AI ROI Calculator

Is that AI subscription actually paying for itself? Enter the hours AI saves you each week, what an hour of work costs, and what you spend on AI tools — get your monthly savings, ROI percentage, and payback period. Runs entirely in your browser.

⏱️ Time saved

Hours saved per week per person

Team members using AI

💵 Costs

Hourly cost of work ($) wage + overhead

Monthly AI tool spend ($)

Directional, not destiny. This measures direct labor savings — the easiest ROI to quantify. Real returns also include faster turnaround, fewer errors, and work you'd otherwise never get done. Re-measure after 90 days with actual usage data; most teams find the first estimate was conservative.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you calculate ROI on AI tools?

The standard small-business formula: (hours saved per week × 4.33 weeks × hourly cost × team members) − monthly AI spend = net monthly gain. Divide the net gain by the spend for ROI %. Track it for 90 days, then re-measure with real numbers.

What counts as the "hourly cost" of work?

Not just wages — include overhead: benefits, taxes, and tools, typically 1.25–1.4× the hourly wage. A $28/hour employee really costs about $35–39/hour. Using loaded cost keeps the ROI honest.

What's a good ROI for AI automation?

Anything above 0% means the tool pays for itself. In practice, teams automating repetitive writing, data entry, or customer triage commonly see 300–1,000%+ ROI because the tools cost tens of dollars while saving hours worth hundreds.

How long until AI pays for itself?

Often days, not months — a $60/month tool that saves one $35/hour employee two hours a week pays back in under two weeks. The calculator shows your exact payback period above.

What if my team is just me?

Set team members to 1. Solo founders often see the highest ROI: the hours AI gives back are hours you were personally working.