The cost of an AI agent has three parts: installation, support, and model usage. But two quotes that look alike can cover very different scopes. This article explains each cost category, which factors drive the price, and what to look for when comparing quotes, so you compare like with like.
The cost of an AI agent has three parts: installation and pilot (a one-time cost, depending on hardware, onboarding, and integrations), support (ongoing updates, monitoring, and assistance, covered by a custom quote), and model usage (variable, depending on how much you use the agent and which model you choose). Which part weighs heaviest differs per business and per task.
| Cost item | One-time | Ongoing |
|---|---|---|
Installation and pilot | Yes, depending on hardware, onboarding, and integrations | — |
Support | — | Yes, tailored support: updates, monitoring, and assistance through a custom quote |
Model usage | — | Yes, variable, through your own provider account |
Hardware (optional) | Yes, if new hardware is needed for your local setup | — (electricity and maintenance) |
Installation includes setting up Hermes on a system at your business, configuring projects and a knowledge base, setting up access and any integrations, and onboarding two to three employees.
The price depends on complexity: a simple setup without integrations costs less than an environment with CRM connections and custom scripts. We discuss this openly during the initial conversation.
A single task with a fixed workflow costs less than a process that runs across multiple steps, systems, and exceptions. That sounds obvious, but in quotes the difference is often invisible: both are called "installing an AI agent." Always ask which tasks and steps the installation covers exactly.
After the pilot comes support: Hermes updates, installation monitoring, daily backups, periodic recovery tests, and help for your team. Backups are encrypted and stored at a separate location on your network, not on the node. You agree on the scope with Voltti and receive a custom quote. Read more about the service on our approach page.
To make quotes comparable, we scope every project the same way. Included: installation on your system, onboarding for your team, agreements about goals and boundaries, updates and monitoring during support, and human review at moments you decide.
Optional, requested and priced separately: additional integrations such as your CRM or project management tool, custom scripts, a computer supplied by Voltti, and more extensive support agreements than the standard package.
External costs that fall outside the quote: model usage through your own provider account, your own time reviewing the output, and electricity and maintenance if you run on your own hardware.
Hermes uses a language model for its reasoning. That model can run locally or through an external provider such as OpenAI or Anthropic. These costs depend on how much you use the agent.
Importantly, this usage runs through your own account with the model provider, not through Voltti. You control what you spend and can set limits.
Comparing two quotes on price without comparing scope tells you nothing. Eight factors together determine how much work an installation is. Ask for every quote what exactly is included on these points; we walk through them below.
An agent that handles one clearly defined task, such as following up on quotes, is set up faster than a process that runs across multiple steps and systems. More steps means more testing.
Every integration with your CRM, email, scheduling, or invoicing requires configuration and permissions. Existing API access makes it cheaper; custom access makes it more expensive.
Is your process documented in files the agent can read, or does that need cleaning up first? Messy input means more preparation and longer testing.
The more exceptions a process has, the more test cases are needed to show the agent works reliably. Testing is not a side note; it is the proof.
Minimum permissions require setup: separate accounts, read-only where possible, write access only where needed. A quote that says nothing about this is skipping a risk.
Who adjusts the agent when your process changes? Support ranges from ad hoc hours to ongoing assistance; the scope is in the quote.
Running locally does not bill tokens per conversation, but requires hardware. An external model bills per use, through your own provider account. Both weigh on total cost.
Hermes runs on a machine you already have or choose. Only if you do not have a suitable computer does Voltti supply one; that is an option, not a requirement.
Before you sign anything, check these points. A quote that does not mention them is not a quote, just a price.
The exact tasks and steps the agent will perform, not just the name of the tool
Which integrations are included and which are billed separately
What happens in the pilot and what you can expect afterward
Which permissions the agent gets and where the boundaries are
Who reviews the output and when a person must approve
What support includes: updates, monitoring, availability, recovery
Where your data lives and where backups go
How model usage is handled: your own account or a pass-through
Where do you collect those quotes? Besides your own network, you will find online directories that put AI agent agencies side by side. DesignRush is one of them; Voltti is listed there as a designrush partner. Use it as a starting point for your first selection, not as a replacement for the checklist above.
You get more than software. You get a working environment with support, updates, and backups. Your team gets assistance, and you have someone to help think through new use cases.
For the broader choice, compare an AI agent with a chatbot, or explore whether to build or outsource your own AI assistant.
Wondering whether it makes sense for your situation? Discuss your pilot and we will explore the options together. Still deciding between doing it yourself or having it done? On AI agent development you can read what Voltti sets up for you and which first tasks are a good fit.
Sharing this with Dutch-speaking colleagues or clients? There is also a Dutch version: Wat kost een AI-agent voor een bedrijf?
Every environment is different: hardware, integrations, and the level of support vary by business. You therefore always receive a custom quote. Get in touch for an indication.
No. Model usage runs through your own account with the model provider, directly and without any involvement from Voltti. That gives you full control over your spending and lets you set your own limits.
The pilot is an evaluation period. If it does not work, we discuss what went wrong and whether adjustments are possible. There is no obligation to continue with support.
Not necessarily. If you have a suitable computer, we can use it. Otherwise, we can supply hardware. We discuss this during the intake.
