Key facts
| AI feature (read, classify, answer) | Adds ₹40k–₹1L to the project |
|---|---|
| Agent that acts in your systems | Adds ₹1L–₹2.5L to the project |
| Workflow tool with one AI feature | ₹2.1L–₹3.4L |
| Workflow tool with an agent | ₹2.7L–₹4.9L |
| Running costs | Model usage, hosting and messaging, billed by providers and not by Neyven |
How much does an AI agent cost in India?
The cost depends on what the agent touches. An agent that only reads and suggests is cheap. One that writes to your systems needs more safeguards, testing and review steps. These are Neyven's price bands, applied to business software:
| Level | Example | Adds to the project | Complete workflow tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI feature | Fill fields from invoices; answer questions from your documents | ₹40k–₹1L | ₹2.1L–₹3.4L |
| Agent that acts | Triage requests, look up records, update systems, draft replies for approval | ₹1L–₹2.5L | ₹2.7L–₹4.9L |
The first column assumes the tool around the agent is built at the same time. If you already have the software, only the AI piece applies.
What drives the cost?
- Number of tools the agent can use: each connection to a system adds build and test work.
- Risk of a wrong answer: the higher it is, the more review steps and checks.
- Quality of your data: documents that are scanned, handwritten or inconsistent take longer.
- Testing: measuring accuracy on your real examples is a large part of the work.
- Languages: Hindi, regional languages and mixed-language text need extra testing.
- Approval flow: whether a person must approve each action.
What are the hidden costs of an AI agent?
Ecorpit's India guide lists the usual ones: LLM token usage, vector databases and data protection compliance. See the link below. Plan for these on top of the build.
| Item | Who charges | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Model usage | AI provider | Grows with volume. We estimate it in the scope from your real documents |
| Hosting and storage | Cloud provider | Small for most business apps |
| Messaging (WhatsApp, SMS) | Provider | Per message |
| Monitoring and fixes | You or Neyven | Models and inputs change, so plan for upkeep |
| Data protection | You | Know what personal data the agent reads and where it is stored |
As a general rule, budget 15–20% of build cost per year for upkeep, per Mind Studios. Agents may need more at first, while you tune them on real traffic.
How do you avoid overpaying for an AI agent?
- Start with one narrow task. Not 'an agent for the company'.
- Ask for accuracy on your own documents, not on a demo.
- Keep a person in the loop for anything costly or irreversible.
- Ask what the monthly model bill will be at your volume.
- Make sure you own the code, the prompts and the accounts.
Be wary of any quote that gives a price without asking to see your data.
Is an agent worth it for a small business?
It pays off when people spend hours a week on reading, sorting or typing, and the work follows patterns. For example, 20 hours a week of invoice entry. It does not pay off for a task that happens ten times a month. Read what agents can and cannot do before you commit, and consider workflow automation first if your process is still on paper.
How the work is delivered, including how we test AI output, is on how we build.
Frequently asked questions
Can you build an agent for under ₹1L?
An AI feature, yes, in some cases. A full agent that acts in your systems usually costs more, because of the safeguards.
Are model usage costs included?
No. They are billed by the AI provider on your account. We estimate them in the scope.
Can the agent run in WhatsApp?
Yes, through the WhatsApp Business API, with the provider's message fees.
How long does it take?
An AI feature fits within a Build package, usually 3–4 weeks. An agent with several tools is a Platform job, with a first release in 5–8 weeks and phases after.
Will my data be used to train models?
No. We configure providers so your data is not used for training, and we write this in the scope.