"How much does it cost?" is the first question most teams ask about AI customer service, and the hardest to answer from a pricing page. Vendors price on different units, so two tools with similar list prices can produce very different bills.
This guide explains the common models, the costs that aren't on the pricing page, and a simple way to estimate your own number.
The four pricing models
Per seat
You pay for each person who uses the inbox, often with AI usage included up to a limit. Consolto, for example, prices per seat and sets video hours and AI credits per plan.
Good for: small teams with predictable headcount. Watch for: AI usage caps, and whether the AI itself counts as a seat.
Per plan with seats
A plan includes a fixed number of seats and an AI allowance. LiveCart works this way: Solo includes one seat, Team three and Business ten, each with monthly AI credits.
Good for: teams that want a predictable monthly number. Watch for: what happens when you exceed the AI allowance.
Per resolution
You pay a fee each time the AI fully resolves a conversation, usually on top of seats. Several larger suites use this model.
Good for: paying only when the AI delivers. Watch for: how "resolution" is defined, and your bill in a busy month. A successful agent can cost more than you planned.
Usage-based
You pay for messages, minutes or tokens consumed.
Good for: very low or very spiky volumes. Watch for: forecasting. Usage bills are the hardest to predict.
Costs that aren't on the pricing page
- Messaging fees. WhatsApp charges businesses for some conversations through Meta, separately from your software. Budget for it if WhatsApp is a big channel.
- Calls. Voice and video minutes, recordings and storage are often limited per plan.
- Setup time. Writing a persona, connecting sources and testing answers takes a day or two of someone's time. It's worth it, but it isn't free.
- Integrations. Some CRM and helpdesk connectors are restricted to higher plans.
- Overlap. If the new tool doesn't replace your old chat, scheduling or helpdesk tool, you pay for both.
Estimate your monthly bill in five minutes
Gather four numbers from last month:
- Conversations across all channels.
- Share the AI could handle: start with your best honest guess from tagging fifty conversations.
- Seats: people who'll answer handoffs.
- Calls: number and average length, if you need them.
Then, for each tool on your shortlist:
- Per seat: seats × seat price, plus any AI or call overages.
- Per plan: the plan that fits your seats, plus overages.
- Per resolution: seats × seat price + (conversations × AI share × resolution fee).
Run the numbers for an average month and your busiest month. The busy month is where models diverge.
Compare the value, not just the price
The cheapest tool isn't the one with the lowest number. It's the one that resolves the most questions correctly, hands off cleanly and replaces the most other tools. A tool that costs a little more but lets you drop a separate scheduler, a separate WhatsApp inbox and a separate call tool may be cheaper overall.
LiveCart's plans are on the pricing page, with prices excluding tax. If you're weighing a specific competitor, our comparison pages explain each pricing model side by side.
