Pricing · AI Consulting

How Much Does an AI Consultant Cost?

How much does an AI consultant cost? It depends on one question: are you paying for advice, or for a system that works?

Advice is usually billed hourly or by project. Consulting that includes the build is a fixed fee or a monthly retainer. Here is how each works, and exactly what Bowen charges.

Pricing Models

How AI Consultants Charge

Hourly

Common for advice-only work. Easy to start, hard to budget, and it rewards time spent rather than results. Useful for a short second opinion.

Fixed Project

A defined build for a set price: a website, an audit, a single automation. Best when the scope is clear before work starts.

Monthly Retainer

For systems that need ongoing tuning as AI models, search engines, and your business change. Best when the work genuinely continues.

Cost Drivers

What Makes an AI Consultant Cost More

  • Advice versus build. A consultant who writes a plan costs less than one who also builds and runs the system.
  • How many tools it touches. Connecting a CRM, calendar, and phone line takes more work than one chatbot on one site.
  • How reliable it must be. Anything that talks to customers or handles money needs testing and monitoring.
  • One-time or ongoing. A finished build is a fixed fee. Continuous optimization is a monthly fee.

Our Pricing

What Bowen Charges

Engagement Setup Monthly What it covers
AI-ready website (Launch) $1,500 $250/mo Fixed price. Growth tier: $3,000 setup, same $250/mo care plan.
GEO full audit $1,500 One-time AI-visibility report, plan to get cited, and the foundation build.
GEO retainer · $1,500/mo Ongoing optimization and citation monitoring. Flat rate.
Custom AI consulting and builds Scoped From $3,000/mo Strategy plus the build: agents, automation, dashboards, commercials.

We quote a flat, scoped number instead of an hourly rate: a straight number in writing within 48 hours.

Common Questions

AI Consultant Cost, Answered

How much does an AI consultant cost?

It depends on whether you are buying advice or a working system. Advice-only work is usually billed hourly or as a short project. Consulting that includes the build is usually a fixed project fee or a monthly retainer. At Bowen, custom engagements start at $3,000 per month, and our fixed-price entry points start at $1,500.

What is the average AI consultant hourly rate?

Hourly rates vary widely by experience and whether the consultant also builds. Bowen does not bill hourly. We scope the problem and give a flat number in writing within 48 hours, so you know the full cost before work starts.

Is an AI consultant worth it for a small business?

It is worth it when the system saves or earns more than it costs, which happens fastest on repetitive, high-volume work: missed calls, lead follow-up, scheduling, and answering the same questions.

What is the cheapest way to start?

The AI-ready website at $1,500 setup plus $250 per month, or the one-time $1,500 GEO audit, which shows exactly where you stand in AI search and what to fix first.

Do you work outside Pittsburgh?

Yes. Bowen is based in the Pittsburgh metro (Canonsburg, PA) and works with businesses across the U.S.

Know the Full Cost Before You Start

Tell us the problem. You get a straight number in writing within 48 hours.

Get a Scoped Number in 48 Hours

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