What does an AI crew cost? Pricing by the job, with three worked examples
Brainztem is priced by the job: a $99 a month workspace plus the agents you add. Three worked examples with the arithmetic shown, from the workspace alone to the whole crew.
AI pricing is hard to compare. One tool charges per seat, another per message, another per credit that nobody can convert into work. As an owner you want one question answered: what will this cost me each month for the jobs I actually need done?
Brainztem is priced by the job. This post explains the two parts of the price and works through three examples with the arithmetic shown.
The two parts of the price
The first part is the workspace, at $99 a month. It includes chat with your crew, the Writing agent, your knowledge brain, and your board of tasks, calendar and pipeline.
The second part is the agents you add. Each agent does one job, such as drafting email replies, writing quotes or sorting bank transactions, and each has its own monthly price. You add the ones your business needs and leave the rest.
Three levels, by volume
Every agent comes in three levels. The level sets how much work is included each month.
- Getting started. For a business just getting going, or trying one agent for the first time.
- Steady. Fits most small businesses: a full inbox and a steady flow of customers and jobs.
- Busy. For a busy shop or a growing team with high volume in every channel.
The allowance is counted in the agent's own unit. The Email agent at Steady includes about 220 replies drafted a month. The Quoting agent at Steady includes about 30 quotes. The workspace has its own allowance for chat replies, documents and brain pages: 300, 600 or 1,500 crew actions a month.
Example one: the workspace alone
You want to work with a crew before adding specialists, so you take the workspace and nothing else. The sum is one line: $99 a month.
With it you can chat with your crew, have the Writing agent draft documents, build and correct your brain, and run your board.
Example two: a typical start
The starting point we suggest for a typical small business is called "Run the front office." It is the workspace plus three agents at the Steady level.
- Workspace: $99
- Email, Steady: $29
- Quoting, Steady: $29
- Invoicing & collections, Steady: $19
$99 + $29 + $29 + $19 = $176 a month.
The same three agents at Getting started come to $99 + $19 + $19 + $15 = $152 a month. At Busy they come to $99 + $49 + $49 + $29 = $226 a month.
Example three: the whole crew
This is the top of the ladder: the workspace plus all 18 agents on the menu, at the Busy level. Here it is by group.
- Front office: Email $49, Scheduling $29, Website chat & support $49. Subtotal $127.
- Sales: Outreach & follow-up $69, Prospect research $59, Quoting $49. Subtotal $177.
- Back office: Invoicing & collections $29, Bookkeeping $39, Purchasing $49, Customer records upkeep $19, Weekly reports $19. Subtotal $155.
- Marketing: Graphic design $59, Social media $49, Website content & SEO $79. Subtotal $187.
- Specialists: Grant writing $149, Contracts & documents $79, Translation $49, Website Builder $99. Subtotal $376.
$127 + $177 + $155 + $187 + $376 = $1,022 for the agents. Add the $99 workspace and the whole crew at Busy is $1,121 a month.
The same full crew is $553 a month at Getting started and $743 at Steady. Most businesses land somewhere in between the first example and this one. The whole crew is here to show the ceiling.
Two notes on that list. The Website Builder is $99 at every level. And Graphic design is a Managed Launch agent: it needs something set up on your side first, so it is not charged at checkout and is billed only once it is live.
What happens at the limit
We email you when an allowance reaches 80%. At 100%, that agent pauses until the month resets or you move up a level, and the rest of your crew keeps working. Nothing is charged without you choosing it.
You can add or remove agents any month, move up or down a level, or cancel. There is no setup fee and no contract.
Before you pay anything, see the crew work on your own business. The free preview at brainztem.com lasts 48 hours and needs no card. If you already have a workspace, open Settings, then Plan & email, to see your plan in one line.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Brainztem cost per month?
The workspace is $99 a month. Each agent you add has its own monthly price in three levels, so the total depends on the jobs you choose.
What does a typical small business pay?
Our suggested starting point, the workspace plus Email, Quoting and Invoicing & collections at the Steady level, is $176 a month.
What does the whole crew cost?
The workspace plus all 18 agents is $553 a month at Getting started, $743 at Steady and $1,121 at Busy.
Can my bill go up without my say?
No. We email you at 80% of an allowance, and at 100% that agent pauses until the month resets or you choose to move up a level.
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