— Tool · Free
AI automation ROI calculator.
— In short
A free calculator for the business case behind an AI automation project. Enter the hours it would save each week, the loaded hourly rate of the people doing that work, how many people benefit, the size of the work and the ramp time. You get the year-one value, build cost, payback period and 12-month ROI for four sizes of engagement, from light tool setup to a multi-team rollout. Build costs use SolvSpot starting prices.
Hours saved per week
8 hrs
Loaded hourly rate (USD)
$75/hr
Team members benefiting
5 people
Size of the work
Ramp time (weeks to full capacity)
2 wks
— Recommended: Single automation
Year-1 value
$147k
2.0k hrs saved
Payback
2 wks
Build: $4.8k
12-mo ROI
29.6×
Vs. build cost
Steady-state value (year 2+, no ramp): $150k per year.
— Compare across paths
Tool setup and light automation
Not recommended$1.5kbuild · 1 wk payback
Year 1: $147k · Steady: $150k
Your scope goes beyond configuring existing tools. A custom automation fits better.
Single automation
★ Best fit$4.8kbuild · 2 wks payback
Year 1: $147k · Steady: $150k
AI implementation program
Not recommended$12.8kbuild · 1 mo payback
Year 1: $147k · Steady: $150k
A single automation covers this. A program is for three or more connected workflows.
Multi-team rollout (custom)
Not recommended$35kbuild · 3 mo payback
Year 1: $147k · Steady: $150k
A single automation or a program covers your scope.
Build costs use SolvSpot starting prices, so your quote may be higher. 50 working weeks a year, linear ramp. Real returns depend on the workflow and on how well the team adopts it.
— Want a second opinion?
Payback in 2 wks. Want us to check the assumptions?
Leave your email and we'll reply with an honest read of these numbers: what looks right, what we'd question, and what it would cost with us.
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— How to use it
Three numbers decide the answer.
- Hours saved per week. Start from the time the task takes today, then take about a third off. An automation rarely removes a task completely: someone still reviews the output and handles the exceptions.
- Loaded hourly cost. Salary plus benefits and overhead, divided by the hours worked in a year. Use the cost of the people who do the task, not a company average.
- People who benefit. Count only those who do this task every week. It is usually fewer than the size of the team.
— The formula
weekly value = hours saved × people × hourly cost
payback (weeks) = build cost ÷ weekly value
12-month ROI = (year-one value − build cost) ÷ build cost
The full method, a worked example and what to measure in each department are in AI automation ROI: how to calculate it.
— Methodology
The four sizes map to SolvSpot starting prices: tool setup and light automation (from $1,500), a single automation (from $4,800, one workflow in production in about two weeks), an AI implementation program (from $12,800, several connected workflows with shared monitoring), and a multi-team rollout (illustrated at $35,000, always quoted individually). Your own quote may be higher than the starting price, so treat payback as a best case.
Annual value uses 50 working weeks per year, allowing two weeks for holidays. Ramp time is modeled as a straight line: during the ramp the automation delivers about half of its full value, and it reaches the full figure at the end of the ramp period.
Payback period is the build cost divided by the weekly value at full use. The ROI multiple is year-one value minus build cost, divided by build cost. Running costs such as AI model usage and hosting are not included, so subtract them before you compare options.
For help deciding what to build and what to buy, see when to build vs buy AI automation and what it costs to run an AI automation in production.
— Common questions
About automation ROI.
How do you calculate the ROI of AI automation?
Multiply the hours saved each week by the number of people who benefit and by their loaded hourly cost. That is the weekly value. Payback in weeks is the build cost divided by the weekly value. First-year ROI is the first-year value minus the build cost, divided by the build cost. The calculator does this for you and allows for the ramp-up period before the automation is fully in use.
What hourly rate should I enter?
Use the loaded cost of the people whose time is saved: salary plus benefits and overhead, divided by the hours they work in a year. A rough shortcut is annual salary divided by 1,500. Use the rate of the people who actually do the task, not a company average.
What is a good payback period for an automation project?
It depends on your business, but most teams look for payback well inside a year. A workflow that saves ten hours a week at a loaded cost of $40 an hour is worth $400 a week, so a $4,800 build pays back in about twelve weeks. If payback is longer than a year, an off-the-shelf tool or a smaller scope is usually the better choice.
Does the calculator include running costs?
No. It compares the value of the time saved with the one-off build cost. AI model usage, hosting and a few hours of upkeep each month are extra. For most small and mid-sized workflows those are modest, but ask for an estimate based on your real volumes and subtract it from the annual value.
Can I use it for customer service, sales, finance or marketing automation?
Yes. The calculation works for any task you can measure in hours: support replies, lead follow-up, invoice entry, reporting, document handling. Enter the hours the team spends on that task today, then reduce the figure to allow for the review and exceptions that stay with people.
Is the calculator free?
Yes. It runs in your browser, needs no sign-up, and the results stay visible whether or not you leave an email address.
— Want an exact number?
A calculator gives a range. We give a quote.
A free 20-minute call is enough for us to understand the workflow and follow up with a fixed price and timeline in writing.