Custom AI development starts at €3,000 for a discovery workshop and scales to fit any budget. Most companies begin with a focused engagement under €15,000 and grow from there.
You do not need a massive budget to start using AI. A discovery workshop costs €3,000. A focused proof-of-concept starts at €5,000. A working MVP that handles real business processes can be built for €15,000 to €40,000. The companies that get the most value from AI are not the ones that spend the most — they are the ones that start with a clear, small problem and expand from there.
This guide breaks down real pricing across every stage of AI development. Whether you are a two-person startup or a 500-person enterprise, there is an entry point that fits your situation.
Start Small: €3,000 – €15,000
The smartest way to approach AI is to start with a small, focused engagement. You learn what works, prove value, and build confidence before committing to anything larger.
- Discovery workshop (2-5 days): €3,000 – €7,500. We sit down together, look at your business, your data, and your pain points. You walk away with a clear picture of where AI adds real value — and where it does not. No commitment beyond the workshop.
- Focused proof-of-concept (2-4 weeks): €5,000 – €15,000. We pick one specific problem and build a working prototype that demonstrates what AI can do with your actual data. This is the fastest way to see if AI is right for you.
This is where we recommend every company starts. A €3,000 workshop that tells you “AI is not the right solution for this problem” saves you from a €50,000 mistake. And if AI is the right fit, you will know exactly what to build next.
Building Your First AI System: €15,000 – €50,000
Once you have validated the concept, the next step is a production-ready system. This is not a prototype — it handles real users, real data, and real business processes.
- Timeline: 2-4 months
- What you get: A working AI system with core functionality, basic integrations, monitoring, and documentation
- Common projects at this level: Customer support chatbot, internal knowledge assistant, document processing tool, personalized recommendation engine
Cost breakdown:
- Architecture & design: 15-20%
- Development: 40-50%
- Testing & refinement: 15-20%
- Deployment & handover: 10-15%
Most first-time AI projects land in this range. You get a system that delivers measurable value without overcommitting resources.
Growing With AI: €50,000 – €150,000
As AI proves its value, you may want to expand — connecting more systems, adding more intelligence, or rolling out to more teams.
- Timeline: 3-6 months
- What this includes: Multiple integrations, advanced features, compliance considerations, team training
- Typical scope: Multi-channel support system, workflow automation across departments, or a comprehensive knowledge management platform
This is where AI starts transforming how your company operates, not just optimizing one process.
Enterprise Scale: €150,000+
Large-scale AI implementations involve multiple systems, stakeholders, compliance requirements, and organizational change. These projects are the exception, not the norm — most companies reach this stage gradually after proving value at smaller scales.
- Timeline: 6-12 months
- Scope: Multi-system integration, GDPR compliance, custom model training, phased rollout, change management
- Who needs this: Companies with 500+ employees, complex regulatory requirements, or AI that touches multiple business units
Most companies never need to spend this much. A well-designed €30,000 system often delivers 80% of the value of a €300,000 one. We always recommend starting smaller and scaling based on proven results.
What Actually Drives the Price
Five factors determine your final cost:
- How clearly you define the problem. The single biggest cost driver. A clear brief with specific success metrics can cut development time by 30-40%.
- The state of your data. Clean, accessible data means faster development. If your data needs significant cleanup, that adds to the timeline.
- How many systems need to connect. A standalone AI tool is simpler than one that integrates with your CRM, ERP, and email system.
- Compliance needs. GDPR compliance is standard in Europe. Regulated industries (finance, healthcare) have additional requirements.
- Your team’s involvement. Companies that actively participate in the process — providing feedback, testing, sharing domain knowledge — get better results faster.
Ongoing Costs: What to Expect
After launch, plan for:
- API and infrastructure: €200 – €2,000/month for most systems. High-volume applications may cost more.
- Maintenance: 10-15% of initial cost annually for updates and improvements
- Growth: As usage increases, costs scale — but well-built systems scale efficiently
For a typical small-to-mid-size AI system, expect €300 to €1,500 per month in total running costs.
How to Get Started
You do not need to have everything figured out. Here is what a first conversation looks like:
- Tell us what problem you are trying to solve. Not what technology you want — what business outcome you need.
- We will be honest about whether AI is the right solution. Sometimes it is not, and we will tell you that.
- If it is, we will propose a small first step. Usually a discovery workshop or a focused PoC. Low risk, high clarity.
There is no minimum company size, no minimum budget, and no pressure. We work with solo founders and enterprise teams alike.
Key Takeaways
- Start small. A €3,000 – €7,500 discovery workshop is the smartest first investment.
- Prove before you build. A €5,000 – €15,000 proof-of-concept shows you exactly what AI can do for your business.
- Most first projects cost €15,000 – €50,000. That gets you a working system that delivers real value.
- You do not need enterprise budgets. 80% of the value often comes from 20% of the investment.
- Ongoing costs are manageable. Most systems run for €300 – €1,500 per month after launch.