The honest cost of AI for an Australian small business in 2026
Every week someone asks me "what's this actually going to cost?" The marketing sites don't help. They hide costs, show US prices, and act like you need three subscriptions. Here's what I actually see in real budgets.
To get started: around $30/month
If you just want to use a smart assistant every day, pick one. Use it. That's it.
- Claude. Around $30/month for the paid tier.
- Everything else waits. Nothing else yet.
Use it for a month before you spend anything else. Most small businesses never need more than this.
Once you start building automations
Costs come from three places:
1. The AI tool ($30–$100/month)
Keep paying for the assistant you use, or start using it in a system (billed per use). The monthly subscription is usually enough.
2. Cowork or agent tooling ($0–$30/month)
If you want Claude running as a desktop agent or on a schedule, Cowork handles that. For most small businesses the cost is low - and the time saved on recurring tasks usually pays for it in the first week.
3. Add-ons to tools you already use ($0–$40/month each)
Your CRM, accounting app, or email now often have AI features as extras. Most aren't needed on day one. Some are worth it eventually.
The hidden costs people forget
Setup time
Your time or someone else's. The tool is $20/month, but four hours figuring out how to use it is the real cost. This is where hiring someone for a day often pays back in two weeks through saved time.
Multiple users = multiple costs
Most "pro" plans are per person. Five staff on a $30 tool costs $150, not $30. Check before you roll it out to the team.
US dollars and hidden fees
Most bill in USD. Your bank adds a 2–3% conversion fee. On $200/month, that's $50–70/year you didn't budget for. A USD account or travel card fixes it.
The forgotten subscription tax
Trial subscriptions nobody cancelled. That's the biggest waste I see. Check your bank every three months. There's always at least one hiding there.
If you hire someone to build it
Most custom builds I do cost $2,500–$8,000 as a one-time build, then nothing except your monthly subscriptions. You usually break even in 2–4 months through hours saved.
The most expensive tool is the one nobody uses. Start cheap. Spend more once something's working.
Want to know what your stack should actually cost? Workflow assessments help with that. Happy to talk through it on a free call, no pressure.