How much does an AI consultant cost in the UK?
Published UK prices for AI consultancy range from low hundreds of pounds for small audits to five figures for strategy work and custom builds. Scope, seniority and data complexity drive the difference. This guide compares what four UK providers publish, explains what drives cost and shows how to compare quotes.
Short answer
Prices vary widely because the work varies. A short audit and a custom AI system are different jobs. The table shows what four UK providers publish, with a link to each source.
Published prices from UK providers (checked 14 October 2026)
| Provider | Published prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Easy AI | AI strategy audit from £149; implementation sprint from £495 | easy-ai.co.uk |
| Augustova | Audit £2,500–£6,000; implementation £4,000–£15,000; custom AI system £8,000–£25,000 (excluding VAT, as stated by the provider) | augustova.co.uk |
| Hartz AI | Readiness audit from £5,000 + VAT; roadmap from £7,500 + VAT; fractional Chief AI Officer £4,000 per month + VAT. It also states that hourly rates across the market run £120–£400 | hartzai.com |
| Elansio (Exeter) | Demystify Workshop £980 + VAT for up to 20 people; Build Day £1,395 + VAT | elansio.com |
These are the providers' own published figures, copied as stated. They are not Axithorn's prices, and each provider's scope differs. Check the source for current figures.
What drives the cost
- Discovery depth: how much of the business is reviewed.
- Data clean-up before anything can be built.
- Integrations with the systems you already use.
- Model and API running costs.
- Governance, such as policies, permissions and review steps.
- Training for your team.
Fixed price or day rate
Fixed price. You know the cost before work starts. The scope has to be clear, and changes are quoted separately.
Day rate. It is flexible when the scope is unclear. The final cost is harder to predict, so ask for a cap or an estimate.
Hidden running costs
- Tool licences, for example for your CRM or an AI service.
- API usage, which grows with volume.
- Maintenance as models, tools and your processes change.
- Time from your own team to review output.
How to compare quotes
- What exactly is reviewed or built, and what is left out?
- Who does the work, and how senior are they?
- Is the price fixed, and what triggers a change?
- What do you receive at the end, and do you own it?
- What are the running costs after launch?
- How is your data handled, and by which tools?
Axithorn's pricing
Axithorn quotes the AI readiness audit, and any build that follows, as a fixed price before work starts. See the AI readiness audit page and the AI consultancy overview.