How Much Do AI Agents Cost?
TL;DR: AI agents range from free (open-source + your own model key) to ~$20-100+/month for managed cloud platforms. Your two costs are the platform (subscription) and the model (per-use inference). Open-source + bring-your-own-key is the cheapest path.
The two costs
- Platform — the agent software/hosting (free tier, or ~$20-100+/mo).
- Model — inference per run (pennies to dollars depending on the model and task).
How to keep it low
- Use open-source agents (n8n, Aider) and pay only for the model.
- Bring your own API key and pay the provider directly.
- Pick a fast, cheap model for high-volume tasks.
See free AI agents and filter the directory by pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How much do AI agents cost?
From free (open-source + your own model key) to about $20-100+/month for managed cloud platforms, plus per-use model costs.
What is the cheapest way to run an AI agent?
Use an open-source agent and bring your own API key, so you pay only low per-use model costs with no platform fee.
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