How much does an AI audit cost? Published prices and what drives them

Quick answer: how much does an AI audit cost? The firms we checked publish roughly GBP 750 to 8,000 in the UK and USD 1,500 to 2,500 for a US readiness audit, and agencies charge more. Price follows company size and scope. AutomAIA's fixed price is typically USD 3,000 to 5,000.

Prices vary a lot, and almost every number online comes from a firm that sells audits. Treat all of them, ours included, as vendor-published. Below is what we found when we read the sources, with dates where the page gives one.

What do published AI audit prices look like?

Why do AI audit prices differ by country?

The sources come from the UK, the US, France and Spain, in different currencies and from different dates, so they are not like for like. Day rates, company sizes and even what counts as an audit differ. Read each range as a signal of what that firm sells, not as the going rate anywhere.

What drives the price of an AI audit?

• check_circleCompany size. The UK consultant quotes under 10 staff and 10 to 50 staff separately, in much higher ranges for the second.
• check_circleThe number of departments and tools to map.
• check_circleThe depth of the deliverable. A short list of findings costs less than a report with a process map, a costed roadmap and a business case. The French firm lists a 10 to 20 page report and a roadmap of 6 to 18 months for its SME audit.
• check_circleWho does the work. The UK consultant gives a day rate of GBP 600 to 1,200, and warns that some agency audits are mostly a nicer PDF.
• check_circleSubsidies. In France, a public programme has covered 25% of an eligible SME diagnostic since January 2026, according to Tensoria.

What does an AI audit cost at AutomAIA?

The AI audit is a fixed price, typically USD 3,000 to 5,000, agreed in writing before we start. The first 15-minute call is free. Builds are quoted separately, per project, after the audit.

It covers the whole flow of work, from the first enquiry to the last invoice, so it is priced above a review of a single workflow. The deliverable is one document: findings, a process map, ranked opportunities, an estimated return and an implementation roadmap. The full scope is on the AI audit page.

How much should an AI audit cost compared with the problem?

A good test is to compare the audit price with the yearly cost of the manual work it will examine. If the tasks you have in mind cost your business a few hundred dollars a year in staff time, an audit is not worth it. Fix them yourself. If they cost tens of thousands, a few thousand for a plan that ranks the fixes is small by comparison.

The worked example on the AI audit page shows one follow-up task costing about USD 10,400 a year in staff time, using invented figures. Implementation is a separate cost, so an audit should help you avoid builds that do not pay back.

What is usually not included in an AI audit price?

• check_circleBuilding the automations. At AutomAIA this is quoted per project after the audit.
• check_circleSoftware subscriptions and usage fees for the tools the plan recommends.
• check_circleYour own staff time: the discovery session and the questionnaire need the people who do the work.
• check_circleTraining your team on whatever gets built.
• check_circleOngoing support after a build.

Ask each firm which of these are included. Do not assume.

When is a cheap or free AI audit a bad sign?

Justin Harris calls audits at USD 500 or less "almost always lead magnets disguised as assessments". Lilach Bullock describes free audits from companies that sell AI software as a sales demo that points toward their own product. Both authors sell audits themselves, so weigh that.

A low price is not proof of a bad audit. Ask what you get for it. Harris also warns that standalone audits at USD 5,000 or more may be a rebranded strategy engagement. Our range reaches USD 5,000 for larger businesses. Judge us the same way: by the written scope and the deliverable, not by the price.

How do you check that an AI audit is worth the price?

• check_circleThe scope and the price are in writing before you pay.
• check_circleThe deliverables are named: findings, process map, ranked list, estimated return and roadmap.
• check_circleThe ranking includes what is not worth automating. An audit that recommends everything is selling something.
• check_circleThe return on each fix is estimated with numbers you can check against your own.
• check_circleYou can use the plan without the auditor. If it only works with their software, it is a sales demo.
• check_circleYou know what happens next: implementation is quoted separately and you are not obliged to buy it.

Remember that implementation is a separate cost. As Lilach Bullock puts it, "A £2,000 audit that produces a roadmap you never fund is £2,000 spent on a nice document." If you are not sure an audit fits yet, take the AI readiness assessment, or read what an AI audit is to make sure you are buying the right kind. When you are ready to talk, book a free call.

Frequently asked questions