ROI calculator
Compare an AI tool's monthly cost against the labor it replaces. Pick a tracked model to price it from live catalog data, or enter a custom monthly cost for anything not yet tracked.
AI tool
Labor replaced
ROI output readout
Pick a model on the left to estimate its monthly cost from live pricing.
ROI method
The calculator values monthly labor saved, adjusts it by the quality factor, subtracts monthly AI cost, then treats setup cost as the one-time investment to recover.
- Labor value
- hours x rate x quality
- Net savings
- labor value - AI cost
- ROI
- net savings / AI cost
- Payback
- setup cost / net savings
Assumptions to check
- Use saved time after human review, retries, and correction work.
- Use loaded labor cost if salary, benefits, tax, and overhead matter to the decision.
- Put rollout, integration, training, and evaluation effort into setup cost.
- Lower the quality factor when output needs more checking or cannot replace the whole task.
Sensitivity checks
Run a conservative, expected, and optimistic case before using the result in a business case. The inputs that usually move ROI most are hours saved, review burden, and the quality factor. If a small change makes net savings negative, treat the result as a pilot hypothesis rather than a purchasing case.
ROI calculator FAQ
What does the quality factor mean?
It discounts saved labor when AI output is not fully equivalent to human work. A factor of 0.7 means you count 70% of the estimated saved hours.
Should implementation cost be monthly or one-time?
Use setup cost for one-time rollout effort. Keep recurring subscription, API, or operations spend in monthly AI cost.
Why can ROI be positive but payback still look slow?
Monthly ROI compares recurring savings against recurring cost. Payback also has to recover setup cost, so large rollout effort can delay break-even.
How often is catalog cost data updated?
Catalog-mode cost uses the current AICostCompass pricing data for the selected model and workload. Check the model detail page for provider sources and update notes.