How much to charge for AI consulting
Rates reviewed June 2026
AI consulting is sold by the hour when it is advisory and by the project when it delivers something built. The fastest way to raise your rate is to price the outcome, a process that saves a team real hours, not your time.
You should charge
$195
per hour · typical $100–$400
Why this number. Productize the work into named packages and price the result, not the hour. A workflow that saves a team ten hours a week is worth far more than your day rate, and packaging it stops the client from auditing your time.
Typical AI consulting prices
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Hourly advisory | $100 – $300 |
| Workshop or training (half day) | $1,500 – $5,000 |
| Implementation project | $5,000 – $25,000 |
Free · The words, not just the number
Get the AI consulting pricing script
A short, calm script for quoting AI consulting in person. The goal is not to pitch. It is to ask a few good questions, say your number once without flinching, and let them talk themselves into yes.
- ✓The questions to ask before you ever name a price
- ✓How to say your number so it lands, then stay quiet
- ✓The line for when they say "that's too much" (no discounting)
- ✓A rate-increase template for clients you already have
- ✓Early access to the paid Pricing Toolkit
Instant unlock, and a copy in your inbox. No spam. The calculator stays free either way.
What changes the price
- Scope (advisory vs. hands-on implementation)
- Your track record and proof of results
- Deliverables and ongoing support
- The client's size and the stakes of the project
The pricing move most people miss
Productize the work into named packages and price the result, not the hour. A workflow that saves a team ten hours a week is worth far more than your day rate, and packaging it stops the client from auditing your time.
What to SayAI
They pushed back on your price? Get the exact reply.
Paste what a AI consulting client says. A sales-psychology-trained AI writes the words that hold your price, in seconds. Free.
Get the reply →Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for AI consulting?+
Most AI consulting is priced $100–$400 per hour, with a typical rate around $200 per hour. Where you land inside that range comes down mainly to scope (advisory vs. hands-on implementation) and your track record and proof of results. Use the range as your anchor, then adjust up for experience, strong demand, and a higher cost-of-living area.
Should I charge by the hour or a flat rate for AI consulting?+
Charging by the hour ($100–$400 per hour) is the simplest way to start and protects you when the scope is unclear. But once you know how long a typical job takes, a flat per-job price usually earns more: it pays you for getting faster instead of punishing you for it, and clients prefer a fixed number they can budget around.
How much should I charge for AI consulting as a beginner?+
Starting out, price near the lower end of the range, roughly $100 to $200 per hour. Resist going below that to win work: a price that is too low attracts price-shoppers, signals low quality, and is hard to raise later. Once you have a few happy clients and reviews, move toward $400.
What affects how much AI consulting costs?+
The biggest factors are scope (advisory vs. hands-on implementation); your track record and proof of results; deliverables and ongoing support; the client's size and the stakes of the project. Two jobs that look alike can price very differently once these are accounted for, which is why a quick walkthrough or a few questions before quoting protects your rate.
How do I quote AI consulting so the client says yes?+
Productize the work into named packages and price the result, not the hour. A workflow that saves a team ten hours a week is worth far more than your day rate, and packaging it stops the client from auditing your time. Put the quote in writing with exactly what is included, state the price once without apologizing for it, and give one clear next step. A confident, well-structured quote wins jobs at a higher price than a vague one at a lower price.