Interactive economics · No account needed

How much does your AI transaction stack really cost?

When a simple order passes through marketplaces, AI agents, voice services, messages and payment processors, the layers can add up. Change the assumptions to see where the money goes.

Configure the hypothetical order

One order. Multiple layers.

These are illustrative editable assumptions, not verified prices from any named provider. The calculator runs entirely in your browser and does not submit your values.

Example model · USD

Order basics

Order value ($) Orders per month Gross margin before these fees (%) Monthly software subscriptions ($)

Transaction and agent layers

Select what applies and change each cost. A marketplace commission and payment fee may overlap or be bundled depending on the provider agreement.

Marketplace commissionPercent of sale (%)

Payment processing

Percent (%)Fixed per order ($)

AI model / agent requestsCost per order ($)

Automation / routing layerCost per order ($)

Voice / telephonyCost per order ($)

Text or notification serviceCost per order ($)

Edit any value to recalculate. No data is sent to a server.

Estimated cost of your stack

Technology cost / order$0.00

Technology fee share of revenue0%

Technology spend / month$0.00

Remaining gross profit / month$0.00

Cost distribution per order

How it's calculated

Loading calculations…

Per-order figures may display fractional cents; monthly totals use underlying values before display rounding. Gross margin is entered before modeled technology costs. Net operating profit is not calculated; taxes, overhead, returns, advertising, labor and other expenses are excluded unless you include them in your assumptions.

Why small fees become large decisions

Imagine a $15 food order routed through a marketplace and multiple AI layers. A few cents for models and messages may be minor compared with a percentage marketplace commission, but every recurring charge deserves to be counted. A $100 monthly platform subscription costs $1 per order at 100 monthly orders, and $0.10 at 1,000 orders.

Don't double-count bundled fees

Some platforms include payment processing, model usage or messaging in their pricing. Others charge them separately, through different vendors, or on different bases. Check provider invoices and terms before treating every possible layer as an extra charge.

How to use this in a buying decision

Replace illustrative numbers with actual quotes and invoices.
Turn off layers already covered by a bundle or not used in your real process.
Calculate the cost at both your expected order volume and a low-volume case.
Include failure recovery, human escalations and vendor minimum charges in your operational plan.
Compare the same customer outcome with simpler architecture, a consolidated vendor and a managed operating service.

The cheapest API call is not necessarily the cheapest business process. The meaningful number is the cost of a correctly completed customer outcome.

Next: read Build It, Buy It, or Have Someone Operate It?, browse the Discovery guide, or review HDP's Business OS packages.