Automation audit
Free
45-minute call
We map one process with you, estimate the hours it costs, and tell you whether automating it is worth it. You keep the notes either way.
- Process walkthrough
- Hours-saved estimate
- Written recommendation
Pricing (CAD)
How much does AI automation cost? Real prices in CAD
How much does AI automation cost for a small business? Less than most people expect. These are our real price ranges in Canadian dollars. Every project gets a fixed quote after a free audit, so there are no surprises and no "contact us for pricing".
Single automation
$1,500 – $5,000
one-time
One workflow connected end to end: a form to your CRM, invoices into QuickBooks, a weekly report that builds itself.
- Zapier, Make, n8n or Power Automate
- Testing with your real data
- 30 days of fixes included
AI receptionist
$2,000 – $6,000
setup, plus $150 – $500/month
Answers calls and texts, books into your scheduling software, and hands off to a person when it should.
- Voice and SMS
- Books into Jobber, Google Calendar, Outlook and others
- Call summaries to your inbox
Dashboards & reporting
$3,000 – $12,000
one-time
Power BI dashboards fed automatically from your accounting, CRM and spreadsheets.
- Data model and refresh schedule
- 3–6 core reports
- Handover training
Custom tools & integrations
$8,000 – $40,000
per project
Small, focused software: an internal app to replace a spreadsheet, a client portal, or two systems that finally talk.
- Fixed-scope quote
- You own the code
- Hosting in Canada available
Fractional CTO
$2,000 – $6,000
per month
A technology lead on retainer: vendor decisions, roadmaps, AI policy, and someone to call before you sign a software contract.
- Monthly planning session
- Vendor and contract review
- Priority response
Prices exclude GST. Software subscriptions (Zapier, Power BI, AI platforms) are billed by the vendor directly to you.
What moves the price
- Number of systems. Connecting two apps is simpler than connecting five.
- Data quality. Messy data needs cleaning before it can flow automatically.
- Exceptions. Every "except when…" in your process adds logic and testing.
- AI steps. Reading documents or handling conversations needs testing against real examples.
- Privacy requirements. Canadian hosting or health-information controls can change the tools we use.
Custom software development cost in Canada
Custom software quotes in Canada vary enormously. Agencies building full platforms often quote six figures, and some quote half a million dollars. Most small businesses don't need that. They need a focused tool that replaces a spreadsheet or connects two systems, and those typically cost $8,000 to $40,000.
We keep costs down by building on proven platforms, reusing what already works, and keeping scope tight. See custom tools & integrations.
What about AI consulting and IT?
Standalone AI consulting assessments are quoted after a short call based on team size. Managed IT & security is priced per user per month for existing automation clients.
FAQ
Pricing questions
How much does AI automation cost for a small business?
Most small-business automations cost $1,500 to $5,000 each to build. AI receptionists run $2,000 to $6,000 to set up plus a monthly platform fee. Larger custom tools run $8,000 to $40,000.
Are there monthly costs after the build?
Usually just the software subscriptions the automation runs on, such as Zapier, Make, or an AI platform. We estimate these before you commit. Ongoing support from us is optional.
Do you charge hourly?
We quote fixed prices for defined scopes, so you know the cost before we start. Small changes after launch are billed hourly or covered by a support plan.
How quickly does automation pay for itself?
We estimate payback during the free audit. As a rule of thumb, we only recommend projects we expect to pay back within about a year from time saved or revenue recovered.
Can funding programs help cover costs?
Sometimes. See our AI funding guide for BDC LIFT, the Building Up Manitoba Program and others.
Get a fixed quote for your project.
Start with a free 45-minute audit. You'll leave with a scope, a price range and a payback estimate.