Per seat, per task, per agent or project-based: how AI agent pricing works and how to compare offers.
The short answer
AI agents are priced per seat, per task or credit, per agent, or as a scoped project plus running fee. Compare offers on total cost per completed workflow, not headline price.
Key takeaways
Seat-based (per user), usage-based (per task or credit), agent-based (per deployed agent) and project-based (build fee plus subscription).
Estimate monthly volume, then compute cost per completed, approved output. Add integration and maintenance.
Agreeing scope and price for one first agent limits risk. That is how Switch structures first engagements.
It can spike with volume; ask for caps or estimates.
Not per outcome, since they're built for your highest-value work.
How this guide was made
Written and reviewed by our editors against vendor documentation, public regulation texts and practitioner interviews. We update guides when products or rules change. Tools mentioned may have a commercial relationship with this site; this never decides what we recommend.
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