model: Each API call, data fetch, or output consumes task credits
Token-Based (LLM Usage): If the agent uses GPT-4 or similar models, pricing may depend on token usage (i.e., the number of words processed)
Typical Tiers:
Starter (5,000 credits): ~$499/month
Professional (20,000 credits): ~$1,500/month
Enterprise (Custom usage): Custom pricing based on needs
Add-ons May Include:
Premium model access (e.g., GPT-4 Turbo or Claude Opus)
Human-in-the-loop support
Performance analytics dashboards
Managed services or concierge monitoring
The platform where your AI agent resides also impacts the total cost. Here’s how some of the most popular platforms price AI agents or influence your spend:
HubSpot recently launched its own AI-powered Prospecting Agent. If you're building your own agent on HubSpot's CRM or Marketing Hub:
Integration Work: You’ll likely need a HubSpot Operations Hub license ($720/month+)
Custom Object & Workflow Limits: These depend on your HubSpot plan tier
Usage Metering: HubSpot’s native AI tools (like Content Assistant or ChatSpot) come bundled, but 3rd-party agents using APIs may count against rate limits or require higher tiers
Estimated Add-On Cost: +$1,200 to $5,000/month depending on your HubSpot plan and integration volume
Salesforce’s Einstein GPT ecosystem is powerful—but pricey.
Einstein License: Required for native generative AI access ($75–$150/user/month)
API Calls: Limited unless you're on an enterprise plan
Custom Integration: Building agents that interact with multiple Salesforce Clouds (e.g., Sales + Service) will require complex API work
Estimated Add-On Cost: +$5,000–$25,000/year, plus enterprise licensing
Maven AGI is a fast-growing platform for deploying agentic AI without deep technical expertise.
Core Platform License: Required to host and manage agents (~$1,000–$5,000/month)
Knowledge Graph + Inbox Management: Included in higher tiers
Token Usage: GPT-4 and Claude costs passed through at wholesale rate or via token pool subscriptions
Estimated Add-On Cost: +$12,000–$60,000/year depending on scale and LLM usage
ServiceNow AI agents usually sit within ITSM or CSM modules:
Virtual Agent Designer: Included in most enterprise ITSM/CSM licenses
Integration with LLMs: Requires additional configuration and compute cost
RPA + AI Workflow Licensing: May trigger license uplift depending on the automation depth
Estimated Add-On Cost: +$10,000–$50,000/year depending on license type and scal
AI agent deployment may trigger hidden or soft costs:
Deploying AI doesn’t eliminate people—it changes how they work. You may need:
Internal documentation
Training sessions
User support desks
Estimate: $2,000–$15,000 depending on org size
For regulated industries, you may need:
Data encryption/in-transit & at rest
SOC2, HIPAA, or ISO 27001 compliance add-ons
Estimate: +10–15% of project cost
AI agents improve over time—but only if they're monitored and retrained:
Monthly audits
Prompt tuning
Dataset enrichment
Estimate: $1,000–$5,000/month
Example: AI Customer Service Agent on HubSpot
Strategy & Development: $12,000
HubSpot Ops Hub Enterprise: $7,200/year
Monthly Usage: $1,500/month for 20,000 tasks
LLM Token Pool: $300/month
Agent Monitoring: $500/month
Total Year 1 Cost: ~$45,000–$60,000
The question isn’t just "How much does an AI agent cost?"—it’s "What value will this agent create?"
The best pricing models align cost with performance: the more efficient, accurate, and impactful the agent, the more justifiable the spend. Platforms like HubSpot, Salesforce, Maven AGI, and ServiceNow each have unique pricing and infrastructure nuances, so plan accordingly.
If you’re considering building or scaling AI agents and need help estimating or structuring your pricing model—schedule a free consultation with ManoByte. We build platform-agnostic agents that deliver measurable ROI, faster.
Schedule a Consultation with ManoByte