ReckonBoxWhat the AI cost, ROI and job risk tools do
An AI cost calculator turns model prices, seats, or a subscription into the monthly bill, and an AI ROI calculator sets that cost against the time the tool saves. Eight calculators cover three jobs. Three price the spend: token cost, subscription versus API, and AI tool cost. Four weigh the payback: ChatGPT ROI, custom GPT ROI, AI value, and AI versus a virtual assistant. One runs the other way and scores what AI does to your own week, the job risk calculator.
None of them returns a bare figure. Each shows the arithmetic and the break-even, because the number that decides whether AI is worth paying for is the point where it starts to pay for itself, not the headline price.
The two questions: cost first, then payback
Pricing an AI model is arithmetic you can trust. API cost is input tokens times the input price plus output tokens times the output price, per million tokens, and output runs 4 to 6 times the input rate, so it usually dominates. On GPT-4o, 1,000 input and 500 output tokens is about $0.0075 a request, which is roughly $75 a month at 10,000 requests. A flat chat plan changes the shape: below about 3,200 messages a month, per-message API use is cheaper than a $20 subscription, and above it the plan wins.
Payback is the harder half, because it rests on a number you estimate rather than read off a price list. Every ROI result multiplies a time saving by an hourly rate, and that time saving is the soft input. Enter a 25% efficiency gain and a small tool looks transformative; enter one you can defend and the picture is honest. So each ROI tool takes that figure directly and reports the payback period beside the percentage.
Where the money numbers come from
The figures are named and dated, not invented.
| Tool | Grounded figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Token cost | output priced 4 to 6x input; prices as of 2026-07-28 | provider price lists |
| AI tool cost | per-seat plans $20 to $60; business AI spend $100 to $5,000 a month | WebFX, Sep 2025 |
| Custom GPT ROI | a done-for-you build runs $2,500 to $7,500 | Only Boldly, 2026 |
| AI vs virtual assistant | a human interaction $4 to $12, an AI one $0.10 to $1.50 | industry 2026 figures |
Model prices drift, so every tool takes a custom price you can overwrite, and the ROI tools take the hours saved as an input rather than assuming one.
What this section deliberately does not cover
These tools compare cost, not capability. An AI versus virtual assistant result shows where the chatbot is cheaper per interaction, not that it handles the judgment call a person would, which is why hybrids are common. The ROI tools measure a time saving you supply, so they are only as honest as that figure, and the way to get it is to track real usage for 30 days rather than assume a percentage. Model prices are a snapshot as of 28 July 2026 and move often, so confirm the current rate on the provider price list before committing a budget. The job risk calculator sits apart from all of that: it scores the tasks you enter against published exposure weights and returns no prediction about your employment or your employer.
Frequently asked questions
What can I calculate in the AI section? Eight calculators cover three questions: what AI costs, whether it pays off, and how exposed your own work is to it. Token cost, subscription versus API, and AI tool cost price the spend; ChatGPT ROI, custom GPT ROI, AI value, and AI versus virtual assistant weigh it against the time or work saved; the job risk calculator scores your weekly tasks. Each one shows its formula and the break-even, not a single number on its own.
Why is API output priced higher than input? Providers charge for generated tokens about 4 to 6 times the rate of the tokens you send in, because generation is the compute-heavy step, so output usually dominates the bill. On GPT-4o, 1,000 input and 500 output tokens is about $0.0075 a request, or roughly $75 a month at 10,000 requests. Model prices are a snapshot as of 28 July 2026.
Is a $20 subscription cheaper than the API? It depends on volume. Below about 3,200 messages a month, per-message API use on GPT-4o costs less than a flat $20 plan; above it, the subscription wins. A plan also buys an interface, image generation, and browsing, so the comparison is cost rather than features.
How do the ROI tools avoid overstating the benefit? The benefit rests on the efficiency gain or hours saved you enter, which is the soft input and the easy one to inflate. Each ROI tool takes that figure directly, suggests measuring it from real usage at 30 days, and reports the payback period next to the percentage, so a large ROI on a tiny base stays visible.
How current are the cost figures? Model prices are a dated snapshot as of 28 July 2026, and every tool takes a custom price so you can update it. The business benchmarks are named and dated: per-seat AI plans of $20 to $60 a user, a custom GPT build of $2,500 to $7,500, and overall AI spend of $100 to $5,000 a month for most businesses.