Cost guide

How much does custom AI development cost in 2026?

A custom AI pilot on one use case costs $5,000–$50K at the direct rate, as a fixed quote once the two-week discovery has set the scope. The discovery is priced on its own below and credited against the pilot within 60 days. A dedicated AI team after launch is priced per month.

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Direct rate, in ₹ or $ · Reply within four business hours (typical)

The range

What it costs,
at the direct rate.

A two-week discovery sets the scope and a fixed pilot quote. The pilot takes one use case to a working system. A dedicated AI team then carries it on, billed monthly.

One-offDiscovery$1,000–$5,000one-time
ProjectPilot$5,000–$50Kfixed quote, one-time

Indicative: every figure is refined into an itemised proposal.INR figures shown excl. GST.

Where the engagement includes it, a Prism workspace holds requests, approvals, tasks and reviews.

What moves the price

Why the price
varies from job to job.

How many systems it connects to

Every system the AI reaches needs access limits, a connection and tests. One system sits at the bottom of the range; several back-office systems sit at the top.

Biggest factor

What your data can support

The discovery checks whether your documents and records can support the use case. Clean data in one place keeps the pilot small. Data spread across tools adds preparation work.

Hidden cost

How much it may do on its own

An AI that drafts for a person to approve needs fewer checks than one that acts on its own. Anything that cannot be undone waits for approval, and each approval step is built and tested.

Risk

Where the data has to stay

The model is chosen on fit, cost and where your data must be stored. Strict rules on data location can mean a hosted model in a chosen region, which adds set-up work.

Scope

The options

Which option
suits your business.

Each option below is one way to buy Custom AI development. Read what it is and who it suits, then ask for the one that fits. Your proposal itemises it.

One-off

Discovery

$1,000–$5,000one-time

What it is

Two weeks to agree the use case and how success is measured, check what your data can support, choose an architecture and model, and give you a fixed quote for the pilot.

Who it fits

Anyone with an AI idea that needs scoping before a build. It does not fit a defined chatbot or integration, which have their own starting prices.

Included

The use case and how success is measured, agreed in writing
Your data checked for what it can support
An architecture and model choice, with cost and where your data is stored
A fixed quote for the pilot

Not included, quoted separately

The pilot build
Model and API usage during testing

Turnaround: 2 weeks
Moves the number: How many systems and data sources the use case needs.

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Project

Pilot

$5,000–$50Kfixed quote, one-time

What it is

One defined use case taken to a working system on your data, tested against your own numbers and handed over with a guide and agreed ownership terms.

Who it fits

Teams with a use case the discovery has confirmed. It does not fit a buyer who wants a full product in one step; that is built use case by use case.

Included

One use case built and running on your data
Tests from real cases, signed off before launch
Access, logs and approval limits set for the use case
A step-by-step guide and agreed IP and ownership terms

Not included, quoted separately

Model and API usage
Hosting
More use cases, priced after the pilot

Turnaround: 4 to 8 weeks
Moves the number: How many systems it connects to, and how much it may do on its own.

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Cheaper or dearer

What makes your quote
lower or higher.

The pilot is quoted once the discovery has set the scope, so every item below is a line in the proposal.

Brings the quote down

One use case with a clear finish line
One system with a documented API
Clean data in one place
An AI that drafts for a person to approve

Pushes the quote up

Several back-office systems
Data spread across many tools
An AI that changes live systems on its own
Strict rules on where data may be stored

What you get

What your fee
pays for.

The fee buys one proven use case and the plan to scale it. We promise no savings or accuracy figure.

A written scope

The use case, how success is measured, and a fixed pilot quote.

A working pilot

One use case running on your data.

Tests against your numbers

Results you sign off before it goes further.

Access and logs

Only the access it needs, every action logged.

The guide and ownership

A step-by-step guide and agreed IP and ownership terms.

AgenciesThe ranges above are direct prices. Agency partners buy from the partner price list, about 20% lower on packages.

See the partner price list →

Questions

Frequently
asked.

Because the price depends on your data, your systems and what the AI may do, which nobody knows until they are checked. The discovery fee is credited against the pilot within 60 days.

No. Model and API usage and hosting are billed separately, at cost, so you can see and cap them.

No. We build on proven models and give them your knowledge through retrieval and careful prompts. Computer vision, custom model training and MLOps are not part of this service.

It is priced per month: a named lead and engineers on one plan. See the AI engineering team row on the AI pricing page.

Several systems, data spread across tools and an AI that acts on its own. Each adds connection and testing work.

Other cost guides
and the service page.

How much does an AI agent cost in 2026?Cost guide: the options, what changes the price and what the fee buys.How much does an AI chatbot cost in 2026?Cost guide: the options, what changes the price and what the fee buys.About Custom AI developmentThe service page: what the work is, how it runs and the proof behind it.Custom AI development on the rate cardThe same ranges beside every other service, in one card.

Last updated 4 November 2026

What it costs,at the direct rate.

Why the pricevaries from job to job.